Anders Berglund

Why we Prototype! An International Comparison of the Linkage between Embedded Knowledge and Objective Learning

Abstract Prototypes are made, presented, and interpreted differently by people according to their understanding and frame of reference. Design educators have, in recent decades, come closer to one another in how they approach design creativity. Still, many distinct differences exist. One of the most striking has to do with the role of prototyping in developing ideas into concrete manifestations. Prototypes unlock cognitive association mechanisms related to visualisation, prior experience, and interpersonal communication in ways that favour iterative learning between peers in the product development community. When, where, and how to use prototyping strategies depends on context, and it demands a high level of situation awareness. The nature of this awareness is, in turn, dependent on cultural variables and curriculum development. Prototyping has been portrayed as an excellent activity to share inner thoughts, yet a deeper connection to its knowledge-building processes has been lacking in previous research. This paper builds on related literature in shaping a common understanding of how prototyping is perceived and applied in two different high-performance academic contexts (Stanford University, Stanford, USA, and the KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm, Sweden). Our exploration focuses on students’ perceived learning experiences and on teachers’ experiences within engineering design projects. Prototyping is an active enabler in both cases, establishing iterative loops of new knowledge through social interaction and team-based communication. The deeper level of cognitive attachments to prototyping provides an explicit link between embedded implicit knowledge and its consequences for objective learning.

Investigation of tool wear mechanisms in CGI machining

In this study, the tool wear, including wear mechanisms on coated cemented carbide inserts were investigated in the turning of Compacted Graphite Iron (CGI) materials with varying nodularity. The results showed that increasing nodularity, in the range of 5-62%, affects wear at moderate and high cutting speeds without having the same impact at lower cutting speeds. A small difference in nodularity, in the lower range, such as an increase from 5% to 20%, has a more significant impact on wear than an increase from 20% to 62%.

Moving Beyond Traditions: Bachelor Thesis Redesign

Student learning is built on native ability, prior preparation and experiences but also by the compatibility of his or her learning style and the instructor’s teaching style. Past research (Kolb, 1 ...

Proposing a Feedback System to Enhance Learning Based on Key Performance Indicators

This paper proposes a feedback system that is based on the self-evaluation of perceived productivity as a mechanism for detecting deviations in an engineering design student project. By monitoring ...

Towards Individual Innovation Capability: The Assessment of Idea Generating Methods and Creativity in a Capstone Design Course

Innovation is per se based not only on the individual problem solving, but the process from new ideas to commercialization of new products. However, in a time with rapid technology shifts and frequently altered customer requirements, creativity and more precisely the lack of useful new ideas surfacing is viewed as problematic by companies. Ways of involving creativity has been to apply idea generating (IG) methods for identification of creativity sources. This paper consists of a combined theoretical and empirical approach which aims at studying existing tests and proposing suitable creative methods to be used in higher engineering education. The authors work with an extensive capstone design course in Integrated Product Development that emphasizes systematic and parallel approaches to product development. In contrast to traditional modes and styles of teaching that make few attempts to encourage students to pursue a variety of IG methods the capstone design course in integrated product development puts a large part of the responsibility on the students. In all cases IG and use of creativity methods is a natural ingredient. Thus, students’ self-regulation and insights into how to work with methods and exercises is particularly interesting as this may have an affect on managing their creative skill. Overall possible improvements in students’ creative potential transcend interesting notions on capability to innovate. Thus, this paper’s purpose is to investigate whether creativity as an ingredient of a student’s innovation capability is influenced by using IG methods. And whether the selections made by project groups are aligned to best utilize students’ creative thinking.Copyright

Leading the Teacher Team - Balancing Between Formal and Informal Power in Program Leadership

This continuous research within Nordic engineering institutions targets the contexts and possibilities for leadership among engineering education program directors. The IFP-model, developed based on analysis of interviews with program leaders in these institutions, visualizes the program director’s informal and formal power. The model is presented as a tool for starting a shared discussion on the complexities of the leadership of engineering program development. The authors liken program development to hunting in teams. Each individual expert in the program is needed, and all experts will need to work and collaborate for the same target. This calls for strategic and long-term thinking of engineering education development. Institutions should support the development of both formal structures as well as informal leadership skills among their program directors, but never fall for the temptation to see the program director as the only actor on the stage.

Investigation of microstructure and material properties for 18 different graphitic cast iron model materials with focus on Compacted Graphite Iron (CGI)

The higher mechanical strength of Compacted Graphite Iron (CGI) than Flake Graphite Iron (FGI) makes it very useful material for several commercial components. The knowledge of microstructure and hence the mechanical properties and machinability is very important for the CGI to used efficiently in manufacturing. The complex geometry of cast components makes it difficult to produce adequate microstructure in the whole component.Adequate material properties can be achieved by having good knowledge about the correlations between the casted geometry, graphite morphology and pearlite content. In the presented paper, 18 different model materials have been analysed extensively, concerning the effect of chemical composition, solidification and cooling rate on the nodularity, pearlite content, interlamellar spacing in pearlite, hardness and mechanical properties. Later, the cutting force measurement tests were performed on some of the materials and it was found that the forces have a strong positive correlation with pearlite content and the tensile strength of the materials.