By Pratyusha Soni 

Despite being the smallest pathway at IA, the Engineering classes have been busy at work! 

As the sophomore-level Engineering Concepts class continues to dive deeper into the technical aspects and skills they’ll need to prepare for the annual IA Showcase in May, the juniors are continuing to hone one of their most challenging yet rewarding skills: metalwork. 

Over the course of the past month, the Applications of Engineering classes have been working with metal sculptures. From roses to 3D cartoon characters and even tools, students crafted a variety of stationary metal sculptures using spot welds and JB Chemical welds. 

Equipped with the knowledge of working with metal, the students quickly transitioned to a “next iteration”: designing kinetic sculptures. The goal? Generating at least 5 Watts through kinetic motion, which will be converted into electrical energy and used to power everyday objects. 

From ideation (phone chargers, kids’ toys, hydropower wheels, and more) to prototyping with cardboard and wood to finally testing their metal sculptures, students are excited to apply the skills they’ve learned to create a tangible, meaningful product!