Sophomores stood looking baffled but fascinated by the many band saws, panel saws, plasma cutters and other tools that surrounded them as they toured the Prototyping and Engineering Materials lab. These students decided to visit this lab during the eighth period scheduled  for sophomore lab visits on Feb. 22.

Headed by Clint Behling, the Prototyping lab gives students the opportunity to explore materials and their many applications.  Example projects include “An Experimental Comparison of the Frictional Properties of Certain Rubber Compounds Used in Tires of Varying Purposes” and “The Design and Construction of a Magnetically Levitated and Electromagnetically Propelled Transportation System Model.”

“I came to TJ thinking I would go into the Robotics lab, but I’ve found a lot of overlap between that and prototyping,” junior Amelia Griese said. Griese originally became interested in the lab through RFC, a robotics competition.

“I’ve discovered I prefer prototyping because it lets me get my hands dirty building the robot parts,” she said.