The Wooden Bike Frame Challenge: Learning Statics Through Hands-On Design

Jenni Buckley; Amy Trauth; Alexander John De Rosa; Heather Doty

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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 2: Enhancing Learning through Hands-On Design
Tagged Division: Mechanical Engineering Division (MECH)
Permanent URL: https://peer.asee.org/48150

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Paper Authors

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Jenni Buckley University of Delaware

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Dr. Buckley is an Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering at University of Delaware. She received her BE (2001) in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Delaware, and her MS (2004) and PhD (2006) in Mechanical Engineering from the University of California, Berkeley. At University of Delaware, she co-directs the Design Studio, an academic makerspace, and teaches foundational courses in design and mechanics. Dr. Buckley is the Co-Founder and President of The Perry Initiative, a non-profit organization dedicated to building the pipeline for women in orthopaedic surgery and engineering.

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Amy Trauth American Institutes for Research orcid.org/0000-0002-5146-592X

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Amy Trauth, Ph.D., is a Researcher at the American Institutes for Research (AIR) and Affiliate Faculty in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Delaware. Her research focuses on inservice and preservice teacher education and inclusive, accessible learning environments for students in P-16 STEM education.

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Alexander John De Rosa University of Delaware orcid.org/0000-0003-1693-4724

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Alexander De Rosa is an Associate Professor in Mechanical Engineering at The University of Delaware. He gained his Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from The Pennsylvania State University in 2015, where he worked on experimental combustion research applied to gas turbine engines, and his M.Eng. in Mechanical Engineering from Imperial College London in 2010. Alex's research focuses on the transfer of learning between various courses and contexts and the professional formation of engineers.

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Heather Doty University of Delaware

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Heather Doty is an associate professor of mechanical engineering at the University of Delaware (UD). Dr. Doty teaches undergraduate courses in thermodynamics, statics, and dynamics, and conducts research on gender in the academic STEM workforce. She is Co-Director of UD's ADVANCE Institute, which seeks to strengthen UD's faculty with an eye toward diversity and equity.

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Abstract

Statics is a core course taken by undergraduate mechanical engineers in their freshmen or sophomore years. The course involves characterizing structures that remain still (static) under load. Statics concepts traditionally build in complexity from isolated particles, then to rigid bodies, and finally to structures formed by multiple rigid bodies. Structural analysis, otherwise known as “frames and machines,” is thus one of the more complex topics covered in Statics because it integrates prior knowledge of particle and rigid body equilibrium with new concepts like two-force members and internal loads. Traditionally, students become proficient in structural analysis by solving textbook problems where implicitly or explicitly, these problems classify the structure as either a “frame” or a “machine.” This classification in problem wording hints at the solution method and typically requires students to calculate the loads at a particular connector or cross section at risk of failure, thus reducing opportunities for structural analysis before computation. In actual practice, structural analysis is less straightforward; engineers must thoughtfully examine the structure to determine the best method of analysis and likely failure location(s).

Prior studies have introduced project-based learning (PBL) experiences for Statics courses that involve more realistic open-ended design, analysis, and validation. However, the prototyping component of these studies often falls short of actual practice by limiting students to scale model designs in craft grade materials, e.g., table-top sized bridges constructed from balsa wood. While economical and logistically simplistic, scale model designs do not reinforce industry-relevant design and fabrication skills, e.g., CAD/CAM and shop skills. Furthermore, scale models cannot be subjected to realistic loading conditions, which disconnects the analysis and validation portions of the project from actual engineering practice.

In this study, we introduce a novel PBL exercise – the Wooden Bike Frame Challenge – for Statics courses that focuses on structural analysis and involves fabrication of a full-scale wooden bike frame using CAD/CAM techniques. The complete set of instructional materials, including problem statements, assignments, and rubrics, are included in this study for open-source use by other engineering educators. We evaluated the efficacy of this exercise in reinforcing students’ knowledge of statics concepts and previously acquired prototyping skills using a mixed-methods approach. Study subjects were sophomore year mechanical engineering students who were teamed (n=158 students in 37 teams). The effect of the PBL exercise on content knowledge was determined by comparing pre- and post-PBL solutions to structural analysis textbook problems, as well as the more open-ended structural analysis of the bike frame designs. Post-PBL, students individually completed a survey assessing their level of engagement with the analytical and design aspects of the PBL exercise and perceived value of the project. The Wooden Bike Frame Challenge demonstrates the value of embedding full-scale design experiences into core courses like Statics, not only for strengthening newly acquired knowledge like structural analysis, but also for reinforcing industry-standard design and fabrication skills from prior coursework.

Citation
Format

Buckley, J., & Trauth, A., & De Rosa, A. J., & Doty, H. (2024, June), The Wooden Bike Frame Challenge: Learning Statics Through Hands-On Design Paper presented at 2024 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, Portland, Oregon. https://peer.asee.org/48150

TY  - CPAPER
AB  - Statics is a core course taken by undergraduate mechanical engineers in their freshmen or sophomore years. The course involves characterizing structures that remain still (static) under load. Statics concepts traditionally build in complexity from isolated particles, then to rigid bodies, and finally to structures formed by multiple rigid bodies. Structural analysis, otherwise known as “frames and machines,” is thus one of the more complex topics covered in Statics because it integrates prior knowledge of particle and rigid body equilibrium with new concepts like two-force members and internal loads. Traditionally, students become proficient in structural analysis by solving textbook problems where implicitly or explicitly, these problems classify the structure as either a “frame” or a “machine.” This classification in problem wording hints at the solution method and typically requires students to calculate the loads at a particular connector or cross section at risk of failure, thus reducing opportunities for structural analysis before computation. In actual practice, structural analysis is less straightforward; engineers must thoughtfully examine the structure to determine the best method of analysis and likely failure location(s). 

Prior studies have introduced project-based learning (PBL) experiences for Statics courses that involve more realistic open-ended design, analysis, and validation. However, the prototyping component of these studies often falls short of actual practice by limiting students to scale model designs in craft grade materials, e.g., table-top sized bridges constructed from balsa wood. While economical and logistically simplistic, scale model designs do not reinforce industry-relevant design and fabrication skills, e.g., CAD/CAM and shop skills. Furthermore, scale models cannot be subjected to realistic loading conditions, which disconnects the analysis and validation portions of the project from actual engineering practice.

In this study, we introduce a novel PBL exercise – the Wooden Bike Frame Challenge –  for Statics courses that focuses on structural analysis and involves fabrication of a full-scale wooden bike frame using CAD/CAM techniques. The complete set of instructional materials, including problem statements, assignments, and rubrics, are included in this study for open-source use by other engineering educators. We evaluated the efficacy of this exercise in reinforcing students’ knowledge of statics concepts and previously acquired prototyping skills using a mixed-methods approach. Study subjects were sophomore year mechanical engineering students who were teamed (n=158 students in 37 teams). The effect of the PBL exercise on content knowledge was determined by comparing pre- and post-PBL solutions to structural analysis textbook problems, as well as the more open-ended structural analysis of the bike frame designs. Post-PBL, students individually completed a survey assessing their level of engagement with the analytical and design aspects of the PBL exercise and perceived value of the project. The Wooden Bike Frame Challenge demonstrates the value of embedding full-scale design experiences into core courses like Statics, not only for strengthening newly acquired knowledge like structural analysis, but also for reinforcing industry-standard design and fabrication skills from prior coursework.
AU  - Jenni Buckley
AU  - Amy Trauth
AU  - Alexander John De Rosa
AU  - Heather Doty
CY  - Portland, Oregon
DA  - 2024/06/23
PB  - ASEE Conferences
TI  - The Wooden Bike Frame Challenge: Learning Statics Through Hands-On Design
UR  - https://peer.asee.org/48150
ER  -