Completing a simple task is easy enough but how can you solve an easy task in the most complicated way. That is what a Rupe Goldberg machine is about. Our objective was to make a Rupe Goldberg project for our class project. I was assigned in a group with Jason Franks, Logan Gleeson, and Scott Fisher. On the first day we started to brainstorm ideas of what our project, objective, and our steps in between. We came into agreement that we would roll a turn for Yahtzee for our final objective.
Steps
Our first draft of the project looks like this. Our first and final design are quite similar. The first step of our project is the pulley that knocks down the domino which hits a golf ball. The golf hits the first lever that hits the second lever. The second lever drops a marble that runs through the inclined plain with barriers to slow down the marble from falling to fast into the grooved inclined plane. When the marble is in the grooved incline plain , it leads up to a golf ball resting in a groove. When the marble hits the golf ball that falls into a cup. The cup is attached to string that pulls a wedge that makes another cup fall. The cup that falls has another marble inside it that rolls it inside a screw, building up momentum to strike the car that strikes the cup of dice that rolls a turn for Yahtzee.
Our first draft of the project looks like this. Our first and final design are quite similar. The first step of our project is the pulley that knocks down the domino which hits a golf ball. The golf hits the first lever that hits the second lever. The second lever drops a marble that runs through the inclined plain with barriers to slow down the marble from falling to fast into the grooved inclined plane. When the marble is in the grooved incline plain , it leads up to a golf ball resting in a groove. When the marble hits the golf ball that falls into a cup. The cup is attached to string that pulls a wedge that makes another cup fall. The cup that falls has another marble inside it that rolls it inside a screw, building up momentum to strike the car that strikes the cup of dice that rolls a turn for Yahtzee.
Our first few of days we made a base structure that is shown in the picture shown. We used a 4x4 foot piece of plywood that we cut in two. We put 2 inch pieces of block wood to stabilize the back board. The beams we put on the right side of the back board.
Eventually we finished our project by installing the wood plank that housed the wedge. We cut PVC pipe that held the screw me made out of plastic pipe. We aimed the ending of the pipe to the toy car so the car would hit the final instillation of the cup with dice in it.
A few weeks later we applied the shelve that holds the two levers. We also added the inclined plane that slows down the marble that puts the marble on the grooved incline plane. We also installed the piece of wood that held the cup.
Concepts
Force = force equals mass times acceleration, or F=ma. This was used when the golf ball struck the first lever
Mechanical advantage = Output force / input force, number of ropes minus the pull rope, or input distance / output distance
Velocity = Distance / Time
Work = Force times distance
Work = Kinetic Energy = Potential Energy
Acceleration = Mechanical advantage / gravity
Force = force equals mass times acceleration, or F=ma. This was used when the golf ball struck the first lever
Mechanical advantage = Output force / input force, number of ropes minus the pull rope, or input distance / output distance
Velocity = Distance / Time
Work = Force times distance
Work = Kinetic Energy = Potential Energy
Acceleration = Mechanical advantage / gravity
Reflection
throughout the project I think I did very well working with my group and flow ideas to the other members. There were some things I could have done better. For example, I could have shared some of the work with my other members. Also, I could have worked on the efficiency of our project. Our project didn't work 100% of the time, but that is okay because not many projects do work 100% of the time. Each step was a challenge to complete and I am glad I did.
throughout the project I think I did very well working with my group and flow ideas to the other members. There were some things I could have done better. For example, I could have shared some of the work with my other members. Also, I could have worked on the efficiency of our project. Our project didn't work 100% of the time, but that is okay because not many projects do work 100% of the time. Each step was a challenge to complete and I am glad I did.