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Name of NGM Educator:

Ralph Minaya, Math Teacher

Academy of Engineering and Green Technology, Hartford High School

Name of Host Company:

Hamilton Sundstrand, United Technologies Corporation

Grade Level:

9th - 12th (secondary)

Student Work Types:

Journal, data analysis, final report, presentation

Task Abstract:

I will present a initial challenge to students, The Candy Lab, as an introduction of the concepts and skills (Mean, Median, Mode, Standard Deviation, Normal Distribution, among others) they will learn in order to do the Hamilton Sundstrand Project. They will use Microsoft Excel to perform the data analyses. Teacher will show students how to enter formulas in the spreadsheet. Students will have to show proficiency on these skills before going forward with the work-based project.

Task Objectives:

• Students will be able to understand and explain why companies have a need for quality control and will describe what customers and companies refer to when the term “quality” is used.
• Students will be able to calculate the mean, median, mode, standard deviation, Cp and Cpk indices, and Control Limits for a set of data and apply that information to an understanding of quality assurance.
• Students will be able to explain the difference between process and product control.
• Students will be able to distinguish between the characteristics of quality in a final product and the control of quality in each step of a process.
• Students will understand how control charts are used in industry and will be able to predict whether a process is “out of control,” or not by using a control chart.

Esssential Understandings/Questions:

• How do you know when the measurements you are using are precise enough?
• How are precision measurement and statistics used to keep the cost of the products you buy down?
• What is the difference between product and process quality control and how do they affect the products you buy?

Assessments

• Students will be evaluated by their responses to questions on the activities.
• Students will be evaluated based on their basic understanding of the key terms (vocabulary) in the lesson using the Defining Format approach and taxonomy.
• Students will be evaluated based upon their ability to input data into a spreadsheet.
• Students will demonstrate their ability to make decisions based on data analysis.
• Students will be evaluated on the accuracy and clarity of the calculations produced from their statistical data.
• Students will be evaluated by their answers to the lesson key questions.
• Students will be evaluated based on the quality of their presentation to the class and the accuracy and clarity of their technical report.

Task Description:

Students will write a report about “Fin and the Fin Forming Process” as applied in the aerospace industry. They will describe the different parts of a fin. They will explain the different applications, and production process (how they are made). They will investigate what are the leading companies in the production of heat exchangers in the country and in the state of Connecticut. Students will work in groups of 4 or 5. Students will be provided with templates developed during the summer externship, in order that they can learn how to improve quality control through the use of technology (Minitab, Excel, and PowerPoint). Students will follow directions as to how to input data into the Statistical Process Control (SPC) Software to calculate Cp and Cpk indices, mean, standard deviation, control limits, among others before making their own inferences about process outcome. They will only make recommendations for a few fin height items. Students will prepare a final report explaining the steps taken to make the different recommendations. They will present their findings to the class with a PowerPoint presentation

Resources Required:

students must have a computer work station [with Internet connection] with MS Excel software and Minitab, operating procedures (Standard Work) listing the steps to be follow in order to perform the data analysis accurately, and email account. All works generated by the students will be delivered electronically to the teacher, and printing will not be allowed throughout the project due to the fact that we are a green academy.

Prior Learning Required:

Previous experience with MS Excel spreadsheet and MS PowerPoint is highly desirable. Students must have a basic understanding of basic statistics, e.g., mean, median, mode, histograms, tolerance, and standard deviation, among others.

The Fin Forming project is to be completed in a classroom setting equipped with the technology mentioned above. The teaching strategy must be such that students must be able to switch between different hands on activities, brain storming, group discussion, teacher/student, and student/student interaction to maintain engagement. A project of this magnitude would take six school days in order to be implemented efficiently based on the urban setting environment we are in. It is assumed that students have no knowledge of MS Excel or Minitab, and that students have no knowledge of Statistical Process Control.

Individual or Group Work: 

Most of the project is implemented in a cooperative environment where groups of 4/5 students work together to get the best project outcome. Interaction among the different groups is highly encouraged Even though the team members work together to get the desirable outcome, they all need to submit by email their individual reports (Word document), and data analyses (Excel document) to make sure that they master the desirable skills. Every group will prepare only one final PowerPoint presentation.

Educator Comments:

The intention of the curriculum development project is two folded:1) Expose students to statistical process control so they have an initial experience with data analysis that s value to any employer business when they get into the labor market;2) Provide students with the foundation of basic statistic skills to facilitate the process when they take more advanced course in college.