Here are some photos of our minor design project demonstrations. The
rules are under the pictures.
Danny |
Jonathan |
Mat S. |
The Ping-Pong Kings, Matt B., and |
Khue (5 Successes Each) |
Joseph |
Kevin |
Kelly |
Brian C. |
Air Launcher by Marco |
Best integration of computer into project, by Grahame |
David |
Sammy |
Rishi |
Robert |
Jonathan... Where's the safety officer? |
Problem Statement:
The minor design project is to design, construct and demonstrate a device that will launch a single ping pong ball at least two meters into a receiver. To be considered successful the ball must remain within the receiver. Any ball landing in the receiver then bouncing out will not be considered a success. The receiver is a cylindrical, hard plastic pail with a diameter 0.3 meters and a height of 0.15 meters. The ball must clear a one meter high obstacle as it travels from the launcher to the receiver. The device must be able to launch five balls per minute. Multiple balls per launch are not allowed. Figure one shows the launcher, obstacle and receiver with relevant dimensions.
The launcher must be a self-contained unit with the dimensions not to exceed one meter in height. No explosive charges, chemical mixtures or firearms may be incorporated into your design. Any design deemed to risky to operate in front of a class will not be accepted for a grade. No external power source or batteries may be used.
The demonstration of your design will be done in class. The launcher must be at least one meter from the front edge of the obstacle, which is one meter from the front edge of the receiver. The setup may be placed on a table or operated from the floor. No modification will be allowed to this setup. You will be given five minutes to setup and demonstrate your device of which one minute will be for launching ping pong balls. A large supply of balls will be available to you for the test.
Requirements:
In addition to demonstrating an operating device in front of the class a written report must be submitted. This report should include a needs assessment, drawings of your device using Autocad and a full description of your design with any relevant calculations used in formulating your solution. The report must be typed using any word processing software and should conform to the report writing outline described in class and in the Voland text. This includes a cover letter, table of contents and any relevant appendices.
Grading:
Reports and projects are due on the day of the demonstrations. Demonstration order will be chosen at random that day. Failure to meet this time will result in no grade. Ping pong balls will be provided for the demonstration. It will be your responsibility for the materials needed in the construction of your device. Limited access to tools, materials and a suitable work area is part of the problem.
Point Break Down:
No Device Constructed 0%
Device Constructed and Demonstrated 40%
Written Report 40 %
Successful Launch 4% each
Bonus for 5 Successes 5% extra credit
Figure 1. Top view of launcher, obstacle and receiver.