Final Reflection - Ryan

This class was both the most interesting and time consuming class I had this semester. The lessons I learned while participating in this program I believe were the most useful in terms of my development as both a team player and a professional. I aim to take these lessons not only into later design classes but also into internships and other team projects.

One key concept I learned about in this class was the techniques and concerns regarding the manufacturing of a design. I not only was exposed to the shop tools (mill, lathe, laser cutter, water jet), but I was also exposed to the issues an engineer must consider when developing a part. The concept of quantifying the quality of manufacturing (surface finish, flatness, geometric and scalar tolerances) were very interesting to me, and brought me to appreciate the amount of thought that must be put into the manufacturing of simple every day objects (particularly the quality).

This class heavily trained me in time management. Due to the amount of work that had to be put into the project, as well as the workload in my other classes, time became my most valuable (and most scarce) resource. Utilizing time and resources became critical in the execution of completing the project. One thing I learned very quickly is that the distribution of time between manufacturing and design was critical. Time was spent more efficiently when it was put into quality design work rather than put into engineering. This class demonstrated to me quite clearly that the initial investment in time for design is very rewarding in the future.

Teamwork was vital to the completion and success of the project. This class taught me a great deal in the value of teamwork in the completion of a project as well as the skills necessary to effectively communicate to each member of the team. Communication was clearly one of the most important skills needed in a positive team environment, and I believe all teams recognized this over the course of the class. One challenge that our team faced was the difficulty of meeting other members. Due to classes, extracurricular activities, homework, exams, and logistics it was difficult for the team to meet often for useful periods of time. Tasks had to be delegated between members in order to complete things on time. However this delegation was both uneven and inefficient, which led to delays in our schedule.

I believe my performance in this class could have been improved if I had a less demanding schedule. I had difficulty coping with my course load this semester and budgeting my time in order to ensure my success in all my classes. I have no regrets with the amount of effort I had put into this class. If anything, I have learned that I should have been less generous with the amount of time I allotted to the class. That way the time I would have spent would have been used much more efficiently.

There are two major concerns I had with this class that I felt should be addressed. First, I believe that the design process and team selection should be done earlier so that more time can be used by the teams to properly design their machines. I believe the development of the manufacturing design took the most time and required the greatest amount of effort. By giving teams this extra time, they may have the opportunity to properly design their machines and have them reviewed by the course instructors in proper detail. The other concern I had was the difficulty in interpreting the expectations for each assignment. It was difficult for me to prepare (and therefore determine how much time to invest) for assignments in this class. This issue I feel will be minimized as the course is refined over more years.