Ancient Machines: What Engineering Students Can Learn from Them?

Arif Sirinterlikci; Ronald Saus

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Conference: 2024 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition
Location: Portland, Oregon
Publication Date: June 23, 2024
Start Date: June 23, 2024
End Date: July 12, 2024
Conference Session: MECH - Technical Session 3: Advancements in Teaching Mechanical Engineering
Tagged Division: Mechanical Engineering Division (MECH)
Permanent URL: https://peer.asee.org/46581

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Paper Authors

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Arif Sirinterlikci Ph.D., CMfgE Robert Morris University orcid.org/0000-0002-3272-0649

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Dr. Arif Sirinterlikci, Ph.D., CMfgE is a University Professor of Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering in the School of Engineering, Mathematics, and Science (SEMS) at Robert Morris University (RMU). He holds BS/MS degrees (both in Mechanical Engineering) from Istanbul Technical University in Turkey, and his Ph.D. is in Industrial and Systems Engineering from the Ohio State University. He was involved in the ASEE Organization in the years between 2003 to 2011 as a Manufacturing Division Officer, also serving as the division's Chair 2010 -2011. He is also a member of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering Divisions along with the College and Industry Partnership (CIPD) Division. He is a co-author of the book titled, A Comprehensive Approach to Digital Manufacturing, which was published in April 2023.

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Ronald Saus Robert Morris University

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Ronald Saus is an Alumni of Robert Morris University. Ronald graduated Cum Laude in 2019 with a degree in Manufacturing Engineering. As part of his education at Robert Morris, he reverse engineered the ancient Greek Ropebot to design and build a working example.

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Abstract

Ancient engineers were envisioning all sorts of machines including mechanically programmed ones and building them. We may never know if some of these really existed, like Talos, a mechanical bronze colossus patrolling the shores of the island of Crete, throwing boulders at invaders, but we are sure of the existence of machines like Antikythera mechanism, an ancient Greek hand-powered orrery predicting astronomical positions of the planets in our solar system and Moon as well as eclipses that are associated with them. This study presents the recent efforts of the author and his fellow faculty in employing ancient machines in the engineering and other curricula. A variety of means were employed including an honors thesis, an extra credit project in an engineering course as well as an internal project that replaced the internship requirement for this undergraduate dominant engineering department:

• A double degree mechanical and manufacturing engineering student studied the innerworkings of the Antikythera mechanism to replicate its operation in a powered LEGO system for her honor’s thesis while working with a mathematics professor. • A manufacturing engineering student reversed engineered the ancient Greek Ropebot which can be programmed with a rope. The working model of the Ropebot was mimicked in CAD from its existing drawings available, 3D printed, and assembled with addition of some components. This work was treated as an extra credit project in a robotics and automation course. • A mechanical engineering student was supplied with a working model of Leonardo Da Vinci Self-Propelling Cart (a.k.a. Automobile) for analysis. The student was also asked to review the literature in existence for similar mechanisms. This effort was employed for earning credit to satisfy the internship requirement during the Pandemic.

The work mentioned in this paper utilized a variety of different approaches simultaneously, including analysis and synthesis, understanding of astrophysics, and mechanical movement via automata, knowledge of and skills in computer-aided design (CAD), computer-aided engineering (CAE), 3D scanning and printing areas. The students were already exposed to machine design/mechanisms, or mechanization and fixed (hard) automation concepts prior to being involved in these projects. This paper concludes with the lessons learned from such effort and future work including possible efforts in expanding this into a larger audience, including secondary education beyond Rube Goldberg challenges.

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Sirinterlikci, A., & Saus, R. (2024, June), Ancient Machines: What Engineering Students Can Learn from Them? Paper presented at 2024 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, Portland, Oregon. https://peer.asee.org/46581

TY - CPAPER
AB - Ancient engineers were envisioning all sorts of machines including mechanically programmed ones and building them. We may never know if some of these really existed, like Talos, a mechanical bronze colossus patrolling the shores of the island of Crete, throwing boulders at invaders, but we are sure of the existence of machines like Antikythera mechanism, an ancient Greek hand-powered orrery predicting astronomical positions of the planets in our solar system and Moon as well as eclipses that are associated with them. This study presents the recent efforts of the author and his fellow faculty in employing ancient machines in the engineering and other curricula. A variety of means were employed including an honors thesis, an extra credit project in an engineering course as well as an internal project that replaced the internship requirement for this undergraduate dominant engineering department:

• A double degree mechanical and manufacturing engineering student studied the innerworkings of the Antikythera mechanism to replicate its operation in a powered LEGO system for her honor’s thesis while working with a mathematics professor.
• A manufacturing engineering student reversed engineered the ancient Greek Ropebot which can be programmed with a rope. The working model of the Ropebot was mimicked in CAD from its existing drawings available, 3D printed, and assembled with addition of some components. This work was treated as an extra credit project in a robotics and automation course.
• A mechanical engineering student was supplied with a working model of Leonardo Da Vinci Self-Propelling Cart (a.k.a. Automobile) for analysis. The student was also asked to review the literature in existence for similar mechanisms. This effort was employed for earning credit to satisfy the internship requirement during the Pandemic.

The work mentioned in this paper utilized a variety of different approaches simultaneously, including analysis and synthesis, understanding of astrophysics, and mechanical movement via automata, knowledge of and skills in computer-aided design (CAD), computer-aided engineering (CAE), 3D scanning and printing areas. The students were already exposed to machine design/mechanisms, or mechanization and fixed (hard) automation concepts prior to being involved in these projects. This paper concludes with the lessons learned from such effort and future work including possible efforts in expanding this into a larger audience, including secondary education beyond Rube Goldberg challenges.

AU - Arif Sirinterlikci Ph.D., CMfgE
AU - Ronald Saus
CY - Portland, Oregon
DA - 2024/06/23
PB - ASEE Conferences
TI - Ancient Machines: What Engineering Students Can Learn from Them?
UR - https://peer.asee.org/46581
ER -