Reference model of a mechanical billiard playing system for an agile large-scale student design project

The education of engineering students requires practical projects that promote teamwork and technical understanding. Mechanical systems, such as a billiard-playing system, offer a unique opportunity to convey complex design principles engagingly. This work describes a reference model development for a system integrated into an agile large-scale student project. The aim is to support and accelerate learning in mechanics, precision engineering, manufacturing, and project management. A comprehensive project requirements analysis led to a development process involving concept development, detailing, and prototyping. The design maximizes the use of mechanical components, acknowledging the mechanical engineering background of most students with limited experience in electronics and software. The developed prototypes feature precise motion mechanisms and electrical controls with an ESP 32. Experiments focused on measuring precision and repeatability, confirming the approach's feasibility. The modular prototypes consist of a main platform, drive unit, Blackbox for electronics, and a height adjustment and tilt module, connecting to a hit unit. The system operates as a small omnidirectional mobile robot on the billiard table. The project methodology includes iterative design cycles, where student groups are responsible for design improvements. The reference model enables students to build on previous progress, developing new versions faster and fostering continuous improvement, with the results of these improvements being evaluated in a competition. Organizational measures address scalability challenges. Future work should focus on integrating the system into the curriculum and distributing the developed modules among student groups.

Content

Subjects

Agile Design Project

Billiard Playing System

Engineering Education

Learning Process Optimization

Product Generation Engineering

DDC Class

620: Engineering

370: Education