TraveLab 2

Travelling Experimental Lab (TraveLab 2)

The objective of this project was to design a portable, lightweight cart that housed multiple engineering experiments. The cart was updated from the original version created in the spring of 2004 by increasing mobility, decreasing weight, and keeping nearly the same storage space for the experiments. The experiments include both the originals from the previous semester, which were Mechanical and Chemical Engineering in nature, and newly added experiments, which were related to Electrical Engineering. The area inside the cart was designed to be able to hold any additional future experiments. As stated by Northrop Grumman, the cart will be used in middle schools, learning centers, and community programs to begin teaching children how fun and exciting a career in engineering can be.

Executive Summary

Northrop Grumman Corporation, a leading global defense company located in Baltimore, Maryland, requested the design and construction of a traveling science cart and experiments for use with fifth and sixth grade students. Northrop Grumman believes that generating interest in science and engineering among these children will encourage them to pursue studies in science and engineering later in life. To this end, they have enlisted the services of two teams of Penn State engineers to design and build this cart and these experiments.

A combined effort between these two teams is necessary to ensure a quality product. The first team, responsible for the cart, consists of one Electrical Engineering student, one Industrial Engineering student, and two Mechanical Engineering students. The second team, responsible for the experiments, consists of four Electrical Engineering students.

This project is being undertaken with the assistance of the National Federation of the Blind, located in Baltimore, Maryland. It is the intention of the Northrop Grumman Corporation that the final product be useful and accessible to handicapped students and teachers. Mr. Mark Riccobono of The National Federation of the Blind has graciously reviewed the experiment and cart designs and provided feedback on how to make them more accessible.