The next step in the design of my assembly that I will document is the identification and evaluation of similar products available in the marketplace. As the current engineering problem is a Rube Goldberg machine, these products can come from a wide range of sources and have a wide range of functions.
A little side note: I was a somewhat unsure of what qualified as a market product for my initial benchmarking, and as a result I had products that didn't qualify. I have included these original selections below(4-6) to document my design process, but have added some new products that are already availiable and analysis (1-3) to hopefully address this feedback!
Necessary components:
Marble, wooden pegboard, String, Adhesive, Eye screws, Matchbox cars, Dixie cups, wooden paint sticks, PVC L joints, Wooden pegs, Lego person
Investigation:
This assembly is a very cheap and reliable option, for several reasons. First of all, it only relies on physical collisions of objects, rather than electrical signals or air movement. Additionally, it only utilized motion in two axes, reducing chances of components becoming unseated or failing. Furthermore, all of these components can be purchased very cheaply and manufactured easily, greatly easing the prototyping process and switch to high volume manufacturing. However, this simplicity also represent a shortcoming in other regards. Lack of complexity in this case works against the goal of creating a spectacle, and the lack of any mechatronic component disqualifies this design from the outset. Additionally, the output function spends most of the energy being carried throughout the system, meaning the student after me in order will have a more difficult time initiating their subassembly.
Findings: This option is serviceable, but ideas present would need to be reworked heavily to meet requirements set forward by the instructions.
(As this video includes a ton of different sub assemblies within the whole, I chose to examine the one present at 0:55 - 1:02, in order to ensure a wide range of sources are investigated)
Necessary components: 2" Steel ball bearing, 2 ' ramp, alligator clamp wires 2 ft, battery, electric screwdriver, string, drawbridge, wooden car, fasteners
Investigation:
This assembly is a really interesting concept, and has some serious positives. A steel ball rolls down a ramp, landing between two copper plates connected to a battery. The steel ball completes a circuit, powering a drill that lowers a bridge, which then sets a wooden car in motion down it. The strengths of this design are that it is very visually interesting, highly reliable as it does not have any fast moving components, and fulfills the mechatronic component requirement. It's weaknesses are that it will likely be very expensive relative to other options, mostly due to the cost of electrical components.
Findings: This system is very promising, and it would be very interesting to look at implementing certain aspects of the design into my subassembly. The steel ball completing a circuit in particular is very appealing, and depending on the input I get from #36 this could be an option I pursue.
(As this video also includes a bunch of sub assemblies to look at, I chose to examine the one present from 1:58 - 2:05, in order to ensure a wide range of sources are investigated)
Necessary components: Ramp, toy car, button, wires, power source, fan, beach ball, book
Investigation:
This assembly is a good compromise between products 1 and 2, representing a simpler cost effective design while still incorporating a mechatronic element. A toy car rolls down a ramp, eventually colliding with a button. This turns on a fan, which in turn blows a beach ball into a vertically standing book, knocking it down.
Findings:
This is another promising idea. I like the reliability that a moving object striking a button represents, and I think that I'll keep it in mind as the design process moves forward.
Needed components: Soda, Mentos, 1 inch diameter PVC pipe, ⅛ inch diameter wooden dowel, plastic cap
Investigation: This subassembly is the most expensive and complex option of 4 - 6, with multiple consumable components. In this subassembly, the initial force knocks the dowel out of the pipe, allowing the mento to fall into the soda. The reaction would push the plastic cap up the pipe, where it would collide with the next student’s first component.
Findings: While this assembly would be very visually interesting, it's lack of mechatronic components and high percentage of consumable components means that it would not be a good fit to incorporate into any designs moving forward.
Needed components: Ball with significant mass, rails.
Investigation: This subassembly represents the most reliable and economical option out of 4, 5, and 6, due to its simplicity and lack of consumable components. In this case, the input would set the ball in motion, rolling down rails and accelerating from gravity. When it has enough energy it would strike the next component, moving on to the next student.
Findings: This option will fails to acheive the stakeholder needs outlined in Element A entirely. It's reliability is a strength, but it will fail to be much of a spectacle, disappointing spectators. Additionally, it lacks any mechatronic components. I will not be pursuing ideas present here.
Needed components: Match, striking strip, twine, pulley, counterweight, rotating arm
Investigation: This subassembly is a middle ground between 4 and 5, being a somewhat simple but still costly option. The initial input would strike the match via the freely rotating arm, burning through the twine. This would release a counterweight, moving on to the next student
Findings: While this option is very visually appealing, it encounters the same issues as product 4, lacking mechatronics while also having costly consumable components. Taking one element from it and integrating mechatronics could be promising, but heavy revision would be necessary.