DRAFT: This module has unpublished changes.

Designing a Mouse Trap Car

 



          Beginning the mouse trap car was a little difficult.  Taking into consideration the different aspects of the mouse trap itself and applying it to be the “engine” of the car was the overall challenge.  Having little background in design, this project challenged my creativity and resourcefulness on another level.  I was forced to think about the structure of my car and how I can add the mouse trap as the only source of energy for the car to move.

          Having worked on this project, I learned to be resourceful.  I did not purchase any new equipment to build the mouse trap car.  Instead, I broke apart toy cars that I had in my house and used scrap wood pieces to build my car.  I had designed my car in such a way that I did not need to use any sort of machinery such as drills.  Therefore, with the design I had created, I would be able to meet the specifications given without having spent a lot of money.

          In relation to the real world, many companies build their products in such a way that the product would be designed in the cheapest way possible and still increase the company’s profit.  Although the product created would be cheaply manufactured and, possibly, be of very poor quality, the truth of the matter is that the product still would meet specification requirements and could be sold as is, despite aesthetic qualities.  In turn, this would maximize the company’s income because they are designing products the way that they are meant to, but using the cheapest way possible.

          This concept, I believe, is used a lot in mass producing countries like China.  The tendency of their products is to be of extremely poor quality and the lifespan of their products are usually at a basic minimal.  However, despite all of the negatives of such designs, the country’s markets earn a lot because the cheapness in their designs are appealing to other businessmen who, too, would like to invest the least amount of money in a product in order to maximize their own profits.  Essentially, although the quality can be very poor, if the product works – it works.

          Basically, my mouse trap car design was just like that.  It may have been very cheaply designed, but it meets specification requirements just as much as any other costly designed mouse trap car.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This was one of my original designs before I produced my final product displayed above.  Notice the difference lies within the arc of the snapping mechanism.  I had used a wire and had coiled it and attached that to the snapping mechanism to extend the arc length, but realized that design would not work.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

          Maximizing profits is simply the essence of the business world.  Therefore, in relation to engineering, engineers must consider their resources effectively.  They must discover the simplest way to design products and meet the requirements designated in specifications in the least expensive fashion so that more profit is seen.

           Aside from business world applications, designing the mouse trap car was a valuable experience in that it taught me that as an engineer, I must learn to be resourceful and be able to use whatever resources are at hand.

          Basically, I must be creative.  I need to be innovative in order design projects in such a way that I will be able to solve any problem I have to face.  Simply, as an engineer, I have to be thoughtful and I must be able to think outside of the box.  I have to figure out solutions in any way possible and address any design goals I have.  Not every solution is laid out in clear print.  As an engineer, I need to be able to realize my own goals and look to where I can to figure out an answer to my problems.

For instance, while working on the project, I had to address various issues.  From making the car move and go forward, to figuring out how to attach parts to the mouse trap, and to making the car move at least 25 feet, as specified.

          I had to be creative in that I wasn’t given a manual or instructions as to how to build the car.  I had to discover this all myself and build the car essentially from scratch.  Not having any previous knowledge as to how to build a mouse trap car, I had to experiment my own designs.  I was forced to think about designs to base my car off of, like the race car. 

          Starting my car from scratch, I had to test out my designs.  If they failed, I had to reconfigure what I had done and make use of what I had.  I had to fix things and take them apart if they didn’t work.  Therefore, this project was a lot of trial and error.  I just had to keep testing until it all worked.

          Again, in relation to the real world, this is something that engineers do on a daily basis.  Engineers use their resources.  When designing something, they look at previous designs or think of designs to base their own design off of.  They learn to apply their previous knowledge or knowledge that is available and incorporate it all into the designing process.

           It is thus important for an engineer to not limit himself or herself.  Generating ideas is essential in the design process.  As I had learned in designing my mouse trap car, not all designs work.  But, the truth is that one must learn from each and build upon them.  Learning from mistakes and being open to redesigning and recreating is necessary in order to create a successful product.

DRAFT: This module has unpublished changes.