AUSMAT Warman Engineering Studies Project 2018

The AUSMAT Warman Engineering Studies competition was introduced as part of the coursework for the new General Engineering Studies course offered at Australian Matriculation, Sunway College, KL. This project was adapted from an annual design-and-build project at second-year level of all Australian universities running a broadly “mechanical” course which aims to increase students’ experience in creative thinking, practical engineering design and hands-on construction.

The Engineering Studies General course provides opportunities for students to investigate, research and present information, design and make products and undertake project development. These opportunities allow students to apply engineering processes, understand underpinning scientific and mathematical principles, develop engineering technology skills and explore the interrelationships between engineering and society. This course is essentially a practical course focusing on real-life contexts. It aims to prepare students for a future in an increasingly technological world, by providing the foundation for life-long learning about engineering. It is particularly suited to those students who are interested in engineering and technical industries as future careers.

In 2018, 16 AUSMAT students enrolled in this subject. Before the students were introduced to the Warman project, they were equipped with the relevant knowledge such as the engineering design processes which comprised four stages (investigating, devising, producing and evaluating). They were also taught types of materials that could be used as part of their design, electronic components and circuit design, orthographic drawings and 3rd angle projections drawings. The robotic design was then incorporated into the course to stimulate students’ interest in the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) disciplines. To make this effort successful, AUSMAT Sunway College worked closely with Engineering Department, Monash University to ensure the needed skills were taught to the students. AUSMAT students attended a fruitful workshop organised by Monash Engineering departments. They were taught to design a simple robotic moving vehicle using Arduino during this workshop. Arduino refers to an open-source electronics platform and the software used to create interactive objects or environments. They were also invited to watch Monash Warman competition which gave them more insights into designing their project.

The students then worked on their design project using all the knowledge gained during the three-month period. They needed to design not only the prototype but also to equip it with electronic circuit and programme it to complete the mission as mentioned in the task. Many challenges were faced by these students as they were attempting to complete the project. However, they were able to find solutions to the challenges they faced either in their structure or circuit design as a team. As the competition day came closer, they worked harder even until late night to ensure their prototype was able to work precisely.

It was a nail biting moment during the competition as the students showcased their product. Overall, all the groups were able to achieve the minimal target of their prototype system. Congratulations to Chen Mun Hong, Chong Ian Wei, Yee Li Yan and Shum Zhong Yen for

receiving the Best AUSMAT Warman Engineering Studies Project award. The winners received a RM1000 cash prize sponsored by the School of Engineering, Monash University Malaysia.