Educational model of an engine sprocket

What’s the project story ?

As a corporate university of FCA group, one of our missions is to train technicians of our retail point to maintain and repair the trucks they sell. In the premises, we have an example of each truck to demonstrate the processes and make the students practice. However, some pieces of the engines are complex. Thus, it was difficult to make it easy for them to understand the mechanism and the risks to break the engine with a bad action during their practice was high. When we discover the Fablab, we had the idea to design a model of the engine sprocket, the most complex piece, with an interactive training. In fact, we used it as an introduction of the course where students have to manipulate it to understand how it works and for that, we put them in a situation where they have to repair it with different pieces. They choose among them, test it in the model and iterate. Then, they can practice on the real truck engine but always with the model to support them.

How the workshop was useful?

They teach us the spirit of « test & learn » we applied in the course and they support us to design and make the model.

What’s the project’s greatest success so far?

The feedbacks of the students is great. The course is more interactive and we feel more confident about the safety.

What’s your vision for the project & next steps?

Replicate it for new courses !

How anyone interested can contribute to the project?

If you are interested about our methodology and pedagogical approach, don’t hesitate to contact us, it will be a pleasure to exchange with you.