Educational system and method for teaching mechanical failure

An educational system for teaching mechanical failure, comprising:

• first and second specimen pieces each having a main body portion and a pair of legs, each said leg having at least one electromagnet, whereby the first and second specimen pieces are adapted to be magnetically joined to one another at a selected magnitude of magnetic force;
• a support frame;
• means for measuring linear force secured to the support frame and the first specimen piece;
• and
• a linear actuator secured to the support frame and the second specimen piece, the linear actuator being adapted to apply a separation force to the first and second specimen pieces, whereby a user may increase a magnitude of the separation force until the first and second specimen pieces separate from one another, a measured separation force when the first and second specimen pieces separate from one another being educationally representative of a required real world force to cause mechanical failure.