Reverse engineering step by step​:

Step 1:
Identify the purpose:
We want to learn how efficient the pencil sharpener is and how it is capable of carving
perfect points. We want to focus on how we could be able to make the pencil sharpener
portable and smaller.
Step 2:
Develop a hypothesis:
How do we turn a stationary pencil sharpener with a plug for an outlet to a portable and
efficient pencil sharpener.
Step 3:
Disassembly:
:- All of the parts in the pencil sharpener have a different role in performing the task of
sharpening a pencil. They are all related and work off each other.
- All of the pieces connect to each other and once the pencil is inserted into the device, it
goes through a series of events in which all of the pieces have a role to sharpen the
pencil.

Step 4:
Functional analysis: ​The first mechanical system used when the machine is activated is a
lever that activates the entire system. The lever is activated by the insertion of the pencil
into the front of the sharpener and requires 1.25 newtons of force to be activated. From this
lever, we move to the motor. This is an electric motor that uses a copper wire spool the
concentrate electricity to a magnetic spinning gear. This is a gear with a one centimeter
diameter and 10 notches. This gear the turns the much larger main gear that is 53 mm in
diameter, has a 10 by 7 mm hub to accept the magnetic gear, and has 70 notches. This
gives these two gears a ratio of 1 to 7. The main gear turns the sharpening gear with a ratio
of 7 to 1. These gears together spin the sharpener fast enough to sharpen the pencil.

Structural analysis:
There are two parts that are in the external load for the pencil sharpener. The first
one is the shell for the sharpener, it is made up of plastic and in a rectangular shape. The
shell is very important because it contains all of the other components inside of it which
makes it hard for it to break and doesn't allow it to work when opened up. The other
external part is the cord, this has to be on the outside because it needs to be plugged in
somewhere for the machine to work. The cord is hooked up to the motor which powers the
pencil sharpener and an activation lever.
The motor consists of two parts and is the powerhouse inside of the pencil
sharpener. The larger part of the motor is connected to a magnetic gear which spins the
gear. The motor is also connected to the activation lever which is also located inside of the
machine. Once the activation lever is set off when a pencil enters the machine, it activates
the magnetic gear inside of the motor which the cord is plugged into. Once the Magnetic
gear is in motion it spins the plastic gear which is on top of the sharpener piece. The plastic
gear spins rapidly on the sharpening piece, causing it to spin with it. The gears are then
spinning with the sharpening piece which allows the pencil to be sharpened once inserted.
The sharpener piece is has a change of dAll of the internal parts for the sharpener are all
connected to each other which allows everything to occur at the same time once the
sharpener

Material analysis :
Battery: ​coiled copper wire surrounded by plastic. The copper wire amps up the electricity
and the plastic stops it from going to the rest of the machine.
Motor:​ metal connector to the battery, metal crank shaft, plastic gear. The metal connector
allows energy to flow through and make the crank spin which makes the gear spin.
Sharpener: ​metal extension and metal razor. The extension provides a hole for the pencils
to sit in. The razor is what actually sharpens the pencil.
Pencil Sensor: ​plastic sensor and wires. The sensor is plastic because plastic doesn’t
conduct electricity and the sensor gets its electricity from the wires.
Power Cord: ​copper wire covered in rubber. Rubber keeps electricity from leaving the
copper.
Gear: ​rubber gear

Manufacturing analysis:
All of the plastic pieces on our machine are the product of an injection molding process in which
melted plastic is forced into a mold cavity. Once the plastic has cooled, the object is released
and then the process begins all over again. ​Power cables use stranded copper or aluminum
conductors. Razor blades are made from a special corrosion resistant blend of steel called
carbide steel because it is made using a tungsten-carbon compound.

https://sites.google.com/students.nusd.org/stemse/unit-1/u1-reverse-engineering

Step 5:

Purpose: We want to learn how efficient the pencil sharpener is and how it is capable of carving
perfect points. We want to focus on how we could be able to make the pencil sharpener
portable and smaller.
- We discovered that our pencil sharpener is very durable both inside of it and the outside.
- The sharpener was the only piece that showed wear, it was a little dulled down.
- The cause of the wear for the sharpener was due to wrong pencils being inserted into
the machine. This caused the sharpener to be worn down much faster than it usually is.
- We got a better understanding on how the parts worked together which allowed us to
choose what parts need improving
- We are incapable of completing our hypothesis due to lack of materials and time
- It helped us discover what all the functions and purposes were for all the parts
-

Step 6:

Redesign Ideas:
- Make portable
- Make smaller
- Battery powered
- Make gear smaller, will spin faster
- Connect multiple together