Product Dissection Course Info

Product Dissection: Appliances T. W. Simpson

PENN STATE UNIVERSITY Department of Mechanical & Nuclear Engineering

ME240 PRODUCT DISSECTION: APPLIANCES ME106S

Appliances “in the Large” Wiki Project

Motivation It is relatively easy, and inexpensive, to have everyone take apart a drill, mixer, telephone, etc. They do not require a lot of space nor do they require specialized tools for their dissection. The same is not true for appliances “in the large”, e.g., washing machines, dishwashers, refrigerators, etc. The cost of these systems alone prohibits their use in product dissection courses, not to mention the shear number of parts that is in them and the amount of space needed to dissect them. Through previous research collaboration with Whirlpool and Electrolux, we are fortunate to have several large-scale appliances at our disposal, along with a large flat panel LCD television from Westinghouse, which is no longer working (see table).

Dishwasher Washing Machine Refrigerator LCD Television

Assignment Working with your three neighboring pairs (i.e., Tables 1-4, Tables 5-8, Tables 9-12, Tables 13-16), your goal is to create a “virtual dissection” activity that can be used in future courses based on the large-scale appliance given to your group. This activity will be made available online as a Wiki, using whatever resources you can find and create in the next two class periods. At a minimum, each Wiki should contain a description of the product, a list of its major subsystems, an explanation of how it works, as well as a dissection activity of a major subsystem. Your team should also find 2-3 interesting facts about the (1) economic, (2) environmental, (3) global, and (4) societal impact of your product and include these on the Wiki. Each group will create a single Wiki for their product, with links to whatever information, photos, websites, etc. you need to make your activity. The final Wiki is due by 5pm on Thursday, March 29.

Initial Wiki pages for each appliance be found at: http://gicl.cs.drexel.edu/wiki/ME240_2010S Username: dishwasher, washingmachine, refrigerator, tv Password: dissection10

Suggested Action Plan 30 minutes: meet teammates, explore/dissect product, and develop a plan of action for this assignment 45 minutes: divide and conquer (in dissection lab or in computer lab) 15 minutes: reconvene and plan for next class period

http://www.mne.psu.edu/simpson/courses/me240 Email: [email protected]