Design Brief: Design, build, and test a compound machine that can be used to lift a bucket of plastic off of the ground while meeting all constraints. The constraints for this project included: a minimum mechanical advantage of 5, at least three simple machines, and have an appropriate efficiency.
Below is my engineering notebook. I use it each project throughout the year to organize my work and thoughts, as well as document my progress through each project.
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Simple Machines ProjectFor our first task, students worked in groups and were tasked with using knowledge of simple machines, gear systems, and mechanical advantage in order to build a bucket-lifting machine that could efficiently lift a bucket a foot into the air with little effort.
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Design Brief: Design, build, and test an arcade game that helps the clients, a second grade class, understand learning objectives from their current unit by utilizing knowledge of building, VEX Equipment, and circuitry. This project had to be fun to play, but still provide an educational benefit, while using at least 2 circuits.
Simple Simulation Project |
Design Brief: The Olympic committee would like your team to invent a control system for use with track and field running events. They want this device to automatically record the time and flash an LED when the first runner crosses the start / finish line.
Balsa Bridge Project
After studying and learning to solve trusses, my class applied this knowledge by building our own bridges. Each group of two was tasked with building their own bridge, as well as identify the forces acting on the bridge. Using this knowledge, we also had to predict where the bridge would break. Ultimately, our project held 43 N of force, giving it an efficiency of 366.66%.
Design Brief: Design, build, and test a working bridge that can hold as much weight as possible while still maintaining a high efficiency.
-Each team can only use 9 balsa sticks, each 3/32 in x 3/32 in x 24 in. -The bridge had to be 32 cm long and no more than 15 cm high -Only permitted joints (no splitting or laminating) -Bridge must be statically determinate. |
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The Marble Sorter Project
In the Marble Sorter project, teams of 3 were tasked with building a machine capable of sorting 15 marbles, with 3 different types in the mix. In our project, we decided to build a machine that would sort metal, wooden, and clear plastic marbles. This project required use of our coding and design skills to develop an adequate solution that met all the constraints we were given.
The Process:
-The hopper pushes marbles down a track at a set interval of time. -Each time the hopper moves forwards, a marble is pushed over the edge onto a lever. -The lever separates the metal marbles from the wood and plastic ones by mass; the lever will be knocked down if the marble is metal, sorting it into a cup, whereas the wood and plastic ones will continue down the track. -The wood and plastic marbles the land in front of a light sensor. A flashlight is set up overhead, so that the wooden balls with block the light and the translucent plastic marbles will permit light to pass through. -Based on the reading of the light sensor, the servo beneath the sorter rotates, sending the remaining marbles to their respective cups. |
Constraints:
-Separation process must be fully automated -Must successfully separate commingled recyclable materials into individual holding bins. -Recyclables materials: 15 1/2-in. marbles that are steel, aluminum, opaque plastic, and clear plastic. -Must be efficient (2 min. max for sorting) |