Multipurpose windmill design project

There is growing recognition of the value of having engineering design projects in the freshman curriculum. The Windmill Project described here not only provides a design challenge, but incorporates elements of team-building, laboratory data collection, engineering design calculations and optimized testing procedures. If desired, the project can be expanded to include significant research and writing on the history of windmills or on ecological issues. A key element of this project is a windmill test stand that enables simultaneous measurement of torque and speed. This test stand can be built from readily-available materials, at reasonable cost, with simple tools. It can be collapsed quickly into a small bundle convenient to transport or store. With different levels of expectation, this project can be appropriate for class levels from high school to at least the sophomore year of engineering.