The Importance of Play in Problem Solving

Looking back at our childhood, it can be interesting how a pile of colored plastic blocks or a blob of squishy dough can be the beginning of so many things. From castles and battleships to animals and letters, the only limit is within the imagination. When we’re young, the construction of these things is considered to be normal play, something many of us took part in with little thought as to what we were getting out of the experience other than enjoyment.

Play in the Real World

Considering the reluctance of many students, even as young as elementary school, to pursue math and science class, it would be interesting to know if those same activities would be less enjoyable if the players knew they were building math, science, engineering and technology skills through play. In the end though, it’s often the missing elements of creativity, storytelling and play that separate the enjoyable past times of our youth with what is considered work in the real world.

Somewhere between childhood and the work world, the message of exploration often gets lost. Perhaps this occurs because the play is no longer considered relevant to the end result or maybe it’s thought to take up too much time in the process, therefore cutting into bottom-line productivity. Schools that look to boost test scores, particularly in the areas of math and science, still allow exploration and play to take a back seat to the action.

Recently, an entrepreneurial pair of female engineering graduates from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, set out to change that paradigm with the introduction of Roominate. The toy demonstrates the fun of building with the components of science, technology, engineering and math. Geared toward young girls, the Roominate kits consist of small slatted pieces for the walls and floors, lights, switches, motors, axels, wheels, connectors, paper and figurines. Reminiscent of earlier toys, Roominate hopes to awaken a love for science, engineering and math through the elements of design, craft, storytelling, creativity and building.

A Willingness to Explore

Manufacturers like Cleveland Deburring Machine Company, build their reputation for quality and consistency based on a similar willingness to explore and tinker. Knowing that the right solution is never one that comes “out of the box,” CDMC looks to blend repeatable deburring processes with the unique technical know-how of each application. Rather than asking our customers to accept an off-the-shelf solution, we want to work with each throughout the process in order to find the perfect solution, including building alliances with other metal finishing companies. Using our fact-finding manufacturing process, CDMC can evaluate and create a standard or a custom deburring application.

CDMC Deburring Solutions

• Aerospace and Defense
• Custom Applications (cycle time, part size, application)
• Fluid Power
• Gears
• Powdered Metals
• Power Transmission
• Sprockets