Novel mechanical mechanisms for the development of undergraduate knowledge
Name
558587980-MIT.pdf
Description
Full printable version
Size
1.64 MB
Format
Adobe PDF
Checksum (MD5)
1a310a80ae069d00d5daeb00666479d1
Author(s)
Stern, Michael L., S.M. Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Advisor(s)
Barbara Hughey.
Date Issued
2009
Publisher
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Abstract
Although MIT Students have been taught an enormous amount of theory and design, they are not exposed to simple machine elements and designs from the past. As a result, students often spend time reinventing things when the answers have been already developed. This project focuses on presenting students with designs from the past that are useful, novel and make the student think. This agenda is one that is being approached by a number of others. In particular, there are the Clark Collection at the Museum of Science and KMODDL (Kinematic Models for Design Digital Library), an online resource containing both photographs and video of models and 3D printing templates, all aiming to make this knowledge more accessible to a wider group of people. The goal of the present work is to create a more easily understood set of models that can be made inexpensively and can be produced around the world. The models included in this collection focus on four main themes: pulleys, gears, ratchets and mechanisms that convert rotary to linear motion. By using consistent coloring to act as a legend, educational descriptions that accompany the models to provide context, and a simple design to allow for fabrication using a laser cutter, the educational goals of the project were executed and met. The models are more easily understood and cost a fraction of the amount to fabricate as those made with a 3D printer while being more robust and visually pleasing.
Description
Thesis (S.B.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Mechanical Engineering, 2009.
This electronic version was submitted by the student author. The certified thesis is available in the Institute Archives and Special Collections.
Cataloged from student submitted PDF version of thesis.
Includes bibliographical references (p. 39).
Subjects
Mechanical Engineering.
MIT Department
Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Mechanical Engineering
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