An engineering process is a set of steps that engineers commonly follow to solve issues. It is highly iterative, and parts of the process can be repeated many times during a single project. The exact framing and articulation of the steps repeated will differ.
The first step is researching. This includes identifying requirements as well as locating information and understanding constraints. It is an important element of the engineering process, which allows engineers to determine the most effective solution for the issue.
Once the researchers have gathered enough information and have begun brainstorming solutions to the problem. This can be done a number of ways, and is where engineering creativity truly thrives. This is also the stage in which potential solutions are evaluated and evaluated. This could involve simulation studies, creating decision matrixes and even building prototypes for comparison.
In this step students select one of their top ideas and create a plan to develop it. The students build the prototype using the materials provided and test it to make sure it is up to their http://emjay-eng.com/the-engineering-design-process standards of performance. Students may need to retest their prototype and revise it to ensure that it performs as expected.
This is a great way to introduce the importance of problem solving and iteration. It is quite common for engineers to come up with a solution, test it and then identify an additional issue they have to solve. The process is repeated until the engineer has an answer that is in line with their expectations.