Parts working together — Design, 7–10 years
Many designed objects are small systems. Their parts must be placed and connected so that one action causes the useful result.
A system of parts
Some objects work because several parts share a job. In a pair of scissors, the handles move the blades, the screw joins them, and the sharp edges cut. If one part is missing or in the wrong place, the whole object changes.
Why connect the parts
A single piece cannot always do a useful job on its own. People invented linked parts to turn a push, pull or twist into another movement. This solves problems such as lifting, cutting, opening or carrying without needing to use only great force.
A cardboard grabber
Make two cardboard strips, each 20 cm long, and cross them like an X. Put a paper fastener through the crossing point. Squeeze the lower ends: the upper ends move together and can grip a cotton ball. The crossing point acts as the turning joint.
A moving part needs support
It is reasonable to focus on the part that moves and forget the joint or frame. But a loose pivot, a gap that is too small or a weak support can stop the movement. Designers check the path, the connection and the part that stays still.
Systems in everyday objects
Notice the parts in a stapler, a bicycle brake or a clothes peg. Pressing one place makes another part move because the parts are linked in a planned way. Taking an object apart safely and drawing its parts can reveal the design system inside.
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