The Design of Machinery course in Mechanical Engineering employs both graphical and analytical synthesis methods to tackle problems related to designing linkages for path, motion or function generation. This particular card centers on the graphical synthesis technique and details a collaborative project that drew inspiration from typical textbook problems. The project involved mechanism design and mini-prototyping to be completed in an hour/ in a single classroom session.

To promote practical application of classroom learning, students were assigned to design an accessible cabinet door for individuals with disabilities and limited mobility. Due to space restrictions, the door had to open vertically with a slight tilt and rest on top of the cabinet. In a time-constrained setting, students were given 15 minutes to comprehend the requirements and develop a plan, followed by 15 minutes to synthesize the mechanism on paper and an additional 15 minutes to create a prototype. A group project summary and reflection report was then composed and emailed within 10 minutes. To aid in completion of the project, students were provided with small cubic boxes containing various pins and links. This task encouraged critical thinking and curiosity about real-world applications of course material. The groups of four to five members were made, and the mini-in class project was assigned as a competition among the different groups.

Entrepreneurial Mindset: The project fosters an entrepreneurial mindset, as it prompts students to be curious and apply the knowledge gained from the course to solve real-world problems and constraints. Additionally, through the iterative process of synthesizing and prototyping their solutions, students can conceptually prove their designs while learning the value of persistence and gaining insights from failures.