Dissecting the Dyson

Do not fear it was not my Dyson that we dissected. The Dyson came from the James Dyson Foundation.  I was impressed everything we needed came in the box -- a DC 22 vacuum clean with complete with hose, want and accessories, eight turbine heads, eight screwdriver, a teacher's manual and engineering posters. We were able to keep the box for about three weeks.

We invited our home education friends over for two different afternoons of dissecting. The teacher's manual began with the Dyson story and then the design process, problem solving, testing, mass production, and logistics. I have fun going back to my days of working in manufacturing that explaining bits of the process to the children.

The first time we gather the kids teamed up in pairs and took apart the turbine head. I basically allowed them to have a go and see what they discovered.

Here are the parts. One of the children was very neat and organised.

It was fun to watch them work and also to see them looking at what others had discovered, talking and helping one another.

The second time we gathered the plan was to dissect the DC22. First we did some drop tests. The kids had fun dropping it. We talked about why they would do that type of testing. Has your vacuum ever fallen down the steps?

Then it was time to get at it and see what we could find on the inside. I love this photo of four different children each with a screwdriver working to unscrew this.

It was neat to see how the cord winds up -- it is a spring.

We got it all back together. I think that was the hard part. We plugged it in and it worked.

There is just one screw that is remaining.

I am glad that we had this opportunity. I think all the children enjoyed it and we learned so much not only about the Dyson but also the process of going from idea to a finished product.

I thought about sending my Dyson back but thought they would notice a bigger, dirtier model. Time to go Hoover with my old Dyson.

Beth