Industrial Technology
J.L. Stanford Middle School
Palo Alto , California
Instructor: Bradley C. Booth

LONG -TERM PROBLEM: WIND CONVERSION WARRIOR

THE PROBLEM

Your team’s problem is to design a machine that will travel using wind power. The wind will be produced by a 20” cooling fan mounted to a table that will be the “playing field” for the competition. Your vehicle will be designed so that when it reaches the end of the playing field it will fire/kick a plastic golf ball over the goal post positioned at the far end of the field for a conversion. “LET THE GAMES BEGIN”

Thus there are two parts to the problem:

1. To design and build a machine that will travel the length of the playing field under wind power.

2. To design a mechanism that will shoot a plastic golf ball through the up rights of the goal posts at the far end of the playing field.

MATERIALS

Chassis stock ( 3/8” x 3/4”) String
4/ 2” Wooden wheels Rubber Bands
1/ Mouse trap Paper
Glue Cloth
Small nails
Eye hooks
Tape
Oak tag board
Group brains and team work

LIMITATIONS

1. The maximum time for set-up and competition is 5 minutes.
2. Your Warrior must carry all its parts the length of the playing field.
3. No energy may be used to propel the Warrior except the energy from the fan.
4. No auxiliary batteries may be used.
5. Maximum length of your Warrior is 12 inches.
6. Maximum height of your Warrior is 12 inches.

SITE AND SET-UP

See the “Playing Field”

SCORING And Grading

Points will be awarded for:
Sketch of possible solution
CAD drawing of finished machine
Finished Machine
Traveling the distance of the playing field
Kicking a conversion
Returning the mouse trap and other recyclable parts

PENALTIES

1. Dangerous horse play with the mouse trap will result in severe grade reduction and could be grounds for suspension from the program.
2. Unsportsmanlike conduct.

IT SHOULD BE NOTED THAT THIS ASSIGNMENT IS NOT COMPLETE AND THAT MR. B WILL MAKE SOME CHANGES AS WE GO ALONG.