While I ventured towards AB2 on a Sunday morning, what I least expected was to have a weekend filled with some exciting discovery and an insight into the intricate six cylinder in-line diesel engine. Meeting 30 oddly enthusiastic students was something that didn’t cross my mind either. What I fathomed least though was that, in spite of being a media representative, I would get deeply involved in the disassembling of the machine, learn the working of each part, and much to my amusement answer the questions they posed at the end of the session.
SAE’s UNSCREW held today, on the 31st of January, saw an influx of students from various branches with innumerable questions in their head ranging right from the basic functions of a diesel engine to details about its working. A total of 120 students took part in the event, which occurred in slots with 5 teams comprising six members each. Each team had two members from SAE helping them throughout the workshop- literally unscrewing the parts and delving deeper into the mysteries posed by each little nook and corner.
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Despite not being a mechanical enthusiast, I found myself listening intently when they explained about the Engine head, body and cylinder. The 1-5-3-6-2-4 firing order of the piston, clockwise disassembling and anti-clockwise assembling of the body and basic mechanism of the flywheel were few things that particularly caught my interest. The head had to be hauled with lifting hooks and it revealed the rocker arm assembly and cylinder valves. However the most difficult part, undoubtedly, was overturning the machine to explore the crankshaft.
Next in line was a study of the grinding wheel and the boring machine. The participants were then required to reassemble the parts and answer a paper which tested whatever they had learnt throughout the session.
A workshop had been held before the main event, which taught the participants the basic parts of an engine, the parts of a tool-kit and a step-by-step guide to disassemble it. This was followed by today’s practical workshop and it was a sure success judging how phenomenally the crew handled the crowd and taught them about each section.
I couldn’t help but give them a high rating in their feedback forms, simply because I had learnt so much in merely an hour, and was happy at the end of it. If you’re keen on engines, this is definitely the place for you. If you’re not keen, trust me when I say this, you will be fascinated by engines once you’ve attended it.
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