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From: jbn@wdl1.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.cse
Subject: Criteria
Message-ID: <702@wdl1.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 17-Sep-85 20:17:46 EDT
Article-I.D.: wdl1.702
Posted: Tue Sep 17 20:17:46 1985
Date-Received: Sat, 21-Sep-85 05:36:30 EDT
Sender: notes@wdl1.UUCP
Organization: Ford Aerospace, Western Development Laboratories
Lines: 20
Nf-ID: #N:wdl1:65700001:000:1030
Nf-From: wdl1!jbn    Sep 17 12:45:00 1985

Some years ago, at Case Institute of Technology, in Cleveland, 
mechanical engineering students were required to take a course in structural
engineering in which the grade was based entirely on one project.  The
project required designing a flat metal link.  The link was to be made
of a specified grade of aluminum, and had to carry a specified load.
The link couldn't be straight; there were obstacles between the pins that
the link had to go around; the obstacles changed from year to year.

Each student turned in a drawing of their link.  A machinist actually 
machined the link out of sheet aluminum; the student checked the link
against the drawing, and when satisfied, presented the link for grading.
The link was placed in a hydraulic testing machine and the specified load
applied; if the link broke, the student failed the course.  Passing grades
were then computed based on weight, with lighter weight links receiving higher 
grades.

This may seem harsh.  But this is what engineering is all about.

						John Nagle