Parabolas for Days

Hello everyone!

Over the past month, I've spent a number of hours at my mentorship trying to figure out the best way to draft the Bamax helmet.

Although I have not made very much visual progress, I have overcome one of my biggest issues concerning this project so far: the parabolas. Drawing parabolas in Microstation was problematic for me because it was not a straightforward task. There is not a parabola tool in Microstation, so I had to resort to alternative means (e.g. mirroring points on one side of the parabola on the picture to the other side); all of which were very inefficient or impractical depending on the situation. After a few hours, I decided to just google it, and sure enough, there was a YouTube video that showed how to construct a parabola in Microstation (given the base and height). The video I found is given below:

I really liked this video because the uploader, UjjwalRane, gives a clear explanation of his method and provides an easy-to-follow, on-screen procedure that applies to 99% of all the parabolas you would want to create in Microstation. This particular video deals with parabolas that have the mouth opening downwards. If you'd like to see the video dealing with parabolas that have the mouth opening upwards, click here.

I learned an important lesson that day: if you can't figure out a drafting problem at work within a few minutes, look it up online. The answer is probably there!

A Sneak Peek...

For all of you Big Hero 6 fans, I present to you my latest project! :D I'm no Hiro, but it doesn't mean I can't try to draft like him. ;)

Bamax Helmet 2.0

EQ

Content

1.   Review this.  Confirm by stating "I reviewed the rule of three for writing an EQ."

Essential Question 
Once a topic is chosen, the student will develop a working essential question.  The purpose of the working essential question is to help the student build a strong foundation of research which will allow him or her to create an essential question that encourages depth and rigor in the chosen topic.  An essential question must:

• Provide a framework for studies (It calls for breadth and depth of research, Is not a yes/no question)
• Take a stance (It allows you to argue some point, Cannot be a recitation of facts or a list)
•  Format (It is specific, The wording makes sense)

I reviewed the rule of three for writing an EQ.

2.  Review the following EQs and

• Tell us if each meets the rule of three.
• Tell why they do or don't.

 a.  What is the most important factor in healthy weight loss?

The following EQ meets the rule of three.  It is not a yes/no question and calls for depth in research. It takes a stance by asking "what is the most important (blank)". The EQ's format makes sense and is specific in that it is asking about healthy weight loss.

 b.  What is most important to securing a conviction in a criminal investigation?

The  following EQ does not meet the rule of three. Despite the EQ's proficient wording and invitation to "take a stance", the question is not specific enough about the type of crime or the circumstances in order to provide a focused framework for studies.

 c.  What is most important in creating a hairstyle that best satisfies a customer?

The  following EQ does not meet the rule of three. The EQ isn't specific enough. The wording of it opens invitation for the cliche "The customer is always right." 

 d.  How can an anesthesiologist best treat chronic pain?

The following EQ meets the rule of three.  It is not a yes/no question and calls for depth in research. It takes a stance by asking which treatment is best for an anesthesiologist to use. The EQ's format makes sense and is specific in that it is asking about the type of pain.

3.  Based on your review of the rule of 3 and your experience with assessing four EQs, please write another draft EQ for your senior project.  The senior team will be meeting with students shortly for EQ revision and approval; you are expected to bring your research notebook to that meeting with your EQ draft written inside in pencil.

Lesson 1 Reflection

1. Positive Statement

What are you most proud of in your Lesson 1 Presentation and why?

For my Lesson 1 Presentation, I am most proud of the fact that I was able to say everything that I wanted to say. Furthermore, I am also proud that I was able to speak fluently and passionately about my topic and convey those feelings to my audience.

2. Questions to Consider
       a.     What assessment would you give yourself on your Lesson 1 Presentation (self-assessment)?

       AE       P-         AP       CR       NC

       b.     Explain why you deserve that grade using evidence from the Lesson 1 component contract.

I deserve a P- on this assignment. I believe that my justification and foundation were on the mark because I referenced my three sources throughout my presentation, had at least one published research source cited, and referenced my mentor and interview in my presentation; making me eligible for a P. However, my professionalism was a little off because I did look down at my notes a lot more than I should have, which greatly effected my eye contact with the audience, making me eligible for an AP. In the end, I think an average between the two is fair, landing me with a P-.


3. What worked for you in your Lesson 1?

A number of things went considerably well in my first lesson. For example, my voice was loud, clear and conveyed passion for my topic. I also cited all of the sources I needed to (along with my mentor's advice and expertise). 

4.  (What didn't work) If you had a time machine, what would you have done differently to improve your Lesson 1?

In the long term, I would've started this Lesson plan a week before the due date so I would've had more time to familiarize myself with the content of my lesson, work out any awkward or illogical transitions, and ultimately rehearse my lesson as a whole to avoid the use of note cards. As far as the short term concerned, I would've prepared all of my materials the night before so I wouldn't have had to leave anything out of my presentation.

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.