The word Automata came up in previous internet searches, so i found some examples so i could see for myself what it actually is. There were some really entertaining examples of automata however looking at the examples i found doesn't really help me understand the process which makes these models move the way they do. I understand that a mechanical system involves an input-process-output. These examples only show the input and output.
Human driven input
Motor driven input
Whilst looking at the revision guides and biteseize website i was also going a bit of other internet research on the side so was acquiring little snippets of information here and there. I was feeling like i had bits of information and words all over the place at this point which was causing confusing and making me feel like i wasn't even really learning anything.
I made a decision to create a mind map pulling together all the areas of mechanical systems i had come across. Seeing everything in one place was really helpful to get a clear look at what i had acquired in knowledge highlight some keywords words to prompt further research. it was also good se if ive actually moved forward from my initial thoughts i put down in my first post.
after doing this i had a much clearer picture of where i am and was also helpful to group things into key area's and see what linked together in the area of mechanical systems.
However i feel like im just skimming over the surface of everything and need to start delving into some of these areas im pulling out.
Click to enlarge
There are a lot of good online mind mapping tools such as the one i used above Bubble.us. Ive always in the past scribbled down my mind maps on paper which end up lost and never really being used properly. However doing it online not only looks neater but can be stored more effectively.
Essentials revision guide
Ive had my GSCE revision guides tuck away in draw and thought id dust them off and see what they have to say about the subject. What i found was Excellent source for information (but i guess thats the point of them),a reliable source and very easy to understand (because its for children). This should have ben my first port of call. Ive noticed when approaching something i do not understand, the internet is the first place i head to, maybe its a convenience thing.
Topics covered in this guide include;
- Cranks and Cams
- Springs and linkages
- Gears and pulleys
After this section there are practice questions which i had a go of to see how effective reading these sections once through. I didn't get very many of them correct which was expected as i don't seem to absorb information merely through just reading out of a book once. I also think that reading all three sections in one go was a bit too much and should have focused on one section at a time. combining reading with small practical tasks or note taking. I think ill revisit this source at a later stage of my learning to contribute to another type of learning but not as a main focus.]What i found difficult with the revision guide was that it was explaining about moving parts and had only the description to try and understand how they work so had to imagine how they work. i think actually seeing them in action would help me to understand them better. Internet version
As a next step i looked at the internet version of the revision guide (GCSE biteseize website) which had animations of the cams, pulleys and gears working which helped to understand much better. particularly some of the linkages, i couldn't understand how they moved when reading about them in the revision book however on the Biteszie wesite i could see them in action.
Another site i have been looking at is Technologystudent.com which i have found has a lot more information and more areas in mechanical systems than the Bitesize website. Like the bitezie website there are animations helping to explain elements of the subject but also has little tasks and exercises to complete which i found really helpful to put the information into practice.
I think this is a way forward with my research to start doing some activities accompanying the reading.
Although i had decided to break down the subject I came across a good short definition of the mechanical systems (see above quote) I went back and looked at the definitions i had found and pulled out some of keywords to look at individually such as 'mechanical principles?' what are these. If i understand what these are could they be applied to any mechanical system?
A mechanical system manages power to accomplish a task that involves forces and movement.'
Although using wikkipedia is considered a rather unintelligent approach to research it does provide a good start to get a rough overview of a subject although i dont think it should be taken literally.The site provided some good key words to prompt further investigation from more reliable sources. This gave me more to go on as the title i was given in my audit doesn't give anything away about the topic so was purely typing in the words 'mechanical system' meaning my searches were quite limited.
New words:
Power -
Forces & Movement
Mechanical principles
Mechanism
Linkage
machine
At this point in my research i have yet to look in a book or ask anyone what they know of the subject. WHY? ..i think with asking people directly there is a chance of them not explaining it properly, or the embarrassment of not understanding what they are saying. Looking through the internet is private and non judgmental however if i asked a tutor it would be much more direct and reliable infomaion.
Do i understand the subject any better yet? -
at this point no, i think i need to try a different source of information and start looking at these new keywords and how they contribute to the topic. ive kind of been going around in a circle with my learning at the moment and ned to get away from google and looking at definition.
I decided to start my learning with the internet as it is something i am comfortable with and can obtain information instantly without much effort. As a start to my learning i did a quick google search of 'Basic mechanical systems' to see if i could get a good overall look at the subject to see what i am dealing with.
initially this was rather unsuccessful (google gave me results of anything remotely related to mechanical system, and sometimes completely unrelated) however once i refined my search down and reworded my search (Design and technology mechanical systems etc.) i had more specific results. The internet can be a great source for information but can more often than not produce unrelated results and send you off into a tangent. If you know how to search effectively or know good reliable reputable sources it can be an absolute asset.
initial Google search results when typed 'mechanical systems'
As i was searching on the internet i starting thinking about the following points;
- Do i pull out 1 or 2 aspects of mechanical systems or look at the subject as a whole? The subject seems rather extensive and i am thinking it would be best to look at the principles of the subject which would give a good overal understanding as i could probably spend a lifetime becoming an expert in mechanical systems. I have found that there is also no one definition of mechanical systems, it cant be summed up very easily.
- If i do take just a few aspects of the subject, how do i know what is the most important bits? As i said above i need to understand the outlines/principles of the subject giving myself a good foundation of knowledge to work up from. I guess i wont know the answer to this question fully until i get further into my research or indeed the end of this module.
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