Manna from Heaven Design Competition
Mechanical Design Studio Spring 1999
Contest Date: Monday April 26, 7-9pm, Davies Auditorium
Contest Description
The Yale ME185 design competition has a tradition of design contests with biblical themes. When the founders of Yale used the biblical words for "light" and "truth" on the Yale emblem, they may not have envisioned how it would inspire a design contest. However, as with all good traditions it will continue! This year the contest is a reenactment of the story of collecting Manna from Heaven for sustenance in the dessert. As the story goes, every day (except the Sabbath) Manna would drop down from the heavens, and each family would collect what they needed for sustenance.
In this modern day reenactment, you are charged with collecting the Manna and placing it in your family’s pantry. Our research has indicated that the Manna was shaped surprising like Styrofoam balls. Additional detailed research into the taste of Manna, has indeed confirmed that the freshest Manna collected just as it was coming down from heaven, was indeed the tastiest. At your disposal you will have a joystick controlled robot which you will build from parts in your kit. The dimensions of each robot cannot exceed 1 ft cubed in its initial configuration. Each robot will compete in a head to head competition with another robot, where each robot is arbitrarily assigned either to begin in position A or position B, as shown in the diagram. The contest format will be a combination of single and double elimination, which guarantees each contestant at least two opportunities to compete.
The playing table has been designed to reflect the hilly terrain of the desert wilderness. Each machine will start on a mid-level platto, with Manna located above and below it. Some of the Manna has already dropped to the ground, while some remains floating in air supported by an updraft of desert winds (similar to a jet of air from a hair blow dryer). On each side of the playing field is a pantry bin, and any Manna collected collected into these bins will be counted as points for the contestant on the corresponding side of the table. Each ball from the ground will count as one point, the two balls floating in air on the mid-level will count as two points each, and the tastiest Manna still floating in air on the highest level will count as three points each. The floating balls will be colored for tracking purposes.
An additional detail of the biblical story which is often not told, is that Handsome Dan, the Yale mascot, was a participant in these biblical stories. As we know from previous ME185 contests, Dan was collected into Noah’s ark, and brought through the parted Read Sea. In this contest, Dan is waiting patiently for his dinner back on his favorite stoop at base camp. Who ever can bring Dan off of his stoop and onto their side of the table will have the prestige of Dan’s company and an additional four points in the contest. However, if Dan is knocked into one’s pantry bin all your food will be at risk of being devoured, and no points will be awarded. Handsome Dan will also be the deciding factor in a tie, otherwise ties will be decide by the bins with the tastiest Manna. You have 40 seconds to complete the task!
A diagram of the contest table is shown below. Additional details regarding the contest will be posted on the class web site and in the lab.
Key Dates
Proof of Concept Test (10% of grade): Tue. or Wed. Lab, Feb. 23 & 24
• devise a test to show that a key component of you concept will work
• have at least one active DOF working as intended for the final configuration
Risk Reduction Test (10% of grade): Tue. or Wed. Lab, Mar. 23 & 24
• devise a test to show that your overall concept will work
Preliminary Design Review (20% of grade) Tue. or Wed. Lab, April 13 & 14 (note change)
A complete machine must be able to perform the contest and win with a "dummy" opponent, which will be described latter.
Final Contest, Monday April 26: , 7-9pm
Course grade is not influenced by performance during contest, but performance of machine in general is evaluated.
Contest Kit
Each machine can be constructed only from components provided in a kit which includes: DC motors, pneumatic pistons, springs, belts, gears, metal, wood, a VHS tape, and much much more. A complete list will be provided shortly, but the following is a summary:
Actuators
2 large 12 Volt DC motors with a worm gear.
2 medium 12 Volt DC motor with a spur gearbox.
1 cassette mechanism that includes a solenoid, a 12 Volt motor, and a contact switch.
2 pneumatic cylinders
Controls
Joystick and switch controls are provided for four 12 volt channels, two pneumatic pistons. All pneumatic tubing is connected in one umbilical. Thus if one wants to use two pistons, the two pistons cannot be more than 20 inches from each other. All electrical wires are also in a single umbilical. Thus the maximum distance between electrical actuators is limited by the length of wire available in your kit.
Other Parts
Aluminum - 1/16" Aluminum plates, bar, rods, and square tubing
Wood - Masonite plate, plywood slat, and pine slats
Cardboard tubing (great for wheels and pulleys)
Constant force springs, rubber belts, rubber bands, a balloon, welding rod, nuts and bolts, and much more.
