"Up the Ramp" Design Challenge

In this design challenge students are given the materials in the following list;

• 1 - AA size battery
• 1 - motor
• 2 - big paper clips
• 4 - small paper clips
• 1 - 8" long 1/4" wide dowel
• 1 - jinx wood
• 3 - large wooden wheels
• 2 - small wooden wheels
• 6 - elastics (varying sizes)
• 1 - piece of thermoplastic polymer (about 12 cm by 4 cm)
• 4 - thumbtacks
• 2 - pins
• 2 - pieces of copper wire
• 1 - marble
• 1 - popsicle stick
• 4 - toothpicks
• 1 - bag (optional)

 From these materials students must;

• Create a bill of material on a spreadsheet indicating item, quantity, description and material, for all of the parts given to the students.
  • material must be identified as either;
    • hard wood
    • soft wood
    • ferrous metal
    • nonferrous metal
    • thermoplastic polymer
    • thermoset polymer
    • ceramic
    • composite (of the above)
    • assembly (of the above)
• Create a series of design sketches to work out concepts which will achieve the performance tasks indicated.
• Create a devise which will demonstrate the following performance tasks on the test stand provided;
  • begin the test, with all parts of the device, completely ahead of the test stand and stationary (no movement)
  • on its own power the devise shall;
  • move forward in such a way that all parts of the devise move completely beyond the front of the test stand and under the "bridge" (height restriction),
  • break a the balloon at the front of the test stand,
  • move up the first ramp,
  • drop a marble in the slot on the first platform
  • move up the second ramp
  • break the balloon on the top of the second ramp