Intro to Engineering Design - PLTW

2016-2017
Projects from this years IED students, including; Wood Puzzle Cube & Balloon Transport Device

Engineering Design CAD II - Small Gas Engines

2016-2017
Students in Engineering Design/CAD II also had an experience working on Small Gas Engines. They learned everything from start to finish about how engines work, tools, safety, fasteners and how to disassemble an engine. From here they precisely measured and drew the parts on AutoDesk Inventor in 3D.

Catherine Giuseffi and Maddy Lui’s Connecting Rod

Carolyn Wang's Piston

Chris Au's Piston

Engineering Design CAD II Students Projects

I had the pleasure of teaching another amazing class this year who designed some awfully impressive projects!!!  

Students in this second level engineering course were challenged to design custom projects that must be mechanical in nature. Incorporating parts such as gears and/or simple machines was a requirement. The students drew the parts on AutoDesk Inventor or AutoCAD in either 2D or 3D depending on the part. Parts were then 3D printed or Laser cut and then assembled. As usual, Ridge students produced amazingly complex and impressive projects. Every part of every mechanism is designed and drawn by the students; they are not permitted to simply download ready-made files from the Internet.

Igor Guranovic’s Award Winning Model of a Working 4-Speed Transmission

Catherine Giuseffi’s Adjustable Smart Phone Mount

Madison Lui’s Laser Cut Geneva Mechanism with Electric Motor

Jon Bissonnette’s Archimedes Screw Model

Moises Rivadeneyra’s Gyroscope

Vincent Richards’ 3D Printed 3 Cylinder W-Engine

Carolyn Wang and Leslie Hwang’s Laser Cut and 3D Printed Galileo’s Escapement Clock

Ann Kang’s Impressive Rubik’s Cube (in progress)

David Kim's Strand Beast (In progress)

Chris Au’s 3D Printed Concept Vehicle

RHS Architecture Program Teams up with UVA

Ridge Architecture students in Mr. Mark Dotta’s class, teamed up with the University of Virginia and Professor Sanda Lliescu to create custom abstract structures.  Mr. Dotta’s inspiration for this project came from his dedication to preparing his students for both college and real world experiences.  It’s not uncommon for him to reach out to his engineering or architecture alumni students for advice.  “I want to say on top of the latest trends and I love to see what projects my alumni are doing in college”, said Mark.  He then takes that information and applies it to his classroom so he can prepare his students as best he can.  This project was a perfect example of this as he wanted to give his students an experience that he saw so many of his alumni doing at college.  “My architecture curriculum lacked this extremely abstract approach to a hands-on project that is so often part of what architecture majors are doing at college,” Mark said. 

With that he teamed up with UVA and had his students study the work of Professor Lliescu’s students.  The theories and lessons intertwined abstract art and hands-on methods, which was just what he was looking for.  First students drew their structures in 3D on AutoCAD and then they built them from scratch.  The following projects are a result of hours of designing and building the structures from an array of materials such as wood, foam board, cardboard and acrylic.  Some students even 3D printed and laser cut members of their structures. 

You can use your imagination to see how a project went from step one to step three or just sign up for Mr. Dotta’s class!

Step One – Randomly draw boxes and color

Step Two - Draw in 3D on AutoCAD

Step Three - Build!    (Outdoor Attraction, by Charlie King)

 Award winning; City Attraction by John DeNicola

Jaydon Shafer’s Abstract Pavilion structure

Jenna Juechter’s Crooked Way Playground

Peter DeNicola’s impressive abstract Living Space structure

Art Show

Balsa Wood Home Construction Project

Harley Davidson Plant - Field Trip

I'd like to share with you the positive experience and positive feedback we received last week on our Harley Davidson field trip, where 44 engineering students were chaperoned by myself, Steve Richards and Frank Caccavale.  First and foremost, I thought you would all be proud to know that the three of us were told multiple times, by multiple Harley staff members and tour guides how fantastic, respectful, quiet, and engaged the students were.  They could not believe that 44 high school students could be so well behaved and welcomed us back with open arms.  One tour guide told me that our students asked the best questions that he has received in 15 years of giving tours!  

The experience itself was one the students claim they will never forget. The tour takes you through the manufacturing of fuel tanks, frames and fenders, as well as many ‘employee only’ areas in paint and polish.  It was amazing to see this state-of-the-art facility running flawlessly, as thousands of technicians, engineers and robots know exactly what to do at all times.  The trip served as a great supplement to our classroom lessons.

December 2016

I am proud to announce that I have been awarded the "2017 ITEEA Teacher Excellence Award".  

(International Technology and Engineering Education Association)

I am extremely honored to be surrounded by such a wonder group of professionals!

Blast From the Past!

Here are some projects I have done over the years with students from Phillipsburg High School, Warren Hills Middle School and Jefferson TWP High School.  Courses include Automotive Repair, Design & Problem Solving, Intro to Tech, Woodworking, Metalworking and Electronics.

FIRST Robotics

CO2 Dragsters

Truss Testing

Boat Hull Design

Welding with Oxy-Acetylene and MIG            

Automotive Repair

Woodworking                      

Toy Tops

Mousetrap Cars

Balsa Bridge Testing

Electricity and Electronics

Downhill Race Cars