Technology and Engineering Process Imagine that you are

Technology and Engineering Process

Imagine that you are in Antarctica, the coldest place on Earth. Icy winds could freeze your exposed skin in seconds. The first explorers to Antarctica used furlined clothing and sleeping bags- the best available at the time. However, once fur got wet, it was very hard to dry out. Because of this limitation, early explorers faced a constant struggle to stay dry and warm. However, because of science, today’s high-tech fabrics and improved equipment make it possible for research teams to stay in Antarctica year-round. Better cloting and equipment are the result of scientis’ and engineers’ problem solving efforts to create a new technology.

n Look at what you’re writing with. Has a writing utensil always looked like that? n Because of technology, the writing utensil has been changed over time to make writing easier.

n Technology follows what scientists refer to as the Engineering Design Process to create technology.

What is technology? Technology refers to the products and processes that are designed to serve our needs. Technology can be as simple as a pencil or as technical as a computer.

How does science relate to technology? Engineering uses scientific knowledge to develop technologies.

In other words, engineers use science and mathematics to create new technologies that serve human needs.

What is engineering? It is the process of creating technology.

What is the Engineering Design Process? The process engineers use to develop new technology.

Step 1 Ask: Identifying and Researching a Need (Identify a need) Engineers define and write the need or the problem they are trying to solve.

Step 2 Imagine: Develop Possible Solutions Once the need has been identified and researched, the engineer brainstorms about possible solutions.

Step 3 Plan: Making a Prototype After the best idea is chosen, the third step is to build a prototype. A prototype is a test model of the product. A model is a representation of an object or idea that stand for other things.

Step 4 Create: Testing and Evaluating This step helps determine whether the technology does the job it was designed to do. Prototypes are tested and evaluated. Engineers make sure that the cost of designing and producing the new product is worth its benefit. This is called cost-benefit analysis.

Step 5 Improve: Modifying and Retesting the Solution If a prototype was not successful or did not work well, the engineer would modify his/her prototype or try a new solution.

They would begin the engineering design process again with his/her new knowledge and continue working on the problem.

Communication: Engineers often need to share his/her successes, failures, and reasoning with others. They may explain and promote the technology to customers, or they may communicate with the public through news releases, advertisements, or publish details in journals.

n Mr. Parr’s Engineering Design Process Song