We, homo sapiens distinguish ourselves from the entire biosphere because we learnt how to apply tools, and further how to make tools. As tools advance, their functions vary and products of the basic  tools emerge–and they are machines. We invented great machines–from the most complicated such as a F-35 fighter plane, to the simplest, such as a skateboard, they aided men in accomplishing countless deeds. From one side, a machine first designed conceptually, prototypes are built, parts are massively reproduced and then assembled. And to learn about how it is designed, there are two main ways: studying the blueprints, and  tracing back the manufacturing process–deconstruction!!!

Disconstruction used to be a favorite childhood activity. A CD player? No problem,  10 minutes. A mechanical watch? 30-ish? Though it never walks precisely after I put it back. Anyway, disconstruction is fun! But in class on 18th, disconstruction becomes a process of learning about engineering.

In class, Frank and I worked to disassemble an electric heater. It looks like the following  Figures 1.(up) front view of the heater & 2. (bottom) back view

At first glance, we decided that it is mainly composed of 3 groups of components: physical structure, moving components, and electronics. We discussed the process in which we are going to tackle the heater–dismantle it without destroying any mechanical connections. We concluded that we first need to determine how it was built and then disassemble exactly reversely. But life wasn’t always easy.

After preparing tools, we examined the entire heater. Starting from the outside, we took off the case around the panel, and the grid behind the heater.(Figure 3. 4. 5. 6)

Figure 3. 4. 5. 6 from left to right, panel piece; what’s inside; grid; inner perspective

Here we separated the panel piece as a individual part(Circled in Figure 3). Starting from the case (Figure 7), we gradually revealed the circuit board (Figure 10 &11). As circled in Figure 7 ,8 ,9, 10, we found the components are mostly connected with snapping joints. They are easy to assemble, save materials however, hard to take apart.

Figure 7, plastic panel; 8, front view of the electronics box; 9, close view of one of the snap joint; 10, two sets of snap joints on the side of the box, they are different sets; 11 front view of the circuit board, interesting how physical structures interact with electronics, in this case, what is actually under the buttons we press everyday.

We encountered quite some problem with the other half of the device, the body. (left part in figure 3). The problem was that the gray grid is concealed on the side by the black case, the black case is fastened against the body case from inside at four places (which we assumed to be four screws), we reasoned the connection can be only accessed  from inside, meaning we have to take our the cylindrical fan first(figure 6), which is fastened also from inside. This is not possible! Because if it could not be taken apart from the outside, it means it was assembled from inside! It is just impossible. We examined the entire body thoroughly from outside, tried to forcefully take down a panel which we thought to be clicked on, but to no avail. Under the instructions of Dr. Wettergreen and with his and the other professor’s help, we forcefully cracked the black panel (figure 12), which shouldn’t be the correct way to disassemble.

Figure 12 (top) the cracked black case; Figure 13 (below) we were stupid, it was fastened by the a screw.

What we discovered was that we were totally wrong. The black case was actually slotted on to the body case (Figure 14.15.16).

Figure 14. the body case, the fan and motor, and the slot (circled)
Figure 15. enlarged view of the clot circled in Figure14.
Figure 16. the slot on the black case

Apparently, a person not trained to maintain the device is not expected to disassemble it, cause you know nothing about what’s inside.

Later parts proved to be much more easier, since all the connections are gradually revealed, and most of them inside are screws. We disassembled the giant motor (figure 17.18), found it corresponding to what we learnt about strong motors–great amount of wires and strong magnets. 

Figure 17.18 inside & outside of the motor

From what we discovered, we concluded that the device is not built for multiple disassemblings, as there are a lot of snapping joints. The device is also poorly designed to be easily cleaned as a lot of dust accumulates around the motor, and it is not accessible by only taking off the grid. The entire system is not rather complicated–there are fewer components than expected. And we learnt that, if you need pure brutal force to disassemble a device, it’s either designed to be enduring or you are doing it the wrong way.

As deconstruction is the exact reverse process of assembly, engineering is a reversible process in the sense that, we need to take apart what was built to understand how it was built.