The Third Annual CHS Cardboard Canoe Challenge

    I personally think that the cardboard canoe challenge this year wasn't as fun as the challenge last year and I really don't know the reason for that. It could be because there were no puzzles like last year (which I really enjoyed) or just because most of my best friends aren't in this class, that were in it last year. Anyways, I think that the Cardboard Canoe Challenge this year was still extremely fun, and I wish we could do it next semester aswell. This is definately a highlight for the year, for what is probably everyone in engineering class, just because it is so much fun to build and design something you can float in.

Achievements Earned: Eleven (11)

• Define the Problem and Brainstorm Solutions - State the problem you are designing a solution for. List at least 20 ideas you have regarding your solution. We are currently trying to design a boat that floats on water, made completely of cardboard/duct tape (Our Final design needed more cardboard, it sank)

• Criteria & Constraints - List or reference the specified Criteria and Constraints you're designing for. List at least one implied criteria. List at least three implied constraints.

The walls must be at least a foot tall

No cardboard can be showing (if touching the water)

You can use only cardboard and duct tape
• Sketch Ideas - Draw 3 different sketches for possible designs. Label at least 3 key features for each sketch. Describe the feature's functionality so a viewer understands why the called out feature is important.
• Select an Approach - Generate feedback (+, change, ?, !) and make a decision matrix regarding your sketches/prototypes. Specify the approach you've chosen and justify your selection.
Build It! - Build your watercraft. Document it with a presentable photo.
(refer to photo section)
• The Early Bird Gets the Achievement - Awarded to the team with the fastest build.

We finished the boat before any other team. "Team Fire and Ice"
Reflection Achievements:• Feedback - Generate ten items of feedback for your effort (from the design/build process and/or the actual product). Make sure you include at least one item of feedback in each of our four feedback areas (+, change, ?, !)

+ It was very fast, we had great teamwork (which is why we built is quickest), we had many ideas for our boat, about twenty. (4)

change We would add more layers of tape, I wish we could have gone with a different idea (more surface area) (2)
? I am wondering why we didn't use an actual paddle, Why did you slant the front of the canoe? (2)
! I really liked the design of the shark on the front, It was a good idea to put the support on the middle of the canoe. (2)
• How Low Did You Go? - How low in the water did your canoe sit (roughly)? Was it surprising how little your boat went down in the water? Our canoe was extremely low in the water, and I was quite surprised at how low it was, simply because Michael is very light.
• Prototype Ideas - Craft physical prototypes (models) of each of your three sketches. Use a notecard or post it note to call out at least one key feature on each model. Post the images to your blog and describe the key feature that you've pointed out on each.
• Redesign - If we were to do another Cardboard Canoe race next semester, what would you build? Draw from everything you experienced in your class and propose the most competitive solution.

I think that is we did another Canoe race next semester, we would go with the exact same design (it was fast, just not efficient). I think what I would change on it would be the amount of cardboard used. We sort of used very little cardboard on the actual canoe.

• (Make Your Own Achievement) - Make an achievement of your own design that you can award yourself for something awesome your team did.
"The Seahorse Chariot" Find a way to have your teammates pull your canoe, without actually touching the cardboard canoe itself. What we did was tie duct tape to the canoe, and tie the duct tape around Jesse and Kyler so they could swim, whilst simultaneously pulling the canoe.


Here are some fun photos of our boat design, the actual competition, and just pictures of people having fun.
You can refer to some of these photos for proof of our achievements.

                                                                 

This was my first time ever being a part of the Mousetrap Race car Challenge, and I must say, it was quite an enjoyment. IT was the first 'project' we actually did over a period of one+ weeks and it involved a lot of design, intuition, and time.
Our team design was just a simple car (4 wheels on axles) being thrust forward by a string attached to the axle and a mousetrap (placed on the car; portraying the body of the car).
Here are some pictures of our Car in creation phase and final product phase:

One of the points of this project was to accomplish the most achievements; We earned Eight (8) total

"Build It" - Build your design. Document it with a photo.
"The Price of Glory" - If each part you use costs $1, generate a total cost for your build  :: Our design used a total of $23
"Competitor" - Compete in the 2nd Annual Mousetrap Race car Challenge.




"Feedback" - Collect feedback from yourself or your classmates.
+ It was a good design, accelerated quick and went quite far
change : the way in which you accelerated the car wasn't the best way (not enough pull on the string)
? Why would you use the mouse trap to pull the string, not as strong as yourself pulling the string.
! Looked sleek and clean, well created

"Game Changer" - Develop a new rule or change to the game that you feel would make the event better. Explain your concept.
I think a new rule would be that everyone needs to move out of the way, and that we must actually make a track to do the race on, because some cars (like ours) got blocked by people's feet who weren't paying any attention - Small space to go in the middle of too.

"Re-work" - Change your build based on your experience with the race/feedback you collected.
 We made changes to our mousetrap racecar by replacing the axel with a better piece of metal, and changing the way the string (powered by the mousetrap) pulled/flung the the racecar.
"Name it" - Invent a name for an achievement that you think is better than what we have currently.
I think a cool name would be "The Big Cheese" for the winner of the long distance challenge.

"Leave It Cleaner Than You Found It" - Did you leave your workspace cleaner than you found it? Explain.
Oh, EZ and I certainly cleaned up our pieces everyday, including the day of the first race without a doubt. We also helped clean up whatever we found on the floors (not only around us)

All in all, this was a fun project, and the classes which do it next year will most likely have a great time, even with minimal changes to the way we did it this year.

Arch. Project!

Here is our project. We built a "Muffin" Factory for Mrs. Walker, and it turned out awesome. She had specific colors for the house, which included purple, white, and beige, and those are the colors we used for the house. We shaped it just how she wanted it, a muffin. In it are multiple colors, some cooking equipment inside, and a few steps/stairs. There is also a large chimney coming out of the top, so she is able to cook with out getting the factory/house all smokey. I believe if we showed her she would have definitely enjoyed it.

CAD Train

I had a lot of Trouble with these CAD Drawings of the train, but I did accomplish some of the easier parts to it, and failed one of the others. This was an Insanely hard project in my personal opinion, however, it was sort of fun.

Train Body.

Attempted Wheel.

Wheel Peg.

MineArch

I made a minecraft house that was based on Frank Lloyd Wright's designs. It is very connected w/ nature (in my design it is built into the mountain, and incorporates lava), and uses a lot of different materials.

The video above is what I chose for my Ted Talk. It is Beau Lotto on Optical Illusions.

Egg Drop Challenge

Egg Drop Challenge -
The group of Preston and I completed 22 Achievements in the Egg drop Challenge, and have somewhat "photo-proof".

-Create a sketch of one possible solution. Include labels.
-Create a sketch of another possible solution. Include labels.
-Create a sketch of a third possible solution. Include labels.
-Generate a list of materials required for build day.
-Document a plan to ensure materials are brought in on block day.
-Your materials fit inside a printer paper box
-Your materials fit inside a shoe box
-Your materials fit inside a cigar box
-Your materials weigh less than 500 grams.
-Your materials weigh less than 300 grams.
-Your materials weigh less than 200 grams.
-Your materials weigh less than 150 grams.
-Your materials weigh less than 100 grams.
-You hit the butcher paper!
-You hit inside the third ring!
-You hit inside the second ring!
-You hit inside the second ring!
-Your solution takes more than 2 seconds to hit the target!
-Your solution takes more than 3 seconds to hit the target!
-Your egg didn't break in any way! (awarded three times)
-Your egg didn't break in any way! (awarded three times)
-Your egg didn't break in any way! (awarded three times)

-Come up with a clever name Mr. Olson uses for an existing Achievment. 
"Your egg didn't break in any way" could be changed to hard boiled.
-Design an Achievement Mr. Olson approves for next year's Egg Drop Challenge.
An acheivement could be dropping the design upside down aswell.