Rechargable battery-powered screwdriver as power unit to run leisure vehicles Erasmus Project

Project Title

Rechargable battery-powered screwdriver as power unit to run leisure vehicles

Project Key Action

This project related with these key action: Cooperation for innovation and the exchange of good practices

Project Action Type

This project related with this action type : School Exchange Partnerships

Project Call Year

This project’s Call Year is 2019

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: Intercultural/intergenerational education and (lifelong)learning; Recognition, transparency, certification; Energy and resources

Project Summary

The project “Rechargable Battery Leisure Vehicles” continues a partnership already lasting longer than 20 years between a German and a Czech school. As has been the case with earlier works, essential topics are the environment, innovation and technology. In the preceding project “Green Power Outlet”, students developed wind power stations which now provide power to several sockets at school every student can use.
The current project’s main goal is to use the this generated energy to power leisure vehicles run on batteries, such as mini-scooters, tricycles, kickboards or go-karts. This is realized with the help of commercially available cordless screwdrivers. Their accumulators save the energy while propelling the vehicles’ mechanical drive at the same time.
Approximately 60-80 students between the age of 16-19 will plan, develop and manufacture four different types of leisure vehicles, which will then all be powered by cordless screwdrivers. The German students come from the vocational upper secondary school (Berufliches Gymnasium) and the Czech students are apprentices for various professions in the mechatronics. They will work in mixed teams over the course of four exchange phases.
During the four project phases, the students will map out drafts, presentations and video clips about the project’s progression and conclusion. During the transnational learning activities, i.e. the exchange phases, they will construct and test the vehicles. In this phase, new technologies play an important role. The students will be introduced to several technologies hands-on: with computerized constructions like CAD (with the professional software Solid Works), on CNC-machines (milling machine and turning machine with SinuTrain Operate) and in the CAD-CAM spectrum (Rapid-Prototyping / 3D Printing).
Methods and approaches underlying the entire project are integrated learning on several topics, holistic learning to identify a problem with all its facets and in all possible contexts (technical, social and political) and self-organized learning, where students work in groups which solve clearly defined tasks, after planning and producing, in an individual manner.
Project outcomes – reports, presentations, video clips and the completed vehicles – will be exhibited and spread in various events at both schools (Science Day, information events, special events like fairs for vocational education etc.) as well as outside of the partner school (at other schools or cooperating companies).
Some of the long-term benefits for the school are high standards and quality of lessons, the realization of European curricula and the improvement of permanent cooperations with European partners. The above-mentioned spreading of the project’s outcomes is another beneficial point for the school in the long run. The appeal of the schools in the respective field is raised and the number of students is secured.
Not least, the project is designed to encourage and accelerate a change in thinking concerning environmental protection with the help of alternative energy sources.

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 62880 Eur

Project Coordinator

Werner-von-Siemens-Schule Wetzlar & Country: DE

Project Partners

• Sigmundova stredni skola strojirenska, Lutin