A couple of weeks ago, I shared a video from the Samsung Solve for Tomorrow Competition, which featured students who had designed a classroom barricade device. Another video from the competition surprised me in a different way, as the students used a product that already exists (a mag-lock), but they used it to replace another product that already exists (a magnetic holder).
This jives with what I said in the Decoded article I posted Monday, called “Why Barricade Devices?”. If the hardware industry is so complex that the students’ research didn’t turn up the existing products or help connect them with someone who could help, we need to get more user-friendly.
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Remember, STEM exercises lead to creative thinking, and sometimes are meant to do just that. Engineers are always doing new things with existing stuff, sometimes in creative ways.
Of course, it helps to know what’s already out there, so you don’t invent it again.
Maybe there can be a next steps competition where the kids learn about the codes and reasons for them, as well as the things that have already been presented to solve the problem. That will combine education, problem solving, and public awareness of the important components of classroom safety. Open a new level of creativity within the real world framework that got them this far.
Agree there should be collaboration in the process. IMO, before setting out to develop new products, the parameters of the project should be understood. In other words, the developers should understand what the requirements and limitations are for the project/product.
There may of been another goal of this project, at the very least it made me think about it. With the mindset of classroom security locks, which only allows authorized people/keys to lock the door in an event. This setup would require the door to remain locked and held open. With the maglock, the door theoretically is controlled where as only authorized people could release it.
Just thinking out loud.
I agree that either their research was lacking. Dollars to donuts if they had looked around their school they would have found a magnetic hold-open. (Or maybe not as they are generally hidden behind doors!)
I can just imagine the complaints from our custodians if we started bolting mag locks to the floors. As it is floor mounted stops give them conniptions when they hit them with the Zambonis (Ride-on floor cleaning machines)never mind mag locks. The other thought is what our overworked electrical department would say if we told them we wanted them to wire up thousands of Mag hold opens. I imagine I would be beaten to a bloody pulp!
There is a manufacturer that already makes a mag holder with 300# of holding power with an onboard switch for custodial staff to release the mag. Designed just to hold the door open with the correct parts supplied, try doing that with an off the shelf mag lock. I haven’t seen that option with mag locks. Anyone else?
If I managed a lock hardware company, I would start my own competition or sponsor an existing competition. This would be a great opportunity to educate engineering students and the public on what solutions already exist in the industry.
If price wasn’t a component to the equation: put storeroom function lockets or exit devices (as required) on the doors and closers with mag hold-opens connected to a centralized panic button (with a button in each space). And since any space with students has to have a door with a lite, provide ESG switchable glazing interconnected to the same central panic switch.
Problem solved, but cost prohibitive…..