Vak: Project Prototype credits: 10

This course offers a hands-on learning experience concentrated around the design and construction of an electric motor-driven mechanical solution.
Students will engage in creating a device with moving components such as shafts and bearings, addressing mechanical challenges like strength, bending, shear, and fatigue. The course emphasizes practical problem-solving, with students developing a proof of concept through techniques like welding, machining, and forming, culminating in a design review presentation.
Throughout the semester, the project will evolve in tandem with modules teaching technical and social skills relevant to each phase. Workshop techniques, including turning, milling, waterjet cutting, sheet metal forming, and welding, will be integral to the curriculum, especially in the later weeks. The course includes mandatory activities like project meetings, design and engineering reviews, prototype demonstrations, workshop training, and skill development classes. The students, as a group, will start with analyzing the chosen technical problem using the "Methodical design method". During this period, information regarding topics such as the plan of approach, project organization, workshop skills, and portfolio making will be acquired. During the design and engineering stage, the student presents solutions and practices skills by advising an actual client. Ultimately, the client will give a "Go-No-go" decision to a proposed solution.
Although the project is a group effort with a common goal, individual roles will also be assigned. These roles may include project manager, chairman, minute taker, planner, and mechanical lead engineer. It's up to the group to divide the roles and evenly distribute the workload amongst each other regarding the project tasks.
Overall, the project aims to provide a comprehensive learning experience that combines theoretical knowledge with practical skills, allowing students to develop their personal and professional competencies.