Arc Reactor and new projects!

I have finally completed drafting the Arc reactor from Iron Man 2 on Microstation! After many hours of mouse-clicking and calculating, I realized that there must be a more efficient way to draft scale models such as the arc reactor. With the assistance of the drafting team at my mentorship, I am currently thinking of new approaches to subsequent C.A.D.D. projects to increase my efficiency and continue practicing my drafting skills.

For example, on my most recent project, I completed a model of a biohazard symbol on Microstation. For this project, I took a different approach by writing down each step as I went. This helped me to increase my efficiency by thinking about each step very carefully, making sure no mouse-clicks were wasted.

Blog 8 - Research and Working EQ

Title:  Blog 8 - Research and Working EQ 

Label:  Research

Due Date: Thursday October 16 by 8AM

1.  What is your working EQ?

My working EQ is "What is power engineering and how does it relate to Caltrans?"

2.  What is a possible answer to your working EQ? Please write the answer in thesis format. 

What is power engineering and how does it relate to Caltrans?

•  The conversion of power into energy, where the main goal is to understand and manipulate currents (e.g. AC or DC) to make them more efficient.

•  The main goal of a power engineer is to deliver reliable, stable sources of power to their customers.

3.  What is the most important source you have used that has helped you come up with an answer to your working EQ?

The most important source I've used that has helped me answer my working EQ is an article by Mary McMahon called What Does a Power Engineer Do? It has helped me identify the main duties, areas of interest, and working environments power engineers encounter on a daily basis. This source has lead me to other questions, such as "What are the applications of power engineering in Caltrans?" and "What kind of work would a power engineer be doing in Caltrans, if any?".

4.  Who is your mentor, or where are you doing mentorship, and how does what you are doing relate to your working EQ?

My mentor is Allen Barreno, a professional project electrical engineer. I do my mentorship at his company, BERG Power Engineers, where I practice drafting work independently. My drafting work relates to my working EQ because the ability to competently do C.A.D.D. (Computer-Aided Drafting and Design) work is imperative in the engineering world, especially in the sub-field of electrical  engineering, where you are constantly using the computer either to design, draft, or communicate with coworkers or fellow engineers.

Blog 7: Independent Component 1 Approval

Due Date:  Thursday, 10/2 by 8AM

What is it?  Independent Component 1 is an opportunity for you to add a dimension of creativity and/or an additional outlet for research. The goal of the component is for you to explore your topic in more depth with this component.  On February 6, 2015, you will be turning in the following to your blog to prove completion of this component:

• Log of time taken to complete assignment Senior Project Hours spreadsheet.
• Evidence of the 30 hours of work (e.g. transcript, essays, tests, art work, photographs) as digital artifacts.
• LIA explanation of what you did.

To get your idea approved now, please answer the following questions:

1.  Describe in detail what you plan to do for your 30 hours.

For my independent component, I plan to practice drafting work at my mentorship (using Auto CAD and Microstation) and document what I accomplish in a composition notebook when I leave.

2.  Discuss how or what you will do to meet the expectation of showing 30 hours of evidence.

I will ask my mentor for permission to do drafting work from previous projects he's done. If he says yes, then I will receive a print from him and will begin working on it ASAP. Assuming each print takes approximately 3 hours to complete, I will have to draft a minimum of ten prints for my independent component. In terms of mentorship time, I predict this component will take me about twenty days to complete since I spend an average of 1.5 hours a week at my mentorship (once every Friday). I will also spend an additional five days (besides Friday) at my mentorship to ensure that my thirty hours are complete. As far as documenting goes, I will take before and after pictures of my drafting work to showcase my progress. In addition, I will also write a small description of what I did and update my Senior Project Hours Log as needed.

3.  And explain how what you will be doing will help you explore your topic in more depth.

Drafting is an important part of the engineering process because the accuracy of a project's designs depend on how accurately they were drafted. The practice of drafting will not only help me develop the skill and competency to work proficiently in an engineering environment, but it will also help me learn about the different drafting standards set forth by various companies (such as LA DWP and Edison) and techniques utilized by drafting professionals to improve efficiency.

4.  Update your Senior Project Hours log.

Your answers to the questions should be supported with details and examples for the senior team to understand what you plan to do.