By Neil Mansfield

The Drafting and the Metal Fabrication programs of Assabet Valley Regional Technical High School (AVRTHS) join together for the third year to learn from each other and from professionals.  The project teaches how to design, fabricate, weld and test steel bridges constructed by the students.  This unique week-long integration project between the programs began with two guest speakers:  Mr. Steve Frederick, a professional civil engineer, and Mr. Guy Shute, a veteran structural ironworker from Ironworkers Local 7 in Boston, MA.

Students gathered from Mr. Frederick a clear understanding of how civil engineers design critical infrastructures such as bridges, roadways, sewers, and drainage for cities and towns. In addition, students were able to gain knowledge about educational requirements when considering a career as a professional engineer.  Mr. Shute, a forty-year structural ironworker, provided an explanation of complicated engineering and construction processes and concepts into simple-to-understand terms for the students regarding how bridges and buildings are constructed from blueprints and built by hand.  Drawing upon his many career experiences in structural steel erection, Mr. Shute also presented information in how the construction of those buildings and bridges correlates to their durability and longevity.      

Drafting students and teachers then introduced the metal fabrication students to the “West Point Bridge Designer” computer program and national contest.  Each student designed and tested their virtual computer bridge.  Working in teams of four, students then sketched their own style bridge with a final result of selecting their team’s best and strongest bridge sketched to be built in the metal fabrication shop.

Continuing to work in teams, Metal Fabrication students provided a shop tour to the Drafting students, presenting demonstrations, explaining technical terms and welding processes that are used in today’s welding and metal fabrication industries to fabricate buildings and bridges.  At each station, drafting students gathered notes on step-by-step processes to be incorporated into their final, full-size computer blueprint of their team’s bridge.  

Once the students completed the brain storming and design phase, the competition rules and materials were discussed and the metal fabrication students went to work fabricating and welding their team’s bridges while consulting drafting students as they ran into design changes and bridge construction.

Following two days of bridge construction, the students began load testing the finished projects with weights up to 2,750 pounds, which was based on last year’s winner.

This type of project is a great benefit in allowing students and teachers to work together and accomplish common goals while gathering a clear understanding of career opportunities, blueprints development, design engineering, and structural loads that buildings and bridges are placed under each day.  Students and teachers alike can have fun along the way, while learning and fulfill state requirements of core curriculums.  

Neil Mansfield is Metal Fabrication Teacher at Assabet Valley Vocational High School and a graduate of the Combination Structural and Pipe Welding Program at Hobart Institute of Welding Technology.