Arm for Europe Erasmus Project

Project Title

Arm for Europe

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: Teaching and learning of foreign languages; ICT – new technologies – digital competences

Project Summary

Context/background of Project:
In response to the need of design thinking, solution-based approach and tangible product rather than abstract ideas to tackle problems that are ill-defined or unknown, designing by a 3D cad and then prototyping are ones of the best ways students can gain insight and knowledge.
Design thinking methods and strategies belong at every level of the design process. However, design thinking is not an exclusive property of designers—all great innovators in science, engineering, and business have practised it. That means that design thinking is not only for designers but also for anyone who seeks to infuse an approach to innovation that is powerful, effective and broadly accessible.
3D CAD and Prototyping offers students the opportunity to bring their ideas to life, test the practicability of the current design, and to potentially investigate what application is useful for. The main aim of this project is to provide students an opportunity for students to explore ideas giving them the chance to extend their creativity.
Project Objectives
• The main goal of the project “Education 3D Modelling and printing” is to enhance Technology, Engineering, and design skills by presenting real-world challenges to students that engages them with a hands-on approach to problem solving.
• Deliverables: to design by Solidworks (a 3D CAD software) and build by a 3D printer in PLA an articulated arm which pivots on its base and bends its arm to pick and place cylindrical object by means of a gripper. The mechanical components and the electronic components are to be split between the Italian and French schools.
• To promote English as foreign language and Clil methodology
• To see another school system and promote integration.
Number and profile of participants:
The project will involve two classes of students aged 17-19 attending technical schools in Europe studying mechanical subjects including the use of 3D CAD. During the project, we expect to involve at least 25 students under the guidance of two coordinator teachers on both side French and Italian.
Description of activities:
Date of the project: starting from 15 September 2019 this is a multi annual programme (24 months)
the cordinator teachers plan the project activities:
October 2019 to March 2020 : Students will be given the task to build up an assembly made up of different components (3D objects) by the use of 3D CAD Solidworks. a short term students exchange will be arranged.
October 2020 to February 2021:Students will work on the motion of the arm, axis, grade of freedom.
From March to April 2021 a trip from France to Italy we’ll be planned to take their components and have a shared in presence lesson to put together all the assembly.
May 2021 Students will have their own articulated arm and will work on it for possible improvement and think about solution forl electronic control as PLC, Arduino or other.
August 2021 Creation of a downloadable file to replicate the robotic arm.
Methodology
It will be based on project-based learning methodology this allows students to approach tasks as they would real-life problems. The teacher introduces an open case to the classroom that is to design an articulated arm that can pivot on itself bend and pick up small objects. The teachers monitor the progress of each study group so they can intervene if some students struggle to stay on-target or whenever is necessary. Peer education will be used during the exchange to each twinned school.Students will be provided with all the details of the task on Twinspace where the teachers from both schools upload materials, video, picture and create pages with explanations and planning.
The project will result in a tangible mechanism, which include mechanical and electronics components not only for educational purposes, but effectively working. This means that students will be actively involved to have a full share within their own class and the twinned class as well. The project outcome will have an impact by engaging, guiding and encouraging students and schools of all countries to cooperate, finding a common solution to the task and building it together by means of technology such as 3D CAD and 3D printing. It is envisaged that the mechanical system created will further mechatronic developments such as the technology to set off the system by means of electronic hardware and software like PLC, Arduino and similar. The outcome and guidelines will be disseminated widely thanks the eTwinning platform, schools website and the material will be of use in future school activities in a long-term perspective.
Particularly in a long-term perspective, creating a replicable model robotic arm that is cheap and easy to build will be used not not only for learning purposes about robotics in the schools involved, but it’s a resource for all schools that can’t afford the cost of technology.

Project Website

https://sites.google.com/ittmarconiforli.edu.it/arm4europe-erasmusplus/home

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 54756 Eur

Project Coordinator

Istituto Tecnico Tecnologico “Guglielmo Marconi” Forlì & Country: IT

Project Partners

• Lycée Polyvalent Louis Armand