Individual Reflection by Alex Buzzi

Individual Reflection
Alex Buzzi

    Mechanical Engineering 250 was by far the most enjoyable class I have taken this semester and probably in my two years here at the University of Michigan. From learning the array of bearings and bushing, to learning how to disassemble and assemble a bike, to mastering CAD Solidworks drawings, this class taught me several invaluable skills that I will be able to apply in the future. For me, the most intriguing part about ME250 was the hands on nature of the class, not only the lab, but in lectures as well. In large lecture rooms, such as the one we were in, it is easy to lose the attention of students, but by using simple tactics such as videos, demonstrations, props, and objects that were passed around, the lecturer was able to keep the attentiveness of the students. Also the ability to touch and actually see first hand how something operates assists in my learning of material a great deal and helps me comprehend how something works which, in turn, will be retained in my memory longer.
    Before this class, I had little to no experience with design, machining, or manufacturing of parts. I took a introductory engineering class my senior year of high school where I used a band saw and regular hand tools to create things, but this class opened my eyes to the extraordinary long process of design and machining. I would have never imagined all the work needed to create, for example, a properly dimensioned hollow cylindrical metal part. Although the challenges were present, the machine shop training and staff were fantastic and prepared us well for manufacturing of any parts. What was not mentioned in training, however, were the unexpected things that can go wrong during machining and the copious amount of issues a team may face. This was another fascinating thing about this course. You were always kept you on your feet. You were forced to analyze and envision new ideas and constantly had to face and overcome unfamiliar obstacles. One thing I wish our team had emphasized more is the brainstorming, design, and thought process behind our vehicle. Although surely everyone will eventually face an unexpected dilemma, several troubles could have been avoided if we had just thought them through a little more. One example of this was our MCM. Our MCM, the arm, was designed to fit two roller chains that folded outward when the axle was spun. Although some sag was considered, it turned out to be an utter failure. The motor did not spin nearly fast enough to prevent the sag. Luckily through some last minute decisions and use of copper wire we were able to make a temporary solution for the competition. A lesson learned was the importance on designing and calculations before construction. As William of Ockham (Occam’s razor) emphasized, the simplest answer or design is often correct. Before manufacturing, I learned, one must figure out the perfect, yet simplest design, and also plan for the unexpected. There should be a back up plan for every complex mechanism or design.
    Perhaps the most vital and meaningful concept that I learned was the value of teamwork and time management. Time management was incredibly important, especially in the latter part of the course, since we were only given a short amount of time to create our finished product. Although I generally regard myself as someone who manages his time well, time management with a group of people if far different. It was very rare for our whole team meet up with ample time to finish an assignment. With different availabilities and responsibilities, we found it very hard to meet as a whole group until nearly the due date of assignments. Luckily our group consisted of people who had specialties in specific areas. For example, one person in our group had a lot of experience with CAD so he took care of most of the drawings. Since we had people who were good at certain things, we were sometimes able to split up and work at our own convenience.
    All in all, I loved this class and took a lot from it. I now know how to use the lathe, milling machine, and drill press to create whatever part I desire(which I doubt most of my friends are capable of doing.) I learned the hardships, risks, and rewards of working with a team. I learned the importance of a proper design and the repercussions of an improper one. If I were to change one thing I may make the course a tad more balanced, in terms of work load, throughout the year. It seemed as though the first three-quarters of the term was relaxed and then, suddenly, all the major assignments, exam, and machining were allotted for the last quarter. Also another critique I have is the ambiguity of the requirements for assignments and unclear grading.  For example, for MS5, we went through the checklist and made sure we covered all the material needed in the powerpoint and thought we presented very well but received a poor grade. Also on the exam, when I had the correct answer on a problem but didn’t show all my work, most of the points were taken off. I believe, first of all, if I comprehend the material and find the right answer I should get full credit and second, it should have been stated in some form explicitly. Other than that ME250 was a unique, applicable and entertaining course.