Hot Air Balloon Project 1:
                            Balloon Manufacturing Project
                                Developed by Dr. Veronica Burrows and Dr. Barry McNeill,
                Arizona State University
                 (A Process Design Project)
 

Overview:
A fundamental activity of engineers is design. Engineers design many things, but most efforts fall into one of two main categories—design of an artifact or design of a process. Design of an automobile is an example of the first category; design of a process to manufacture a car is an example of the second. While these two examples are fairly straightforward, this is not always the case: for example, it would be easy to argue that the design of a computer program might fall into either category. Regardless of the output, the design process used by most engineers follows a similar progression of steps. In this course, students will have the opportunity to complete the design process for two projects, one in each category.

In this project, students are to develop the manufacturing plan for a small hot-air balloon, and to build the balloon using that plan. The emphasis in this project is on the manufacturing plan rather than on the balloon itself.

Learning Objectives or Student Outcomes:
This project is intended to introduce you to the design process and to the use of a variety of design and project management tools and techniques. The project will allow you to demonstrate that you can do each of the requested design steps using specified tools and techniques. Because Project 1 is a learning project, it is tightly scripted, allowing little or no deviation from a specified schedule of tasks. In the second project, students will have much more freedom both to choose the tools and techniques they wish to employ and to schedule their activities.
By the end of the project, each team should have demonstrated the ability to:
1. Define a problem, generate solutions, make criteria-based decisions, and do project planning;
2. Create and document a manufacturing process;
3. Function as a productive team;
4. Manage a project (at least to the extent of following a defined project plan);
5. Create and maintain a Design Notebook to facilitate technical audits; and
6. Assess the quality of technical work.

Length of Lesson:
Approximately 8 weeks

Assignment(s) to Ensure Student Preparation:
Although there are no specific assignments necessary to ensure student preparation, students will incorporate their prior knowledge from earlier engineering, math, and science courses.

Team Size/Composition:
Teams of 4 work best; if necessary, a few teams of 3 or 5 students may be formed.

How is positive interdependence ensured?
Each team works together to develop a Problem Formulation, to generate a set of alternative balloon designs, to select the best design, to develop a process to actually build the chosen design, and to construct the balloon and bring it to class for demonstration and display. In addition, each team will turn in progress reports and maintain a Design Notebook.

How is individual accountability ensured?
Individual accountability is ensured through individual contributions to the team Design Notebook. Peer assessments will also help to ensure individual accountability.

Components of Assessment:
Students will be assessed based on their Progress Reports, Design Notebooks, and final balloon design and demonstration.

Team Skills Needed for Success:
All team members must have the ability to communicate, cooperate and collaborate; they must also feel free to share their own ideas and to give and receive constructive feedback.

How Are These Skills Emphasized?
These skills are emphasized by the entire project—particularly by the cooperative completion of the Design Notebook and Progress Reports and by the demonstration of the design.

Materials Needed by Students:
• Course textbook: Engineering by Design by Gerald Voland (Prentice Hall, 1998)
• Materials chosen for development of design
• Design Notebook
• Handouts as provided by instructor

Materials Needed by Instructor:
• Handouts for studentsContent Lesson Links:

 Instruction to Students |  Handouts

©2002, Veronica Burrows and  Barry McNeill                                                                                        
These materials may be duplicated for educational purposes if properly credited.