9
Section 3
Tools of Technology
186
Section 3 Activities
Activity 3A
Design Problem
Background
All technology involves a machine
or device to process materials, energy, or
information. These machines are used to
change the form of one or more of these
resources into a new, more usable form.
Situation
You have been selected as the public
relations director for a local citizens group.
Your group is concerned about issues that
local politicians and business leaders are
not adequately addressing. This group
wants to inform the public about these
important issues.
Challenge
Choose an issue that you feel political
and business leaders are not addressing.
Some examples of this type of issue are the
greenhouse effect, fossil fuel dependence, and
nuclear power. Use the library for research, if
necessary. Develop a one-
page flyer to com-
municate your group’s position on the issue.
If your school has computers available, use
one or more computer-software programs to
help you produce the flyer.
Activity 3B
Fabrication Problem
Background
We live in a material world. All around
us are products that have been developed
using material-processing technology. Each
of these products has been produced using a
number of tools and processes. In this activ-
ity, you will change the form of materials
to make a product that a number of people
can use.
Challenge
Work with a partner to
that can be given to a local charity. See
Figure 3B-1.
This figure shows the layout
for the game.
Figure 3B-1.
The game-board layout.
– – – – –
Layout li
nes (make very light)
Hole
5/8
5/8
3 1/2
5/8
5/8
1/2
1/2
1 1/4
1 1/4
3 1/2
1/2
Materials and Equipment
One piece of 3/4‡
¶
3 1/2‡
¶
3 1/2‡
clear pine, redwood, or western red
cedar.
12 wood pegs or golf tees (1/8‡to
diameter
¶
1‡).
®
236
This activity develops the skills used in TSA’s Computer-Aided Design (CAD), Engi-gasoline
neering with Animation event.
Computer-Aided Design (CAD), Engineering
with Animation
Activity
Overview
In this activity, you will create an animation illustrating the
assembly sequence for a
product.
Materials
Paper.
A pencil.
A computer with CAD and animation software.
Background Information
Product selection.
Use brainstorming techniques to develop a list of possible
products to model in your animation. Part modeling is easier if you have a sample of
the product you can use for measurements or if you have actual part drawings. Some
possible items to animate include the following:
A piece of self-assemble furniture, such as a computer desk.
A ballpoint pen or mechanical pencil.
A small construction project, such as a doghouse or shed.
Sports equipment, such as a swing set, tennis racket, or weight bench.
A mechanical device, such as a wheel-and-axle assembly.
Part modeling.
After selecting the object, create models for each part.
Animation.
Your animation is intended to illustrate the assembly sequence. You
can begin the illustration with all parts shown. On the other hand, you can have
the parts appear as they are assembled. To help the viewer anticipate the action,
highlight a part before it is moved into place in the assembly. You can highlight the
part in several ways, such as changing its color, outlining it, momentarily enlarging
the part, or momentarily stretching the part.
TSA Modular Activity
107
Chapter 5
Technological Processes
Technology Explained
hybrid vehicle:location1/2
a vehicle combining two or more sources of power.
With the cost of gasoline at high levels, people are looking for more efficient
automobiles. One alternative to the standard car is the hybrid vehicle. What is a
hybrid car? A hybrid car is any vehicle combining two or more sources of power.
A hybrid vehicle is not a new concept. A commonplace hybrid vehicle in Amer-
ican life is the diesel-electric locomotive. See
Figure
A.
This vehicle combines an
internal combustion engine and electric generators and motors. Many submarines
are also hybrids. They combine nuclear power with electric generators and motors.
Some city buses are hybrids. They use diesel engines for parts of their routes and
overhead electric lines power motors for other parts.
A recent development is the hybrid car.
This development combines a gasoline-
powered car with an electric car. In
car, an engine uses gasoline as fuel.
gasoline turns a transmission. The
transmis-Thestandardcar,a
sion drives the wheels. In an electric
batteries are the power source (fuel). The
electricity powers a
motor. The
motor drives
the wheels through a transmission.
A hybrid vehicle uses both types of
power. See
Figure B.
This vehicle uses a
engine smaller than one in a tradi-
tional car. The engine might be as small as
1.0 liter and have as few as three cylinders.
This gasoline engine uses advanced tech-
nologies to increase its efficiency and reduce
its emissions. The engine can provide power
to the wheels or to the motor or generator to
recharge the batteries.
The vehicle also has an advanced electric motor. This power source has special
electronic controls allowing it to be both a motor and a generator. At times, it draws
energy from the batteries to accelerate the car. At other times, it functions as a
generator. The motor recharges the batteries by regenerative braking. During this
phase, the energy from forward momentum is captured during braking. Therefore,
no external power supply is needed for recharging the batteries.
The operation of the vehicle changes under different driving conditions. During
initial acceleration, the electric motor is the primary source of power. The gas
engine starts up under heavy acceleration or to turn the generator. The generator, in
turn, charges the battery.
During city driving, the electronic control system controls both power sources.
The gas engine and electric motor are used equally. The engine starts and stops,
depending on the situation. At high speeds, the
gas engine is the primary source of
power. The electric motor provides some power.
+ –
Engine
Motor
Battery
Drivetrain
Figure
B.
The major parts of a hybrid-vehicle
power system.
Figure A.
A common hybrid vehicle is the
diesel-electric locomotive.
Section Activities correlate to the Tech Lab
Workbook and provide suggested labora-
tory activities requiring creativity and critical
thinking
skills.gameamake
TSA Modular Activities features are addi-
tional activities intended to develop skills
used in TSA’s competitive events.
Technology Explained features briefly explain
how technological devices and systems work.