**Building a Prototype for Engineering Projects** Creating a prototype for engineering assignments is a step-by-step process. It helps students take what they’ve learned in class and turn it into real things. Prototyping is very important in engineering because it allows you to explore ideas, test out concepts, and improve designs. Here are the main steps to develop a prototype, including the tools and materials you'll need. ### Step 1: Identify Requirements - First, clearly define the problem you want to solve. Think about what needs to be done and what success looks like. This will help you figure out what your prototype needs to have. - Get feedback from others, like classmates or teachers. This way, you can consider different ideas and needs, giving you a better understanding of what to create. ### Step 2: Conceptualize Design - Start brainstorming and sketching your design ideas. You can make rough drawings or jot down notes about what the product should do and how it should look. - Talk about your ideas with friends and teachers. Their feedback can help you improve your designs. - Choose the best ideas based on what is possible, how much it might cost, and how well they meet the requirements. ### Step 3: Select Prototyping Tools and Methods - Pick the right tools and methods to create your prototype based on your design needs. Here are some common methods: - **Low-Fidelity Prototyping:** - This includes quick sketches, paper models, or simple charts to show your ideas fast. - You can use materials like cardboard, string, or software for presentations. - **High-Fidelity Prototyping:** - This involves making more detailed models that look and feel like the final product. You might use materials like plastic, wood, or metal. - Tools like CAD (Computer-Aided Design) software are important here for creating precise designs. ### Step 4: Build the Prototype - Put your prototype together using the materials and methods you chose. You might need different tools, from simple ones like scissors to complex machines like 3D printers. - Make sure your prototype works well and is sturdy enough for testing. ### Step 5: Test and Evaluate - Test your prototype to see if it meets the requirements you set. Try out different tests, like checking its performance, how easy it is to use, and how strong it is. - Collect information from your tests to find out what needs improvement. Look at things like how efficient it is, how user-friendly it is, and how durable it feels. ### Step 6: Iterate Based on Feedback - Look at the feedback you got from testing and from others. Work together with your peers to find the best ideas for improvements. - Go back to the design and prototype stages to make necessary changes. Doing this repeatedly is important for getting the best solution. ### Step 7: Finalize Documentation - Keep a record of your entire prototyping process, including your design choices, materials used, and test results. This information will be helpful later and is good for sharing with others. - Create reports and presentations that explain how your prototype developed, the challenges you faced, and how you solved them. ### Materials and Tools Used - **Common Materials:** - **Foam Board:** Light and easy to work with, perfect for simple prototypes. - **Plastics:** Strong and flexible, often used in detailed prototypes. - **Wood:** Sturdy and great for making structural models. - **Metals:** Strong and heat-resistant, used for tough prototypes in engineering. - **Prototyping Tools:** - **CAD Software:** Programs like SolidWorks or AutoCAD help create 3D models. - **3D Printers:** Quick tools for making prototypes using various materials. - **Hand Tools:** Such as saws and drills for manual finishing. - **Simulation Software:** Helps create virtual tests to check performance before making a physical prototype. Prototyping helps engineering students be creative, improve their skills, and better understand the engineering design process. By following these steps and using the right tools and materials, students can create effective prototypes. This process acts as a bridge between ideas and the final product, building a strong foundation for their education in engineering.
**The Importance of Iterative Testing in Engineering Courses** Iterative testing is super important for improving designs in university engineering classes. It helps students think critically, keep improving their ideas, and apply what they learn in real-life situations. ### What is Prototyping? - **Prototyping** is a key part of how engineers design things. - It lets students turn their ideas into real objects, which helps them experiment and learn better. - Prototypes can be simple models like sketches or cardboard shapes, or they can be advanced versions with electronics and special materials. ### Why is Iterative Testing Important? - **Iterative testing** means testing something multiple times, getting feedback, and making improvements. - Each time students test their prototypes, they can fix problems based on how well their design works and what users think. - This process helps students find and fix design issues, making their products better and easier to use. ### Key Parts of Iterative Testing 1. **Getting Feedback**: - **Focus on Users**: By asking users for feedback often, students learn what people think about their designs. This helps them understand what users need. - **Team Reviews**: Students work in groups, sharing ideas and giving each other feedback. This teamwork helps them think critically and solve problems together. 2. **Reducing Risks**: - **Spotting Weaknesses**: Early testing shows any weaknesses that can be fixed before spending too much time or money. This helps avoid bigger problems later. - **Saving Costs**: By catching mistakes early, students save time and resources, making their projects run smoother. 3. **Developing Skills**: - **Learning Engineering**: Through iterative testing, students learn to use engineering principles in real-life scenarios. They analyze test results and apply what they learn to solve problems. - **Flexibility**: Going through multiple rounds of testing helps students become resilient and adaptable, which are important skills in engineering where things often change. 4. **Applying to Real Life**: - **Case Studies**: Students often look at real companies or projects where iterative testing helped improve products. They can learn valuable lessons from these examples. - **Design Success Stories**: Companies like IDEO and Apple use iterative prototyping to make their products better. For instance, IDEO redesigned the shopping cart by testing different designs quickly with users. 5. **Using Data**: - **Making Decisions Based on Data**: Engineering students learn to use data to guide their designs. With iterative testing, they can measure and analyze how well each prototype works. - **Using Design Tools**: Students often use computer programs to create and test their designs digitally, which helps them without needing physical prototypes all the time. 6. **Fostering Creativity**: - **Encouraging Innovation**: The iterative process encourages students to be creative and try several design ideas, helping them come up with new solutions. - **Evolving Designs**: With each round of testing, students can discover new ideas and improve their designs further. 7. **Documenting Progress**: - **Tracking the Process**: Students often write down what they do at each step, which helps them reflect on their work. This records how their designs have changed over time. - **Learning from Mistakes**: Reflecting on designs helps students see that mistakes are part of learning, providing chances to improve their work. ### Examples of Iterative Testing in Action - **Electric Vehicles (EVs)**: Engineering students often work on designing prototype EVs. They test different designs for battery life and aerodynamics. Feedback leads them to build better prototypes focusing on performance and energy use. - **Medical Devices**: In biomedical engineering, students create prototypes for devices like prosthetics. Testing with users helps them get important feedback, which leads to better designs that are more comfortable and functional. - **Bridge Projects**: Civil engineering students may design bridges and use iterative testing to check their load capacities through simulations. This helps them identify any weaknesses before the project is completed, making sure it's safe and sustainable. - **Smart Home Tech**: In IoT classes, students design smart home systems. They constantly test and improve these systems based on user feedback, making their technology more user-friendly. ### Challenges with Iterative Testing - **Time Limits**: Universities have busy schedules, and students sometimes struggle to balance testing with deadlines, which can limit how thoroughly they can test their designs. - **Access to Resources**: The quality of testing can vary because not every school has the best tools or facilities. - **Teacher Readiness**: The success of iterative testing also depends on teachers knowing how to guide students through it. Training for instructors might be necessary for effective teaching. ### Conclusion In summary, iterative testing is a key part of improving designs in engineering courses at universities. It helps students connect what they learn with real-world applications, making them more skilled and knowledgeable. Through real-life examples, it is clear that iterative testing not only leads to better designs but also prepares students for the professional world of engineering. As they work on their prototypes, they develop critical thinking, creativity, and a user-focused mindset—essential qualities for success in engineering. Their journey through iterative testing provides a rich learning experience, readying them for future challenges and innovations in design.
**Prototyping in Engineering: A Student's Guide** Prototyping is an important step in engineering design at universities. It’s where ideas turn into real things. Students need to use good prototyping tools to help explore their ideas and test their designs. Choosing the right tools can make a big difference in how much students learn and how well their projects turn out. There are many prototyping tools to choose from, each suited for different projects. One important type is **3D modeling software**. Programs like SolidWorks, Autodesk Inventor, and Rhino let students make detailed 3D models of their designs. These tools are great because they allow students to easily change their designs based on the feedback they get from testing. Another key group of tools is **physical prototyping materials**. One popular method in universities is **3D printing**. With 3D printers, students can quickly create parts using materials like PLA, ABS, and resins. This hands-on experience helps students understand how materials work, what design challenges they might face, and how to apply what they’ve learned in class. **Woodworking and metalworking tools** are also very helpful for prototyping. Tools like routers, lathes, and milling machines allow students to build working models of their designs. Using these tools helps engineering students learn about how structures work, how strong they need to be, and why careful crafting is important in engineering. In addition, **electronic prototyping platforms** such as Arduino and Raspberry Pi give students a chance to add electronics to their projects. These platforms let future engineers build prototypes that can use sensors, motors, and connect to the internet. By combining their programming skills with hardware, students can create innovative projects in fields like robotics, IoT (Internet of Things), and automation. **Simulation software** is another valuable resource for engineering students. Programs like ANSYS and MATLAB help students see how their designs will work in different situations. This allows them to check for any problems and make changes before actually creating a physical model. Using simulation helps students adopt modern engineering practices, where testing a design virtually happens before building anything real. Finally, tools for collaboration and project management, like Trello or Asana, can make the prototyping process smoother. For group projects, these tools help team members assign tasks, keep track of progress, and communicate better, which is crucial for successful teamwork. In summary, the best prototyping tools for university engineering students include both digital and physical resources. By using **3D modeling software**, **rapid prototyping materials**, traditional building tools, **electronic prototyping platforms**, **simulation software**, and project management tools, students can explore, create, and test their designs. Having these tools not only teaches students technical skills but also helps them develop critical thinking, problem-solving abilities, and teamwork skills—all of which are important for success in today’s job market. By using effective prototyping techniques, universities can help their engineering students prepare for real-world challenges in design and innovation.
**Lessons Learned from Real-World Testing in University Engineering Design** 1. **Importance of Prototyping** Prototyping is super important in engineering design. Many studies show that using quick prototypes can really save time. For example, a survey from the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) found that companies using rapid prototyping cut their time to create products by 30%. This means students can spot design problems early and make better products. At Stanford University, students in a course called Product Realization cut their design changes in half by using rapid prototyping. 2. **Feedback Loops** Real-world testing teaches us how vital feedback loops are in design. A study from the University of Michigan found that products made with user input were 47% better in satisfying users. Talking to users during testing helps students understand what people really want, leading to designs that work better for everyone. For instance, a team at the University of California, Berkeley worked on a button called the “Flic.” They saw an 80% improvement in how well their design worked by using feedback during the prototype stage. 3. **Teamwork Across Different Fields** Real-world testing shows how working together from different areas of engineering can help a lot. A case study at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) showed that projects with teams from various fields were more successful. In the Solar Decathlon, where teams from different disciplines competed, the success rate was 75%. Teams focused on one field only had a 50% success rate. This shows that having different skills and ideas can make engineering design much better. 4. **Saving Time and Money** Using real-world tests can save a lot of money. According to the Project Management Institute (PMI), quick prototyping can cut project costs by as much as 20%. At Georgia Institute of Technology, a student team created a 3D-printed prototype for an assistive device. This design reduced material costs by 60% compared to old methods. Plus, projects focusing on quick changes finished 40% faster, which helps students complete their projects on time. 5. **Understanding Rules and Standards** Hands-on testing helps students learn about important regulations and industry standards. A study by the Engineering Accreditation Commission found that 90% of engineering graduates felt unprepared for real-world rules. Students at UCLA learned to deal with these complex standards through practical testing. This made them much better prepared for future jobs in the industry. 6. **Encouraging Creative Ideas** Real-world tests can spark new ideas. In the Capstone Design course at the University of Texas at Austin, 65% of projects turned into real products. This setting encourages students to take risks and try to solve problems creatively, bringing about solutions that can help society. In conclusion, real-world testing in university engineering design gives students great experiences. It boosts prototyping skills, encourages teamwork across different fields, saves money and time, and helps them understand industry standards. These lessons prepare engineering graduates for successful careers and meaningful contributions to technology.
**Strategies to Improve Communication of Testing Findings in Engineering Design Teams** Communicating testing findings clearly is super important for any engineering design project to succeed! Here are some exciting ways to improve how your university engineering design teams document and share their results: ### 1. **Use Structured Reporting Templates** - Create standard templates for reporting findings. This helps make all reports look the same, making it easier for team members to find important information, look at data, and make conclusions. - Include sections like **Executive Summary**, **Methodology**, **Results**, and **Conclusion**. These will help teams present their findings clearly and simply. ### 2. **Add Visual Aids** - Use graphs, charts, and images to show data visually. This not only makes the information more interesting but also helps explain complicated ideas. - Make sure every visual has a clear caption and is mentioned in the text so everyone can understand it easily. ### 3. **Hold Regular Review Meetings** - Have regular meetings to discuss testing findings openly. This helps build teamwork, allowing team members to share ideas and ask questions. - Encourage teams to present their findings in fun ways, like using short presentations or demonstrations! ### 4. **Create Feedback Systems** - Set up a clear way for people to give feedback on reports. This could include reviews from peers or evaluations from mentors, which helps improve report writing. - Use a checklist to make sure reports are clear, complete, and accurate before they are finalized. ### 5. **Use Collaborative Platforms** - Take advantage of digital collaboration tools like Google Docs, Miro, or Trello to share and edit reports together! This allows for instant feedback and discussion, making sure everyone’s ideas are heard and valued. ### 6. **Offer Training and Workshops** - Organize workshops that focus on good documentation and reporting skills. Teaching team members the best ways to share information can really boost how well they communicate! By using these strategies, your engineering design teams will communicate their findings better and improve the overall success of their projects! Let’s turn testing findings into a strength and a clear guide for every engineering project!
User-Centered Design (UCD) is really important for making successful engineering prototypes. Here’s why: 1. **Understanding What Users Need**: UCD focuses on listening to users. This helps designers know what people actually want. Research shows that about 70% of the features in a product aren't really important to users. This means companies can waste a lot of time and money on things that don’t matter. 2. **Making Products Easier to Use**: Using UCD can make products much easier to use. A study from the Nielsen Norman Group found that making things more user-friendly can double how well users do their tasks. This means less time spent on training and happier users overall. 3. **Saving Money**: If a design problem is found early on, it might cost about $100 to fix it. But if the same issue is discovered after production, it could cost around $1,500. This shows how important it is to get feedback from users early in the process. 4. **Success in the Market**: A report from the Design Management Institute found that companies focused on good design did much better than the average company. They outperformed the S&P Index by 228% over 10 years. This shows that focusing on users can give a business a big edge. In summary, UCD is crucial for creating prototypes that not only follow engineering rules but also connect with users. This leads to better usability and more success in the market.
### Understanding Rapid Prototyping in Engineering Rapid prototyping is super important in engineering design projects. It helps turn ideas into real products. This process lets engineers create quick models of their thoughts. This way, they can get feedback right away and improve on their designs. With the tricky challenges in today’s engineering world, this quick method is very useful. Here are some reasons why rapid prototyping is so important: 1. **Speed of Development**: In business, getting a product to market fast can really matter. Rapid prototyping helps teams make quick changes to their designs. Engineers can create physical models much quicker than with older methods. For example, with 3D printing, a prototype can be made in hours instead of weeks. This helps spot problems and improve the design before spending a lot of money. 2. **Better Communication**: Seeing a visual model of an idea helps everyone understand each other better. Prototypes allow team members, clients, and managers to see the product. This makes it easier to talk about the details of the design. A real model often explains things better than complicated diagrams or long reports. This way, everyone involved knows what’s being worked on and can give useful feedback. 3. **Focus on Users**: Prototyping helps ensure that products are user-friendly. Designers can test their ideas with real users. By creating early versions of a product, engineers can collect useful feedback from users to make sure the final version works well for them. This early testing can help avoid costly changes later on. 4. **Reducing Risks**: Rapid prototyping helps find design mistakes early on. By spotting problems early, teams can prevent expensive recalls and redesigns later. For instance, a team making a part for a plane might use rapid prototyping to test how it holds up under stress, making changes before it gets used in real life. 5. **Saving Money**: Though setting up prototyping equipment can cost money at first, it can save a lot in the long run. Rapid prototyping helps catch mistakes and allows for quick improvements. This means less wasted material and lower costs. Creating prototypes also helps engineers decide on the best materials to use, making planning easier. The tools and methods used in rapid prototyping are very important. Today’s engineers have a lot of choices, including: - **3D Printing**: This is a popular method for rapid prototyping. It allows engineers to create complex shapes that are hard to make with traditional methods. They can use materials like plastics and resins to make parts with intricate details. - **CNC Machining**: This method cuts materials very precisely to create prototypes. While it can take longer than 3D printing, it's great for hard materials like metals. It ensures prototypes can handle tough tests. - **Laser Cutting and Engraving**: These methods are quick for making flat parts. By using lasers, engineers can create detailed prototypes and models in no time. - **Injection Molding**: This method is usually for production, but it can also work for prototyping, especially when needing to test many versions. While it can be expensive to set up, it’s great for making small amounts of detailed prototypes. Choosing the right materials for prototyping is also important. Depending on what the prototype needs, engineers might use: - **PLA (Polylactic Acid)**: This is a plant-based plastic used in 3D printing. It’s a good choice for prototypes that care about the environment. - **ABS (Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene)**: A strong plastic used for tougher prototypes that can handle heat and impact. - **Resin**: This material is used in special 3D printing to create smooth and detailed prototypes, perfect for checking both looks and function. In summary, rapid prototyping is essential in engineering design. It makes the process faster and easier while encouraging team creativity and cooperation. With modern tools and methods, engineers can create effective prototypes that lead to better products. This ensures that designs meet user needs and helps avoid costly issues. Rapid prototyping really embraces the idea of learning quickly from mistakes, allowing engineers to innovate while efficiently turning ideas into successful products.
Analyzing case studies can really help engineering students understand what can go wrong in creating prototypes. These real-life examples teach important lessons that you don’t usually get in a classroom. **Learning from Real Life** When students look at case studies, they dive into real situations. This helps them use what they've learned in class to solve tricky problems. For example, think about a case study on a failed prototype for a health device you wear on your body. By studying what went wrong, like poor design choices or not listening to user feedback, students learn how design decisions can lead to failures. This hands-on approach not only reinforces their classroom learning but also builds their critical thinking skills by helping them deal with real-world challenges. **Spotting Common Mistakes** By analyzing different case studies, engineering students get better at spotting common mistakes in the prototyping process. They might look at designs that seemed good but fell apart because of things like comfort, how easy they are to make, or even how they look. For instance, a case study about an uncomfortable chair that didn’t sell well shows how ignoring user comfort can hurt a product. These examples highlight why it’s important to think about different viewpoints—like market trends, technical limits, and user needs—when designing something. **Learning from Mistakes** Learning from failures is a key part of engineering. Studying failed prototypes helps students see that tweaking and improving designs is part of the job. The process of creating, testing, finding out what went wrong, and making changes teaches students that failure isn't the end. Instead, it's just a step toward making something better. This idea is part of the “design spiral,” where each failure leads to new improvements in the product. **Working Together** Engineering often involves mixing ideas from different fields, and case studies show how important teamwork is. For example, a case study about car design might involve mechanical engineers, computer programmers, and manufacturers all working together. Understanding how these groups can communicate and work together is really valuable. When something goes wrong with a prototype, it can often be because the different areas didn’t work well together. Analyzing these cases helps students learn how important it is to think of the bigger picture when solving problems. **Improving Problem-Solving Skills** Looking at real-life case studies builds strong problem-solving skills. Students learn to think about failures from different sides: technical issues, business challenges, and what people want. This broader view encourages curiosity and creative thinking. For example, if a gadget prototype fails because of technical problems, students can brainstorm ways to fix it, like updating the software or changing hardware, while also thinking about how to make it better for users next time. **Understanding Risks** Case studies also help students see why risk management is important when creating prototypes. They often look at cases where ignoring risks caused big problems. For instance, a failed drone might teach students about how underestimating wind or battery life can lead to disaster. By studying these examples, students learn to include risk assessments in their projects, making them more prepared for problems. **Teamwork Skills** Design projects usually require a team effort, and case studies show how teamwork can affect the outcome. Students can explore cases where good or bad collaboration changed the results of prototypes. They might see how lack of communication led to important mistakes, reinforcing why good teamwork is essential in engineering. This helps students develop communication, leadership, and cooperation skills for their future careers. **The Value of Feedback** Case studies also stress how important feedback is during the prototyping and testing stages. Understanding that feedback—from users, stakeholders, or peers—is key to spotting design problems can inspire students to gather better feedback in their work. A case study focusing on user testing shows students the value of getting feedback early and throughout the process, which can lead to better products. **In Conclusion** Studying case studies gives engineering students a powerful way to understand the complexities of making prototypes, especially when it comes to learning from failures. These real-life stories not only teach students to think critically but also help them develop skills they can use in their careers. By learning from both successes and failures, students create a space where new ideas can grow. This prepares them to design better, user-friendly, and durable products in a fast-changing tech world. By deeply engaging with case studies, students realize that the journey to successful engineering design is filled with lessons from the past, helping them tackle future challenges with more skill and confidence.
Engineering students need to make testing a top priority in their design work for a number of important reasons. Testing helps make sure that the products they create are safe, work well, and meet what users need. In today’s fast-changing world of engineering, where technology evolves quickly, understanding different testing types—like usability, functional, and performance tests—is key to successfully completing projects. ### Usability Testing - Usability testing checks how easy and pleasant a product is to use. It sees how well users can interact with the design and finds any parts that might cause problems. - By focusing on usability testing, students gather useful information about how real users handle their prototypes. This information helps them make better design choices, avoid costly mistakes, and keep users happy. - Usability testing also helps students understand and empathize with the users. It encourages them to think about what real users need instead of just focusing on technical details. - Plus, good usability testing makes products more accessible, which is very important in engineering. Products should be user-friendly for people of all different abilities and backgrounds. ### Functional Testing - Functional testing checks if a product works as it’s supposed to. It makes sure that all the features are functioning correctly according to the original plan. - When students include functional testing early on, they can find and fix problems before they become bigger issues. This saves time and money in the long run. - Also, functional testing helps students keep track of everything by documenting test results. This is handy for future projects and meets important regulatory guidelines. - Knowing how to conduct these tests gets students ready for real-life engineering projects, where testing is a must. ### Performance Testing - Performance testing looks at how a product performs under different pressures and loads. This is especially important for designs that will face heavy use or extreme conditions. - Focusing on performance testing lets students predict how their designs will behave in real-life situations. This helps ensure safety and efficiency, especially in areas like civil engineering, where buildings must be strong. - Performance testing can also help improve products. By finding any weak spots, students can make targeted changes to boost product quality and user satisfaction. - Lastly, understanding how products perform over time makes maintenance easier. This means designs can be made simpler for repairs and upkeep. ### Key Advantages of Testing Methodologies By using a variety of testing methods in their design process, engineering students gain several important benefits: 1. **Risk Reduction**: A careful testing approach helps spot possible problems before a product is launched, reducing risks related to safety and performance. 2. **Cost Savings**: Finding issues early through testing helps students avoid expensive redesigns, positively affecting the product’s overall success. 3. **Trust and Credibility**: Showing a commitment to thorough testing boosts their reputation with stakeholders, clients, and future employers. 4. **Legal Compliance**: Many engineering fields must follow strict regulations. A good testing process helps ensure they meet these guidelines, protecting both the company and workers from legal trouble. 5. **Creative Solutions**: Testing methods encourage students to explore new ideas. This ongoing process can lead to creative solutions that push design limits. Testing methodologies also help students reflect on their work. They provide a clear way to review and improve designs based on facts—not just guesses. This approach strengthens critical thinking and problem-solving skills, which are essential for any engineer. Furthermore, focusing on testing methods promotes teamwork and communication among different engineering fields. When students understand various testing strategies, it creates shared knowledge, helping team members work together better. ### Conclusion In summary, engineering students should make testing a key part of their design work. Usability testing helps understand users’ experiences, functional testing ensures products work correctly, and performance testing gives insights into how reliable and efficient designs are under stress. By integrating these testing methods into their work, students can lower risks, reduce costs, build trust, meet regulations, and open doors to innovation. Emphasizing testing helps students prepare for successful careers in engineering. In a field that moves quickly and is competitive, taking a thorough approach to testing is not just helpful; it’s essential for aspiring engineers who want to make a difference in their industry.
University engineering programs are starting to see how important it is to include real-world examples of prototyping in their classes. Here are some common ways they are doing this: - **Case Studies**: Teachers often share real projects as examples. They show students successful prototypes made by companies. This helps students understand how their designs can make a difference. - **Hands-On Projects**: Many programs have students work on design challenges where they create prototypes. For example, at my university, engineering students built and tested models for renewable energy, like solar-powered devices. - **Group Projects**: Universities team up with local businesses to solve real problems. This way, students get to create solutions that can be used right away, like making better products or improving how things are made. - **Guest Speakers**: Schools invite professionals from the industry to talk about their experiences with prototyping. This gives students valuable insights into what is happening in the field today. These methods not only make learning more interesting but also get students ready for their future jobs. They help students think practically about how to solve engineering problems.