Italian Historical Developments of Teaching and Museum Valorization of Mechanism Models

Abstract

This paper presents an historical analysis of developments for the creation and usage of models of mechanisms in academic teaching fields, with the aim of re-evaluating the interest and usefulness of models in teaching and research, and of promoting their merits as a cultural heritage worthy of being preserved. The historical analysis is focused on developments in Italy, with specific attention given to physical models created and used for training young engineers in Italian engineering schools, using commercial products, but also original Italian creations. Examples are reported from the main Italian academic sites, where examples of such models of mechanisms have been preserved or have survived, also, as first attempts at museum valorization in terms of historical memorabilia of educational developments on mechanism design issues.