Machine shop training with a musical note

Norwich University recently added a hands-on machine shop training activity to the introductory engineering course with the goal of teaching basic shop tool skills while stimulating interest in the exercise by creating a useful object. The object, a simple flute, was designed to have three parts made from machinable wax rods that would require the students to learn and perform basic operations on a milling machine, a lathe, and a drill press. Using tutorial instructions, mechanical drawings, and minimal prefabricated parts, students were able to create a working musical instrument during one three-hour laboratory session. The students were also introduced to the idea that the flute´s acoustical design can be modeled on the principles of electrical transmission lines. Options to include a design activity as well as a mechanical drawing component to the project are also discussed.