2nd Year Technology

Power Boats

Having worked on them for a few weeks, it was time for our 2nd year Technology class to show of their boats. Below are a sample of some of the projects the students produced.

LC Technology

Perpetual Motion

Its a very interesting concept to be able to create motion that continues indefinitely. Understandably this is hypothetical and depends on the energy input as a source for energy output but all the same, it is a very unique way of generating rotary motion. Maybe it might spark an idea for application in some of our Leaving Cert Technology students' final year project...

1st Year Technology

Yo-Yos

Our first year students sampling technology. We've had great fun making yo-yos the last few weeks. Its a very simple project that gives the students a taste of some of the practical experience they will get when they come back from their mid-term break. They all did a great job.

LC Technology

Picture Frame

Back to school and its always nice to start the term with a practical exercise. Our new 5th year class have been learning the skills associated with CAD/CAM. This allows students to gain experience with design, IT and manufacturing as well as fine finishing techniques of plastics which they will use in future projects going forward during their LC programme. Some of the designs are shown below which have been changed since last year to accomodate a 6"x4" Photo.

LC Technology

Irish National Sumo Robot Competition 2014

Congratulations to all the 5th year technology students who took part in the second Irish Mini Sumo Robot Tournament which was held in Galway. This year saw a doubling of the number of teams competing from all over Ireland and the standard of the competition was very high.  Considering all the programming difficulties and last minute adjustments to the robots, it was a great achievement by everyone who took part especially those who reached the finals of the competition. Everyone thoroughly enjoyed themselves and gained a lot from the experience. The planning now starts for next year.

Roboteers: Christian Cano, Miguel Saez, Alonso Dominguez, Stephen Bracken, Gregory Lotter, Paul Sutton, Maeve Higgins, Sarah Oxley, Patrick Lu, Stefan Gode, Aoife Malone, Caitlyn Parkinson, Alvina Zykov, Kimberly Kietel.

 

 

 

2nd Year Technology

Cars

Having experienced last years success and enjoyment in designing and making motorised cars, it was time to do it again. It is a great project for students to reinforce a lot of basic manufacturing processes and use of technology. It also introduces students to the DPDT switch which enables them to gain a very good working knowledge of switching current flow and energy conversion within a circuit. Below are some of the students finished cars. Now for the race!!!

 

 

5th Yr Technology

Video of the walking Dinosaur

5th Yr Technology

WALKING ROBOT

This has been an interesting and very valuable exercise in introducing students to mechanisms and how they can be used to transmit motion from rotary to linear. The students started exploring this concept having introduced them first to a range of mechanisms and how extensively they are used in everyday items. Combining other aspects of their technology course, e.g. design process, project management etc, students outlined their final ideas on their drawing worksheets, e.g. Fig 1 and 2.

 

Fig 1

 

Fig 2

 

Students then began the manufacturing process combining materials, mechanisms and electronics to make their walking robots.

 

 Walking robot video to follow...