Rube Goldberg Machine
A Rube Goldberg machine is a contraption, invention, device, or apparatus that is deliberately over-engineered to perform a simple task in a complicated fashion, generally including a chain reaction. The expression is named after American cartoonist and inventor Rube Goldberg (1883–1970).
Rube Goldberg's cartoons became well known for depicting complicated devices that performed simple tasks in indirect convoluted ways.
Rube Goldberg's cartoons became well known for depicting complicated devices that performed simple tasks in indirect convoluted ways.
Your mission is to find a real world problem/task (or a simple task that you would prefer a machine do for you) and design a machine or tool to do it for you.
The final task should be something that is usually very simple to do but you must over engineer the steps it takes to complete it.
The final task should be something that is usually very simple to do but you must over engineer the steps it takes to complete it.
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Student Examples
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Individual Day 1 Assignment
Begin by designing your own simple machine on paper/Sketchup/CAD that utilizes at least 5 different steps before your machine completes it's task.
-Create a list out "using words" of a description of each part
-draw/design a 2d view of what your contraption might look like to go along with your descriptions (see idea pictures below!)
Play 15 minutes of "The Incredible Machine" and see how far you can get or design your own machine in the software!
https://classicreload.com/dosx-the-incredible-machine.html
-Create a list out "using words" of a description of each part
-draw/design a 2d view of what your contraption might look like to go along with your descriptions (see idea pictures below!)
Play 15 minutes of "The Incredible Machine" and see how far you can get or design your own machine in the software!
https://classicreload.com/dosx-the-incredible-machine.html
Group Project - Day 2 and beyond
Choose your groups or work individually:
-discuss the best parts of each of your designs and choose the parts you want to include in your final machine. Before any building/construction begins you must have your design sketches, research, etc complete. This should be about 2-3 days of just design and planning.
What must you hand in?
Design Parameters:
-discuss the best parts of each of your designs and choose the parts you want to include in your final machine. Before any building/construction begins you must have your design sketches, research, etc complete. This should be about 2-3 days of just design and planning.
What must you hand in?
- Design sketches, any research and procedures that follow our “circle design model”
- Your machine
Design Parameters:
- Your machine should solve a real world “problem”
- Groups of 3
- One Day – Research, Design and Draw (Drawing must include each step and how you think you will build it
- 7 Shop Classes – Include 1 Class demonstrations and 1 Class for Testing
- Machine should not be larger than 2x2 feet. Your machine must be portable so we can potentially show it around the school. I will supply you will plywood for a base and the rest can be built from scraps in our bins and things you bring from home
- It should be easy to reset so you can use it over again and again.
- There can only be one ‘human touch’ to start your machine (a button or starting a ball rolling, etc)
- You must supply all materials used in your machine but you may use shop tools to build
- 10 step minimum – bonus points for more steps
Day 3 and beyond!
In addition to building your project you should be documenting your progress along the way for a final group presentation. This should include both photo and videos. When completely finished you should have a final set of blueprints and any paperwork you used along the way! Do not throw anything out!
Your final presentation should include:
Marks:
Your final presentation should include:
- Pictures/video of each major detail of your machine. Why you chose that particular step, challenges you faced in fabrication, etc
- Video of your Rube Goldberg machine completing a successful run
- Who the target market is for your machine if you were to sell or try to get someone to invest in what you have built. This may include promo material, flashy commercial/video, etc
Marks:
- 50 marks for completed machine with 10 step minimum
- 50 marks for final presentation
Ideas!
RULES & REGULATIONS:
The machine must complete the task as described in the challenge. If not, points kept for the same would be deducted.
The machine must be no larger than 2ft x 2ft. The support from only one wall is allowed (you can use windows if present on that wall) and the top ceiling is not allowed of any form.
The machine must have a minimum of 10 steps if the machine has less than 10 steps the respective pool would be disqualified from the competition.
Only one member from the team is supposed to explain their machine before the demonstration.
The machine will have a 10 minute reset time if they go for more than one run.
Only one team member may interact with the machine once the evaluation has begun.
This includes resetting the machine during the run. This means that only one person will be inside the arena. However if the team goes for another run the restriction of one person inside the arena is uplifted until the machine is ready for the other run.
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 gases are exempt from this rule. However for the sole purpose of electrical connection wires can be outside the boundaries of the machine.
Each team is supposed to submit a copy of a step-by-step description of their machine. Diagrams and pictures have to be included in this description along with the typed information. If any team fails to submit the copy of the abstract then they will automatically be disqualified from the event. Team is encouraged to submit a video of the running of machine along with the written copy of description. Bonus 5 points would be awarded for the same.
A step in the machine should be considered a transfer in energy from one action to
another action. Identical transfers of energy in secession should be considered one step.
For e.g., a set of dominos falling into each other should be considered one step. While
technically each single domino falling is a step, stating one hundred steps because of the dominos is repetitive and not in the spirit of Rube Goldberg.
The task should be completed in not more than 4 min time.
No hazardous materials or explosives may be used on or within the machine.
No live animals are allowed in the machine.
Every team will be given maximum two runs for the completion of the task and if in case a team is not able to complete the task in their first run and they can go for second run.
For every human intervention the points will be deducted.
Any destructive action against another machine is grounds for disqualification.
Programmable Logic Controllers or any other electronic controller/devices may be used on the machines. The use of these devices must be in line with a step. Using these devices as a fail-safe for the machine is illegal and grounds for disqualification.
-Let’s say a ball is supposed to fall onto a switch and turn on a motor which is run
by the controller. If the ball misses the switch, but the controller still starts the motor, the controller is not transferring energy from one step to the next step. It is
acting as failsafe so the machine can finish and not in line with definition of a step.
- If the ball hits the switch and the controller starts the motor as it should,
the device is merely transferring the energy from one step to another, so this is line with the definition of a step.
-If a controller/electronic device is used, each instance of its operation should be
clearly stated in the step-by-step description submitted along with the written description.
-Each instance should be considered one step, but please supply detailed
information of how the step is being accomplished.
The machine must complete the task as described in the challenge. If not, points kept for the same would be deducted.
The machine must be no larger than 2ft x 2ft. The support from only one wall is allowed (you can use windows if present on that wall) and the top ceiling is not allowed of any form.
The machine must have a minimum of 10 steps if the machine has less than 10 steps the respective pool would be disqualified from the competition.
Only one member from the team is supposed to explain their machine before the demonstration.
The machine will have a 10 minute reset time if they go for more than one run.
Only one team member may interact with the machine once the evaluation has begun.
This includes resetting the machine during the run. This means that only one person will be inside the arena. However if the team goes for another run the restriction of one person inside the arena is uplifted until the machine is ready for the other run.
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 gases are exempt from this rule. However for the sole purpose of electrical connection wires can be outside the boundaries of the machine.
Each team is supposed to submit a copy of a step-by-step description of their machine. Diagrams and pictures have to be included in this description along with the typed information. If any team fails to submit the copy of the abstract then they will automatically be disqualified from the event. Team is encouraged to submit a video of the running of machine along with the written copy of description. Bonus 5 points would be awarded for the same.
A step in the machine should be considered a transfer in energy from one action to
another action. Identical transfers of energy in secession should be considered one step.
For e.g., a set of dominos falling into each other should be considered one step. While
technically each single domino falling is a step, stating one hundred steps because of the dominos is repetitive and not in the spirit of Rube Goldberg.
The task should be completed in not more than 4 min time.
No hazardous materials or explosives may be used on or within the machine.
No live animals are allowed in the machine.
Every team will be given maximum two runs for the completion of the task and if in case a team is not able to complete the task in their first run and they can go for second run.
For every human intervention the points will be deducted.
Any destructive action against another machine is grounds for disqualification.
Programmable Logic Controllers or any other electronic controller/devices may be used on the machines. The use of these devices must be in line with a step. Using these devices as a fail-safe for the machine is illegal and grounds for disqualification.
-Let’s say a ball is supposed to fall onto a switch and turn on a motor which is run
by the controller. If the ball misses the switch, but the controller still starts the motor, the controller is not transferring energy from one step to the next step. It is
acting as failsafe so the machine can finish and not in line with definition of a step.
- If the ball hits the switch and the controller starts the motor as it should,
the device is merely transferring the energy from one step to another, so this is line with the definition of a step.
-If a controller/electronic device is used, each instance of its operation should be
clearly stated in the step-by-step description submitted along with the written description.
-Each instance should be considered one step, but please supply detailed
information of how the step is being accomplished.