My First Engineering Project: The Cube
WHY did I pursue this project? Where did I get my inspiration from?
This is the very first engineering project I have pursued. It was part of a course I took my sophomore year of high school called Intro to Engineering Design. I took this course from Fall 2015 to Spring 2016 at Clear Springs High School. This project was designed for us students to think conceptually about engineering sketches and how we can bring our designs to life.
This was also a time in my life when I was obsessed with Rubiks cubes, which may have also been where I drew inspiration.
HOW did I pursue this project? What processes were needed to complete it?
I had to start by using the skills I learned in technical drawings by drawing the cube in isometric views. I used a pencil, my engineering notebook, and colored pencils.
To determine the design, I thought of all the possible combinations of the colored pieces. I then took into consideration design constraints, meaning that all cubes must touch at least one other cube so that no cube was separate. I finally determined the combination and drew them in isometric view.
For the physical design, I used wooden blocks with a hot glue gun to assemble the pieces together.
WHAT did I learn in this process? What new skills did I acquire (soft or technical)?
As my first project, I learned how to bring an idea on paper to something I can hold in my hands. I learned how important it was for designers to think of multiple solutions to the same problem, because some ideas may be more efficient than others.
I also learned how important it was to sketch my ideas on paper, as well as signing and dating, because sketching not only helps you memorize your ideas, but it also allows you to show your ideas to people more easily. It also allows you to take ownership of what you’ve created.
WHAT is the impact of this project?
This project (both the cube and the engineering notebook) is still in my room, and I consider it valuable as the first thing I’ve built. I’ve moved on to pursue other engineering projects, using what I have learned from making this cube.