Engineering Design Competitions

Competition Details

ELECTRIC BOAT - Participants will use their ingenuity to craft a boat from their own design. Each participant will be judged on how long it takes his/her boat to traverse the distance of a channel (approx. 10 feet). The boat with the fastest time will win.

OBJECTIVE

Participants will use their ingenuity to craft a boat from their own design. Each participant will be judged on how long it takes his/her boat to traverse the distance of a channel (approx. 10 feet). The boat with the fastest time will win. The racecourse will be a channel of at least 7'' Wide by 4" High by 12" Long. Boats may be no wider than six inches. The depth of the water will be approximately 3-inches. There will be a separate competition for high schools and middle schools.

GENERAL RULES

1. Each participant must provide his/her own materials including glue, one AA battery, and paint.
2. A single AA battery must be used as the sole power source.
3. Motors may be of the participant's choice. Suggested motors from Radio Shack are 1.5-3 V DC Motors either part numbers 278-223 or 273-258
4. Contestant must be present at race time to participate in the contest.
5. It is recommended that boats be made as light as possible.
6. Boats CANNOT be pushed at the start of the race.

_________________________________

BABY BAJA - The Baby Baja Rally is a competition that challenges middle and high school students individually or as a team to build a miniature all-terrain vehicle capable of traversing sand dunes, water, and logs. This competition is intended to reward imagination, ingenuity, and teamwork.

OBJECTIVE

The ODU Baby Baja Rally is a competition that challenges middle and high school students individually or as a team to build a miniature all-terrain vehicle capable of traversing sand dunes, water, and logs (1-inch diameter dowels). This competition is intended to reward imagination, ingenuity, and teamwork.

DESCRIPTION

The car should typically be small, no more than 12" in length, with 3 or 4 wheels, 1 or 2 of which are powered by the motor. No steering is needed. Remote controls are not allowed.  The track will have an upward high coefficient friction slope of about 20 degrees.  About 8 dowels of 1" diameter spread 1" apart will be immersed in partial sand on the flat part of the track.  The vehicle needs to also overcome a downward slope of about 45 degrees followed by a 20" long sand/water dune of 1" in depth.  The total length of the track is about 152".

CONTEST RULES

1. 1. Energy and power supplies will be limited to one (1) Radio Shack 1.5-3.0 volt DC motor (Part # 273223) and two (2) Radio Shack AA batteries (Part # 23-557).  You may also use a gear box from radio shack.
2. Absolutely NO commercial model kits, pre-assembled vehicles, or portions of model kits or pre-assembled vehicles will be allowed (accept for wheels, but more points are rewarded for making your own.)
3. ORIGINALITY is the most heavily weighted judging criteria. Points will be given for creative use of common household items.
4. Must be built before arriving to the college, (minor fixes/ repairs are all right prior to competing.)
5. MUST HAVE 4 wheels capable of going thought sand/ dirt and raises the body off the ground at least 2- 2.5 inches or more.
6. No additional energy sources are permitted in giving power to the wheels.  The motor may not be taken apart or altered in any way.
7. The contest allows for two (2) runs, and the best time will be taken. (Remember that time is only 15% of the scoring.)
8. The entire vehicle should cross the finish line, without breaking apart, in order to score the 5% listed below for finishing the course. However, in the event the car does not cross the finish line, and/or breaks apart, the judges may award some performance points depending on distance traveled and the degree to which car remains intact.
9. All decisions of the judges are final.
   

Suggestions:

1. Baja is big about Suspension, so a baby Baja……*hint hint*
2. Test run your baby Baja at home in a sand box or on rough terrain
3. read up about torque  and apply it to your design
4. Make your wheels with something that has friction
5. Be creative!

JUDGING

• Mechanical design:
• Chassis design 10%
• Originality 30%
• Performance:
• Finishing the course 5%
• Time 15%
• Stability 10%
• Physical properties:
• Weight 20%
• Appearance 10%

_____________________________

EGG DROP - Construct an apparatus that will allow an uncooked egg to survive a 25-foot free fall intact. The design of the apparatus should emphasize the mechanical principles of energy absorption.

GENERAL RULES

1. Entries may be constructed of any material, with the exception listed in Item #5 below.
2. Exclusive use of commercially available energy absorbing materials, such as Styrofoam, etc. is discouraged: emphasis should be on original, creative designs.
3. Students may work in groups to create a design. Only one design per group may be entered.
4. All eggs will be supplied by the contest staff the day of the event, just prior to the individual drops.
5. Aerodynamic entries (parachutes, balloons, etc.) are not allowed.

JUDGING CRITERIA
Winners will be determined by the following criteria:

1. Condition of egg after drop (successful/unsuccessful)
2. Weight (light) and creativity of design
3. Closeness to the center of the target

____________________________

RUBE GOLDBERG MACHINE CONTEST

A Rube Goldberg machine is a complex device that humorously performs a simple task in an indirect manner.  A more complete definition of a Rube Goldberg machine, background, and how to build a Rube Goldberg machine can be found at:  http://www.anl.gov/Careers/Education/rube/rube.html

Additional information can be found at:
http://www.rube-goldberg.com/ 

This commercial for Honda is a fantastic example of a Rube Goldberg machine.  http://www.youtube.com/?v=ZwwWtbMfEFE

The rules for the Rube Goldberg Contest are listed below.

• The final task the machine must complete is pouring a 8-oz. Styrofoam cup of water (half-full) into a contained placed 4 inches below the bottom of the cup.
• The machine must be no larger than 6 ft x 6 ft x 6ft.
• The machine must have a minimum of ten (10) steps. There is no maximum number
  of steps.
• The machine must run for no more than one (1) minute per run.
• The machine will have a maximum five (5) minute reset time.
• No corporate logos or names may be displayed on the machine.
• No live animals may be used in the machine.
• The machine must not imply profane, indecent, or lewd expressions.
• Any loose or flying objects must remain within the set boundaries of the machine. This
  includes, but is not limited to, drops of water, slivers of balloon, and other "small"
  objects. Steam and other gasses are exempt from this rule.
• The machine may utilize one (1) power cord. No other cords may be run to or from the machine.
• No flames may be used on the machine.
• No hazardous materials or explosives can be used on the machine.
• The machine must be safe to the satisfaction of Open House officials. The contest
  coordinator must approve any questionable items prior to competition.
• Any destructive action against another machine is grounds for disqualification
   
  

____________________________