Design Project 2
We got the assignment for DP2 almost a week ago. This project is a group project, and I think I was lucky - I like my group. It includes a teacher from the Learning, Design, and Technology program, a "regular" ME PhD type, and a MBA/MSE (Manufacturing Science and Engineering?).
The problem is roughly this: There are 2 8' 2x4s stretched out 30" above the ground, 2' apart (thin side up). 2 teams, starting on different 2x4s at different ends, race to get to their finish line the fastest. The only "power" source is gravity and/or rubber bands. You start by cutting a string attached to your machine. Aside from that, it must weigh less than 10lbs, and cost less than $50 in materials. You can try to harm the other team's device, and you can restart within the 3 minute time limit. Whichever team finishes first or gets the farthest in 3 minutes advances to the next round (I think there are 10 or so teams). There is a 1' start and 1' finish area on the 8' board. The device must stop in the finish area.
During our initial brainstorming, I only contributed one really workable idea, and felt lame. Then we had to go away and each draw how one of the ideas would work (this is our own team's process, not the class's). Someone else picked my one idea to flesh out, and I was left with an idea that I didn't really understand, nevermind be able to draw how it works. So I kind of made up a new design.
Back together, we went over each others drawings, refined, and evaluated all 4 designs. I felt much better about my contribution when it came down to a tie breaker between my 2 designs. We're prototyping the latter idea (the one I made up 'cause I had to) tomorrow... hopefully it'll work out. We're not being very offensive, but we also think that it will take around 1 second to get across the 8 feet, so we're hoping it doesn't matter.
I'm not sharing ideas yet - I'm wary of competitors who might read this! The competition is next Wednesday, I promise to provide more details then.
