Engineering Design Process

Learn the Engineering Design Process! Order steps, identify criteria & constraints, and explore scientist vs. engineer roles.

Engineering Design Steps Place the steps in the correct order in which they occur. Step number Step Description 1 Identify a need. 2 Carry out research and brainstorm ideas. 3 Build and test a prototype. 4 Report the results. (Communicate) If scientists are looking at a test model, which engineering design process has not occurred yet? Identifying a need. Build a prototype. Communicate the results Brainstorm a solution. Identify a criteria engineers face when building an electric car. Identify a constraint faced by engineers when building an electric car. Match the skill used by an engineer with the example that best fits. Research Skill finding examples that people have tried in the past. Modeling Skill creating an prototype based on the brainstorm solution the group chose. Mathematics Skill Calculating the amount of material needed to build a working model. Brainstorming Skills Listing ideas that fit the criteria and constraints of the problem. Discussing with group members and listing ideas during the early stages of the engineering design process is . . . trading off defining a problem communicating brainstorming Match the task on the right with the person who would most likely work on it from the left. What elements would be safe to use in a fusion reactor? Scientist How do we safely build a fusion reactor? Engineer How do we safely contain a fusion reactor leak? Both Identify the following as either criteria or constraints. Statement Criteria or Constraint The structure had to be free-standing, stable, as tall as possible and hold a marshmallow at the top. Criteria Students could only use the materials provided—spaghetti, string and tape. They had 15 minutes to build their design. Constraint The car must comfortably seat 6 people (including the driver) to transport a family of 4 and friends Criteria The budget for the project is $2 million dollars Constraint The car must be street legal in the United States. Constraint