Class 41: Thursday, 1/9/25

  • One more quick practice exam.
  • Come to the exam with your chromebook working and charged -- unless you want to use a laptop.

Class 40: Tuesday, 1/7/25

  • Presentation of Donuts --  Updated DS Cup Standings
  • Dual enrollment:  There are no students registered 
  • Finish practice exam documents
    • Get new rubric
    • How to make a "drawing" with callouts in Google Docs
  • Peer Review

Class 39: Friday, 1/3/25

Class 38: Friday, 12/20/24 

  • If you're having trouble with the laser not cutting through...
    • Your wood may be warped -- and at different heights in different places, so the laser is out of focus.  Fix this by...
      • Cutting from smaller pieces of wood -- just barely bigger than you need
      • Finding flatter wood
    • Some parts of the wood have uneven glueing or knots, so the laser won't burn all of the way through.  I don't know how to predict where these will be.
  • Turn in your photo (etc.) via the Google Classroom assignment.

Class 37: Wednesday, 12/18/24 

  • See notes from last class about speed and power settings. 

Class 36: Monday, 12/16/24 

  • Interlocking Joint Project:
    • On Wednesday I will bring some Danish Oil Finish.
    • **Constraint change:  Corner "box joints" will also count as interlocking joints -- even though they can shift in two directions, relative to one another.
    • The Epilog should be ready to go in D104.
    • Glowforge Settings, etc.:
      • After you click print, check the final position of your design on the wood.  It changes.  Adjust if necessary, then cancel and reprint.  Like this.
      • Use these settings as starting points (adjust speed as necessary)  (Video going through steps):
        • 6mm Birch: 
          • Uncertified material, 0.236 inches
          • Custom or Manual
            • Custom:  6mm Baltic Birch
            • Manual:  Full power, 150 speed
        • 3mm Birch: 
          • Uncertified material, 0.118 inches
          • Custom or Manual
            • Custom:  3mm Baltic Birch
            • Manual:  Full power, 280 speed
    • Epilog Settings (with height dongle barely touching):
      • 3mm Birch:  Power 100%, Speed 70% (or maybe 60% to be safe)
      • 6mm Birch: Power 100%, Speed 40% (or maybe 35% to be safe)
  • Disassemble fan car parts

Class 35: Thrzdeigh, 12/12/24 

  • Interlocking Joint Project:
    • **Constraint change:  You can choose from 3mm or 6mm Baltic birch plywood (or wood that you provide) for your final laser-cut object.
    • Before you make your laser cutting .svg file, organize your parts in the most efficient form possible. 
    • Before you go to laser cut, cut a rectangle of wood that is just big enough (with a small margin) for all of your batch of parts.  Remove this from our stock wood judiciously, so that others can use as much as possible of the leftover wood.
  • Dual Enrollment Updates:
    • Use YOUR counselor's name, phone, and email
    • Make sure you finish your student profile
    • The course is listed under STEM
  • Disassemble fan car parts

Class 34: Tuesday, 12/10/24 

  • Dual Enrollent Sign-ups -- briefly discuss
  • Discuss fan car "presentations" grading.
  • Disassemble fan car parts
  • Pre-break project -- laser-cut joinery.  Create a wooden laser-cut object comprising at least four separate pieces of 3mm or 6mm thick wood.  Each piece must be connected to at least one other with an interlocking laser-cut joint (e.g. box joint, mortise and tenon joint...).  The object will be scored on judges' preference.  You will have only 5 classes.  Turn photos and/or a video of the object.  You may include a description to help explain its worth.  Here's an example: .  Here's a video showing how I made it (including how I made the joints).
  • Here's an interesting Instructable that I found.  It purports to provide software to create joints for laser-cut panels.

Class 33: Friday, 12/6/24 

  • Fan Car awards.  Current Standings  Aesthetics Judging.
  • Pre-break project -- laser-cut joinery.  Create a wooden laser-cut object comprising at least four separate pieces of 3mm or 6mm thick wood.  Each piece must be connected to at least one other with an interlocking laser-cut joint (e.g. box joint, mortise and tenon joint...).  The object will be scored on judges' preference.  You will have only 5 classes.  Turn photos and/or a video of the object.  You may include a description to help explain its worth.  Here's an example: .  Here's a video showing how I made it (including how I made the joints).
  • Here's an interesting Instructable that I found.  It purports to provide software to create joints for laser-cut panels.

Class 32: Wednesday, 12/4/24 

  • Wrap-up the fan car project
    • Measure speeds
    • Turn in glamor shots

Class 31: Monday, 12/2/24 

  • It's time to sign up for Dual Enrollment.
  • Last full day to work on the fan cars
  • Contest and Presentations are due next class

Class 30: Thursday, 11/21/24 

  • Work time
  • Deadline change:  Cars can be tested on the same day that the presentations are due.

Class 29: Tuesday, 11/19/24 

  • Work time

Class 28: Friday, 11/15/24 

  • Brief review of the project requirements
  • Work time

Class 27: Wednesday, 11/13/24 

Class 26: Monday, 11/11/24 

  • How to solder -- brief explanation.  Soldering Suggestion.
  • All of the laptops now have Cura, so you can prepare a 3-D print file.  Instead of "gcode," the new file format for Ultimaker printing (the printers in the library) is .ufp (Ultimaker Format Package).
  • Get the engine parts -- charging demonstration using the power source...
    • Set the coarse current knob (A) to 12 oclock.
    • Set the coarse voltage knob (V) to zero (6 oclock, CCW)
    • If the motor shaft begins to turn, flip the switch.
    • Continuously increase the voltage knob to cause current (A) to flow, and slowly approach 3.0V.  When 3V is reached, shut off the power source.
    • If the propeller spins the wrong way, reverse the way you connect the power source.
  • Clean out your bins
  • Work time

Class 25: Thursday, 11/7/24 

  • Discuss the outline for the supercapacitor fan car project -- and dual enrollment -- and capstone projects [these project outlines are very similar to the capstone project outlines]
  • Group up for the fan car project and make a timeline plan.
  • Work on the three independent cutting and printing assignments in Google Classroom (assignments Q2-4, Q2-5, and Q2-6).

Class 24: Tuesday, 11/5/24 

  • Presentation of donuts
  • Discuss engineering log grading -- you can resubmit your log for one week (deadline 11-12-24 at midnight) for regrading.
  • Take the laser cutter safety quiz
  • Work on the three independent cutting and printing assignments in Google Classroom (assignments Q2-4, Q2-5, and Q2-6).

Class 23: Thursday, 10/31/24 

  • Share Judging Results and Comments -- Selection of donuts?  New DS Standings
  • Helmet Engineering Logs are due today by midnight.
  • Trip to the laser cutters
  • Preview of next contest -- Supercapacitor-Powered Fan Cars
  • Prepare for laser cutter safety quiz
  • Work on "Independent Cutting"

Class 22: Tuesday, 10/29/24 

  • Testing:
    • Record how long it takes to put the mask on.
    • Measuring field of view
    • Functional testing
  • Submit your screenshot (virtual headgear on virtual you) and photo (real headgear on real you) in Google Classroom.  Turn-in photos like this...
  • Engineering logs are due on Thursday.

Class 21: Friday, 10/25/24 

  • Work time
  • You will get some work time next class.  Testing begins next class at the 50 minute mark.

Class 20: Wednesday, 10/23/24 

  • Work time
  • You will get some work time next class.  Testing begins next class at the 50 minute mark.

Class 19: Monday, 10/21/24 

  • Work time
  • One physical prototype due today.

Class 18: Thursday, 10/17/24 

  • Fire Drill today.
  • Work time
  • Make a prototype by the end of next class.  It can be small and incomplete, but test your idea by making something physical.  This is a graded assignment.

Class 17: Tuesday, 10/15/24 

  • Deadline change:  only the 1st physical prototype will count toward this quarter's grade.  The other deadlines have been pushed back to 10/29.
  • Let's do this together after I scan Finn's head...
  • Here are some cones and fake eyeballs that you may want to use to help figure out your field of view.
  • Get cardboard
  • If you want laser-cut parts, send me a rhino file of your parts shown in top view.  Also give me your material, cut into a rectangle.  Make sure that whatever you want to cut fits on your rectangle, and your rectangle must fit on the 11.5" x 23.4" laser cutter bed. 
  • Work on headgear designs

Class 16: Wednesday, 10/9/24 

  • Finish your object from last time.
  • Review the Laser Cuttable Headgear Project Engineering Log Template (constraints etc)
  • Try a few new Rhino commands:
    • Loft
    • Surface?
    • Mirror
    • Trim
    • Explode/join
    • Picture
  • Get cardboard
  • Work on headgear designs

Class 15: Monday, 10/7/24 

  • Discuss engineering logs and scoring.
  • Create a practice object to learn about making headgear. (another example of this type of design)
    • Build a virtual solid (keep it simple) object meeting the following requirements:
      • Formed from the unioning of "unrollable" objects:
        • Box
        • Cylinder
        • Cone
        • Sphere (not -- sphere's don't unroll)
      • Includes at least one surface made by a "difference" command using a box to do the cutting -- at an "interesting" angle.
    • Unroll the object.
    • In top view, arrange the object's parts on and 8" x 10" rectangle.
    • Print the scaled object.
    • Build a physical version of the object -- either from your small paper version or from a larger version traced on the wall
      • Optional materials:
        • Tape
        • Hot Glue
        • Glue stick
        • ?

Class 14: Thursday, 10/3/24 

Class 13: Tuesday, 10/1/24  Today's Focus: Contest! 

  • Prepare for the contest.
  • Trebuchet update?
  • Contest -- get donut order
  • Clean up, store stuff, work on your engineering log.  Read the grading rubric carefully!!!!
  • Engineering log due on Thursday
  • Can someone scan my head?
  • 2022 Stomp Rocket Scores

Class 12: Friday, 9/27/24  Today's Focus:  Last work day.  Contest on Tuesday!

  • Enter these due dates -- contest next Tuesday.  Engineering log due on Thursday (next week).
  • Trebuchet update?
  • Test stomp rockets together.  This time they're orange.  We'll test them on the football field, using a laser range finder.
  • Redesign your 3D printed part(s) and submit your next .stl file.
  • If the hairy part of your head is distorted in your scan, you will have two options.  Try to fix your head in Rhino or do the scan again with a form-fitting hat, swim cap, etc.
  • 2022 Stomp Rocket Scores

Class 11: Wednesday, 9/25/24  Today's Focus:  BETTER Testing.  Then submit another file.

  • Enter these due dates -- contest next Tuesday.  Engineering log due on Thursday (next week).
  • Trebuchet update?
  • Test stomp rockets together.  This time they're orange.  We'll test them on the football field, using a laser range finder.
  • Redesign your 3D printed part(s) and submit your next .stl file.
  • Scan heads -- if you don't want a distorted scan, wear a beanie/hair net/swim cap

Class 10: Monday, 9/23/24  Today's Focus:  Testing.  Then submit another file.

  • Enter these due dates -- contest next Tuesday.  Engineering log due on Thursday (next week).
  • Trebuchet update?
  • Test stomp rockets together
  • Redesign your 3D printed part(s) and submit your next .stl file.
  • Scan heads -- if you don't want a distorted scan, wear a beanie/hair net/swim cap

Class 9: Thursday, 9/17/24  Today's Focus:  Submit your first (or 2nd .stl file)

  • A couple of things...
    • Will a part be stronger if it is printed in horizontal or vertical position?
    • How can you confirm that your 3-D print is scaled correctly? [One recent submission was a little too big, and another was 100x to big]
  • slideshow?  sdmn sdmsm 
  • Test stomp rockets -- get 3-d prints
  • Redesign your 3D printed part(s) and submit your next .stl file.
  • Scan heads -- if you don't want a distorted scan, wear a beanie/hair net/swim cap

Class 8: Tuesday, 9/17/24  Today's Focus:  Design your first stomp rocket. 

  • Finish the Rocket Chess Piece Tutorial ("Intro to CAD for 3-D Printing...")
  • What are "supports," in 3-D printing?  How and why should you design parts that don't require support material?
  • Go over the following in Google Classroom:
    • Begin your stomp rocket engineering log ("Contest #2: 3-D Printed Stomp Rocket")
      • Brainstorming
      • Design Sketch
      • Create your design in Rhino.  Then submit your file for printing in Google Classroom.  Follow these instructions: 
        • 1 -- confirm that everything is the size that you want, and that you're measuring in the units that you want.
        • 2 -- orient your parts to avoid using support material (if possible)
        • 3 -- Arrange your parts to fill up a small amount of printer bed space (<4in^2)
        • 4 -- Use the "align" command to align the bottoms of the parts (so no part is "hovering" above the printer bed)
        • 5 -- Change your scale to millimeters
          • Tools (yellow gear or tab)
            • Options
              • Units
                • Millimeters -- If you're asked if you want to scale by some factor, choose yes.
        • 6 -- Under the File mentu, use "save as" to save your file as a .stl file (stereolithography).  Include your name in the file name.
        • 7 -- submit your file in the assignment "Submit Stomp Rocket Version 1.0..." in Google Classroom.
  • Scan heads

Class 7: Friday, 9/13/24  Today's Focus:  Rocket Chess Piece Tutorial (in google classroom) -- after straightening things out in Rhino

  • Let me know if you turn in a missing assignment late.
  • Work on the Rocket Chess Piece Tutorial
  • Begin stomp rocket designs?

Class 6: Wednesday, 9/11/24  Today's Focus:  Rocket Chess Piece Tutorial (in google classroom) -- after straightening things out in Rhino

  • Quick stomp rocket demo -- and reminder that you're not starting that until you finish the tutorial
  • Let me know if you turn in a missing assignment late.
  • Rhino License Stuff:
    • If you haven't already, set up your password in your Rhino account.  Go to https://www.rhino3d.com/ and log into your account.  Go to your account details, and then to Login, to set up your password.
    • After that, only sign in so rhino you see this.
    • If you see the validation popup,
      • close it.
      • When Rhino opens, go to "Tools" ... "License Manager"
      •   Then select "change license" and "change your license key"
      • Then "remove license" or "log out."
    • Then log in, use the email associated with your license.  
      • Then you will have to enter your password in a browser window.  It may look like there's an error, but you should be able to get into Rhino.
      • To confirm that you're using the right license (your license), go to the license manager (see directions above).
    • Finally, when you're done using Rhino, type "logout" into the command bar and click enter.
  • Work on the Rocket Chess Piece Tutorial
  • Scan heads

Class 5: Monday, 9/9/24  Today's Focus:  Rhino Tutorial

  • Phones in the caddy -- in the right number slot
  • Discuss the marshmallow contest grading and reflections.
  • Important Information/Reminders:
    • Use the "floating" license.  Don't lock the license to your computer.
    • Make sure that you're saving "incremental" saves on your Google Drive.  You will probably have to add the Drive App
    • If you have a slow computer, be patient.
  • Scan heads

Class 4: Thursday, 9/5/24  Today's Focus:  Wrapping up Marshmallow Towers; Starting Rhino

  • Phones in the caddy -- in the right number slot
  • Presentation of the donuts
  • How many of you plan on taking this class for UVM credit (Dual Enrollment)?
  • Take a brief look at the stomp rocket project overview.
  • Engineering logs are due tonight, at Midnight -- and on-time submission is 9% of the grade.  Spend some time making sure that you and your teammates have everything you need in order to complete the log and satisfy the grading rubric.
  • Start the Rocket Chess Piece tutorial.  I am estimating that this will take two to three classes, unless you work on this at home.
    • We're using technology, so expect some trouble :-)
    • Open Rhino on a classroom laptop. 
    • Try to use the same laptop every time.  Just in case...
    • Maybe label the laptop and mouse that you're using.
  • Start scanning heads

Class 3: Tuesday, 9/3/24  Big Idea:  Compete for tallest marshmallow tower

  • Phones in the caddy -- in the right number slot
  • Approximately 30 minutes of experimentation time.
  • Marshmallow Tower Contest (18 minutes)
  • Donut preferences?
  • Complete your engineering log
  • **Everything in your engineering log can be the same as your teammates, except for your final reflection.  This should be your work.
  • Clean up.  Put your bin away properly! Mr. Stapleton will check your area ( see "clean-up" in grading rubric)
  • Engineering logs are due on Thursday (9/5), at Midnight -- and on-time submission is 9% of the grade.

Class 2: Thursday, 8/29/24 -- Big Idea:  Engineer a taller marshmallow tower

  • Phones in the caddy -- I can remind people of your numbers

  • Fill out the student information sheet.  If you have already done this in one of my other classes (this year), you can skip it.

  • Take a look at the project grading rubric

  • (about 60 min) Continue the iterative design process.  Copy and paste to add more iterations as necessary.  For full credit, you must have at least 3 unique iterations (versions of your design or tests of some aspect of your design -- not including the final build on the contest day).  Each iteration should be an experiment that tests an idea that you have about how to achieve your goal.

  • (10 min) Documentation Check– go back and make sure that you have filled everything out properly in the spaces above.  If you need any pictures, maybe you can still take them before cleanup.

  • Clean up.  Mr. Stapleton will check your area ( I forgot to do this formally last time, but everything looked great! )

  • Have a great weekend!  :-)
Class 1: Tuesday, 8/27/24 -- Big Idea:  Welcome, and start engineering a taller marshmallow tower

Designing Solutions (Mr. Stapleton)

Today:

  1. Cell phones into the caddy.  Caddy slots are assigned based on alphabetical order.  I'll give you the order.
  2. Discuss phones and being on time.
  3. Attendance
  4. Class goals:
    1. Repeatedly practice and reflect on problem-solving/engineering -- the rationale being that this will improve your skills.
    2. Acquire design and making skills.
    3. Have fun.
  5. Briefly go over the plan for the year and course expectations (see Google Classroom).  If you think you might want to try for dual enrollment credit, I can give you more details after this first unit.
  6. Get storage bin.  Label it with name and cell phone caddy slot number.
  7. Marshmallow challenge work time
    1. Make a copy of the engineering log.
    2. Enter the deadlines in the constraints section.
    3. Join your team (Team List)
    4. Brainstorming
    5. Build Version 1.0 (or whatever you decide to name it) -- don't forget to take a picture
  8. Don't forget your phones!