Using Technology to Build Solar

Transcription

Using Technology to Build Solar
Feature
Feature
Photo courtesy of Jonathan Schwartz, Colfax High School
Using Technology to
Build Solar-Powered
Drag Racers
By Jerry Fireman
The Colfax High
School Design Tech
program incorporates
both academic
instruction and
practical use of
advanced technology
to prepare students
for the wide range
of occupations that
involve working
with metal, wood,
computers and
electronics.
40 Techniques October 2012
S
tudents at Colfax High School
in Colfax, California, apply
academic learning, develop
flexible thinking and acquire
marketable skills in the school’s Design
Tech program. Thirty students rotate
through four classes—metal shop, wood
shop, computers and electronics—spending four-and-a-half weeks in each discipline. In each of these classes they contribute to their final project—a solar-powered
drag racer featuring a metal chassis,
custom-made circuit board, student-designed sticker package and a molded wood
body. The students learn to use advanced
manufacturing technology like a computer numerical control (CNC) router that is
used to build the wooden body as well as
a CNC plasma cutter that is used to build
the metal chassis of the drag racer. Near
the end of the class, students and their
cars face off in a school-wide race.
A Unique Technical
Education Program
Traditional vocational training courses
like wood and metal shop focus on preparing students for careers like cabinetmakers, machinists and auto mechanics.
Today’s working world offers a much
more varied range of technical and vocational careers, but whether traditional or
new, these careers do have one thing in
common. They all require the ability to
use advanced technology tools in order to
succeed and advance. The Colfax High
School Design Tech program incorporates both academic instruction and
• Just exactly how do the pieces
fit together?
• How does the user hold the product?
• How does it fit in with other products
it is to be used with?
Metal Shop Technology
practical use of advanced technology to
prepare students for the wide range of
occupations that involve working with
metal, wood, computers and electronics.
The students can aim for some of the less
traditional technical or vocational careers
like jewelry making, repairing ski lifts,
designing green buildings and building
robots. “Our vision is to engage all students in applied learning,” says Jonathan
Schwartz who teaches the Design Tech
course. “Students have the opportunity
to imagine, design and make something
while applying academic principles
learned in science, math, English or any
subject.”
Wood Shop Technology
Colfax High School has used two of
Techno Inc.’s LC CNC routers for several
years in its wood shop program. Students
use computer-aided design (CAD) software to define the geometry of their projects to extremely high levels of accuracy
and detail. The software allows them to
also zoom in and out on their projects and
view them from any angle. After they are
satisfied with the design, the students convert the geometry into a CNC program
and download it to the router, which
then produces the design by removing
material from a block of wood or plastic.
The resulting accuracy is far greater than
the student could have achieved by using
traditional hand or power tools. Building
a prototype also forces the students to resolve issues that would be too easy to gloss
over in a computer model, such as:
www.acteonline.org
The solar-powered drag racer project
is interesting because it utilizes the full
range of technologies taught in the Design
Tech program. As stated earlier, students
rotate through four classes: electronics,
wood shop, metal shop and computers. In
each class they work on a contribution to
their drag racer. In the wood shop class
for example, students use CAD software
to design the body of their car and a toolbox. Then they use the CNC router along
with a table saw, band saw and sanders to
build the car body and toolbox.
Creating the metal chassis of the drag
racer involves cutting-edge technology.
The school purchased a CNC plasma
cutter from the same manufacturer that
provides the CNC routers. The plasma
cutter cuts steel and other materials with
a plasma torch. The torch blows a gas at
high speed out of a nozzle while an electrical arc is formed through that gas from
the nozzle to the surface being cut. The
energy begins to break apart the gas molecules. The electrons separate from the
nucleus, forming a type of matter called
plasma. When the fast-moving electrons
collide with other electrons and ions, they
release large amounts of energy. This energy is what gives plasma its unique status
and amazing cutting power. The plasma
is sufficiently hot to melt the metal being
cut and moves fast enough to blow molten
metal away from the cut. A plasma cutter
can pass through metals with little or no
resistance.
The CNC plasma cutter is easy for
the students to learn because it uses the
same industry standard G-code files used
for programming most CNC machines.
G-code is a language used to control the
motion of computerized machine tools,
which in turn determines the geometry
www.acteonline.org
Rosie Ororzco using the Techno LC CNC router.
Photo courtesy of Jonathan Schwartz, Colfax High School
Design Tech instructor Jonathan Schwartz and student
Christian Topper building components of a drag racer.
Photos courtesy of Christian Kinsey, Colfax High School
One of the race cars with
the body removed.
The same race car with
the body attached.
41
October 2012 Techniques Feature
of the parts they produce. The machine’s
automatic torch height control helps
maintain cut quality on both thicker and
thinner materials.
Not Just for Cars
Caitie Pedersen, a former student at
Colfax High School, used the CNC
router to make Corian® molds that
she used to design chocolate bars.
“I made candy bars with the school
name on it,” Pedersen said. Pedersen
is currently going to culinary school
and planning to be a pastry chef.
She sees the potential for starting
a business based on making the
chocolate bars and other types of
candy to customer specifications.
The customers could submit either
sketches or their own designs in the
form of CAD files. Pedersen would
then use the router to cut a mold
that exactly matches the customer’s
design. “The CNC router greatly
reduces the cost of making custom
food designs,” Pedersen added.
“As a result, it should open up the
potential for people to create many
interesting new businesses.”
Race to the Finish
In addition to the CNC plasma cutter,
students use the drill press and various
hand tools to create the metal chassis,
display stands and a tool tray. Students
learn how to solder and build the circuit
boards in the electronics section of the
class. After the students complete all four
sections of the class and build their racers, they race their cars against the other
students.’ The cars are also judged based
on their creativity, color schemes, body
design and workmanship. Approximately
120 cars compete against each other and
are judged for the final event.
“Technology is becoming increasingly
important to a wide range of industries
and careers, and knowledge of technology
is also important in starting many types of
businesses,” Schwartz said. “That’s why we
have done a complete makeover on the traditional metal shop, wood shop and other
vocational training classes. Our classes
combine the academics needed for students
to understand the technology with practical skills that are essential for success in a
wide range of careers and businesses. Using
the same brand of equipment for routing
and plasma cutting gives us great consistency throughout our shop. The equipment is
very easy to use and rugged, which makes
it ideal for use in the educational environment. Yet we also have the accuracy to
produce industrial-quality products, so in
many cases, our students will be using the
same equipment on the job.”
Jerry Fireman is the president of Structured
Information (www.strucinfo.com) and has spent 30
years writing about technology. He can be reached at
jerry_fireman@strucinfo.com.
DON’T MISS OCTOBER’S OFFER!
ACTE’s Revamped
Our Halloween treat for you!
RESOURCE CENTER
ACTE is excited to bring you its revamped Resource
Center! Here, you’ll find the latest information on such
CTE topics as academic integration, advocacy, curriculum
development, technology, assessment and much more!
The revamped Resource Center, featuring only ACTEdeveloped products, will provide you with special monthly
promotions to get the most out of each purchase!
• CTE-Academic Integration CD ROM
2nd Edition featuring 40+ publications
and other resources on integrating
academics into the CTE classroom
from leaders in the field.
• Career Connections: Preparing
Issue
Educators for School-to-Careers
• Issue Brief: Career and Technical
Education’s Role in Workforce
Readiness Credentials
• Joining Forces for Student Success:
The Emergence of State and Local
Policies to Support the
ent
Recognition of Academic
Stud
Credit for CTE Coursework
• Career and Technical Educator’s
T
Survival Guide, Revised Edition
in ThiS Brief:
nical
Career and Tech in
Education’s Role
iness
Workforce Readentials
Cred
career
of work and
What standards the educational system
to
readiness apply
sure that
employers be
the
and how can
work? Since
are ready for
nt of
individuals
of the U.S. Departme
Risk, the
1982 release
A Nation At
mediocre
Education report
report on the
first prominent
American
of skills in the
attainment
issue has been
system, this
educational
and workforce
of education
s.
at the center
policy discussion
development
will
This issue brief
important
explore the
and
role that career
technical education
continued
plays in the
value
expansion and
readiness
of workforce
CTE programs
credentials.
the growth
contribute to
ls by
credentia
these
of
apply
helping students
employacademic and
providing
skills,
ability
for preparaopportunities
nt, and
tion and assessme
with business
g
connectin
to increase
and industry
employer support.
agencies
and workforce
turn, education issuing or preparing
g by
s.
are respondin
these credential
students for
gained strength
economy has
increasingly
As the global
and industries
levels of
and businesses
with higher
a
t to ensure
seek employees
national movemen has grown.
expertise, a
of skilled workers
localities are
steady supply
, states and
s
Many employers
readiness credential
turning to workforceworkplace skills in
common
, and in
to validate
and employees
job applicants
The ConCerns
The GrowinG
SkillS Gap
has evolved
time, America
a knowledge
In a very short
economy to
from an industrial early 1990s, the
the
economy. Since the global economy
in
given the
pace of change
d even further, recent
has accelerate
of in
forces” spoken
on of
“flattening
The globalizati
workers
economic analyses.
industry requires skills that
business and
and
knowledge
and
to acquire core
nd quickly upgraded
can be applied—a and rapidly changing
a wide
adapted—in
settings.
variety of work
ACTE Issue
Brief: Workforce
Readiness Credentials
11.28.2012
CareerTech VISION 2012
ing Join for es
Forc
cess
Suc
9
ry 200
rua
Feb
A total member value of $58.90,
NOW JUST $24.95!
t the
ppor k
Su ewor
on and h
cati
l Edu on eac
es to rs
nica
tion
h
eac
rma
Tech
er
olici TE Cou
er and er info from Care
cal P r C
Care to gath including Perkins f from e
for
D.
,
stat
staf
tion worked rces
d Lo edit fo
sou of the Carlwith key CTE, and t
ocia
Ass up, LLC ety of
te an ic Cr
ws enting red a grea ntry.
tion
Gro
vari
8, the
ove the cou
200 sulting from a lementa6, intervieimplem
f Sta dem
disc
ing
nd
for
em for imp of 200
e o
Dur der Con
we
ca
foun
ible
syst
ess, ems arou
Act
ons
Mee CTE
as a e
r plan
genc of A hers in
e’s
ect
-yea cation s resp this procCTE syst
proj the stat
stat
mer ition
teac ease
les
e’s fivenical Edu agencie Through within
of
rly
e
stat
e Profi survey
icula ing
rs and to incr
are
Tech
stat sites. vation
The Ecogn
a
part guid
Stat
rato
the
prep
and
ess.
or
sure
the
to
inist
ding were
h of onal Web and inno
Re
adm g pres effort ce succ rfrom , inclu We porting courseeac
n
es,
ed
nati
atio
tion
d
ntin in an
kfor
ove
and of vari
rma research ins Act. ing, sup it for CTE increas
m
wor been expose
ed Stat mou
l
info
al
Perk ly help cred
n
ire
iculu on and
Unit ols face
dea
zed
the
ition
ofte ents are series of
ic
requ
ut the scho their curreducati have
er utili to add CTE and e explicit academ cy to
nt
gho
stud
of
pap
led
poli
hrou rican high rigor ondary ) courses that importa een traThis
and ible for es wer ion of state
/
ic
on,
.org
betw er ex- er
Ame dem postsec on (CTE ing suree are an
dati respons how stat recognit nt of
ine
pap care
gap
aca for
f
eme
cati ut mak r, ther
onl
the
. This ge and
ed in ce of the ng mov
staf
rsecte
ge the
ents
l edu abo
eve
rest
w.a
stud
ate
85
nica
.
how to brid d courses colle CTE cou
stro
rgen
inte
ww
ost
tech lic deb tent;
un
ents
for
eme n the
per
t the
visit
r alm
irem
the
e beg er-relateto mee credit a dee if it
er and pub ic con
les,
cove
k, give requ
ic
s
Care in the dem that hav care
wor uation
e Profi
es to
help academ to gained them m
ed
aca
s
and
stat
look rous
tice rses h that
ents elud
E Stat
of
grad
sroo ls of
to take
ugh
e
ACT
x.
eno
ents pects
to rigo ve prac ic cou approac gnition ing studht hav
al clas er leve
ion.
the
asp
vati
dem
stud
g
ding
ulat
reco is help mig
ition
les.
inno nal aca
pop
rgin – the
h
trad and high
inclu
iring their proseen inTo view rofi
le
teP
roac tent that and
ect, ol-aged
requ
an eme ge
ditio
Sta
Proj
nes s challen ve app ic con tracted earn mor .
rs are to improve ck betwt and “rea
scho
oma
ami ines
ake
vati dem
ts–
abs them
oma
be strurelevan set the kcym
rses
n Dipl nation’s
ol dipl
read This inno of aca through helps
cou must
rica
emen
l poli
with irements ary or wor
k.
ing only
scho
Ame ent of the
loca demic nce
wor
and
d
equir
. It also r high
ond
ly links d
e and of aca s, a bala studentson requ
erst
perc
n R
nd the
licit
g
tsec
ls
und presenteroaches ard thei
stat
age
tio ce?
e
eng
r, as er leve readines providin graduatiul in pos that exp
es arou high
app
tow
wer
eve
k
dlin ease are
m
aduaelevan
hing credit
p them
essf
How and high wor
r and easing
hea
ic
Gr
teac
e
succ curriculucan kee
e in ed to incr ents es
dem
ge and ic rigo ile incr be
sed out R
mor
eas
stud stat
and
aca
with tions
colle academ Wh ents to
rea ith
m incr have mov ure all ber of
d by
ricts
for
lica
ents
ion. stud
nc
r w
ents
dist
rate
sing
iculu
app
ens
ruct g
stud
t 1: I igo
ols,
irem
curr districts rt to
crea
A numork, ope r exinst
arin enting -world
ld”
1
Par R
rous
ork.
ol
effo
y scho ic requ
thei
wor e for prep , pres its real
9 man dem
e rigo scho in an coursew ect netw ing
aca
y 200
ing
and ents
aca
ic
stag pursuits tent to
a mor
Proj es in rais esents lysis ,
uar
lead these
for y states irem
e
dem oma
ana rgia
con
are
repr
Febr
:
an
ic
forc
aca
stat
calls
that n to how
dem ivated.
tion
l that ng to e, Geo
As
, man on requanced rican Dipl port
ors
aca
gra
uati adv
ntry
to sup to a leve Accordi Delawar , New
ratio
mot
9
Ame
e
cou ol grad
n fact
ic Inte
ippi
and
2/4/0
on work.
mor in the effort
mai conside
s,
siss
dem
ota,
scho d to
g
h
two
is an graduati ed Arkansa Mis th Dak have
Aca
atin
ose
fres
are
,
skill
ota,
ol
l
a
re
icip which
exp
give
The
scho ge and Arizona Minnes a, Sou mbi a leve
part Inc.,
es to
,
Colu
are
to
stat
ieve ns for highfor colle bama, higan, , Oklahomrict of
s.
ents
Ach
s
tatio ines
es (Ala a, Mic , Ohio the Dist requirem readines ction
pec
ic read , 20 staty, Louisian Carolina and taking career this dire
ton)
th
dem ieve tuck
in
Nor
hing ic course- ge and move g in the
by Ach , Ken York,
Was
to
colle
atin
ana
s and academ n of intent icip
Indi ico, New
part
Texa their definitio d their
are
Mex see,
ed
‘s
es
cate
eas
nes incr
ieve indi
stat
Ten
Ach
e
ady
9, 34
ing
es hav 200
alre
mat
roxi 10 stat 1 As of
app
rs.
ther
Ano ing yea
in com
.indd
:51
PM
12:16
1
per09
Don't forget to visit ACTE's
revamped Resource Center
at CareerTech VISION 2012.
Association for Career and Technical Education
1410 King Street, Alexandria, VA 22314
800-826-9972 • www.acteonline.org
42 Techniques October 2012
n_pa
gratio
_inte
emic
acad
($34.95 for non-members)
OCTOBER OFFER AND THE
PRODUCT ORDERING CODE IS: BOCTB
For more information or to find more resources,
please visit www.acteonline.org/shop.
www.acteonline.org
www.acteonline.org
43
October 2012 Techniques