http://www.teachengineering.org/view_activity.php?url=collection/wpi_/activities/wpi_disassemble_a_click_pen/disassemble_a_click_pen.xmlactivitytext/xmlCenter for Engineering Educational Outreach, designdisassemblepenretractable penreverse engineeringspringsystem

Students disassemble and analyze retractable pens. They learn how the ink pens work through "reverse engineering."

On occasion, an engineer finds an item or even designs something without fully understanding how or why it works. When this happens, it is helpful to work backwards by analyzing the finished design to see how the parts work together. Performing reverse engineering by analyzing the interactions between parts contributes to a better understanding of how something works. How a pen works by taking it apart, analyzing its components and their functions.How different components of a system work together to reach a desired function (in this case a retractable ball point).The value of learning by disassembling products to discover how they work.Recognizing a design need (such as capped pen vs. click pen).Skills: analyzing and organizing variables to investigate how a system works, technical discussion about how the object works using new vocabulary.Other potential learning areas: compression of a spring, history of writing utensils.3130TeachEngineering.orghttp://www.teachengineering.org/collection/wpi_/activities/wpi_disassemble_a_click_pen/click_pen_worksheet.dochttp://www.teachengineering.org/collection/wpi_/activities/wpi_disassemble_a_click_pen/click_pen_worksheet.pdfhttp://www.teachengineering.org/collection/wpi_/activities/wpi_disassemble_a_click_pen/investigation_worksheet.dochttp://www.teachengineering.org/collection/wpi_/activities/wpi_disassemble_a_click_pen/investigation_worksheet.pdfS100D934MassachusettsScience1.3 Identify and explain the difference between simple and complex machines, e.g., hand can opener that includes multiple gears, wheel, wedge gear, and lever.35S10047AAMassachusettsScience2.1 Identify a problem that reflects the need for shelter, storage, or convenience.35S100D897MassachusettsScience2.2 Describe different ways in which a problem can be represented, e.g., sketches, diagrams, graphic organizers, and lists.35S100EBE2MassachusettsScience2.3 Identify relevant design features (e.g., size, shape, weight) for building a prototype of a solution to a given problem.35United StatesCopyright 2012 - Center for Engineering Educational Outreach, Tufts Universityhttp://www.teachengineering.org/policy_ipp.phphttp://www.teachengineering.org/2011-11-104Teacher