Cincinnati, Ohio- May 30, 2018 – In Saint Ursula Academy’s College Credit Plus Engineering course, one of the most intriguing projects students complete is the gear train. The class was responsible for working cooperatively to create a chain of interlocking gears of different sizes, calculating and deciding together the sizes of each gear, how the teeth will mesh together, and how the gears will be held in place. After the plan was set, the class was divided into groups of two. Each pair was in charge of the creation of one gear in the train, and no two groups could design gears that were the same size.
The technological requirements of this project were met with the help of 3D software to design each gear and Saint Ursula’s four 3D printers, two of which were provided by the GE Additive Education Program. However, after the gears were printed, the students were confronted with unexpected challenges. Some gears didn’t print correctly, initial calculations were off, and the gears did not match up as they intended. The students, like real-world engineers, collaborated to solve each problem and achieve their initial goals.
Because the final order of the gears is randomly selected by Physics and Engineering teacher Chuck Strubbe, each possible combination had to be tested. After testing the gear train, students constructed a wooden base and made some final adjustments so that the train could spin in both directions.
This year, the class not only achieved its goal, but set a new record with eleven gears in the train.
The College Credit Plus Engineering course at Saint Ursula allows students to earn both high school and college credit by participating in rigorous academic work. Other CCP classes at Saint Ursula include Computer Programming, Fundamentals of Information Technology, and Fundamentals of Web Development, which are part of a partnership with the University of Cincinnati.
Saint Ursula Academy is a Catholic, college-preparatory, secondary school for young women known for academic excellence and rich tradition. Saint Ursula welcomes students from more than 90 grade schools in the Greater Cincinnati area. The Academy is recognized by the U.S. Department of Education as a Blue Ribbon School. The campus, located at 1339 E. McMillan Street in East Walnut Hills has been the home of St. Ursula Academy and Convent since 1910. The Class of 2018 earned college scholarships totaling more than $21-million.