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Since 2010, MMAE 432 students participate in the Sketch Model Challenge, a friendly competition that:
  1. introduces students to the materials commonly used in sketch modeling; 
  2. demonstrates the role of craftsmanship in prototyping;
  3. kick-starts the students' creative juices;
  4. introduces the team members to each other; and
  5. IS A LOT OF FUN!
We have played dodgeball and a version of whirlyball, jousted, and built devices that were completely human-powered.  Dodgeball returned in 2014 and will continue to be the game for future years.

Schedule
  • Week 1 Lecture: Project assigned, Design Notebooks handed out, groups formed, get going!
  • Week 1 Lab: Brainstorming
  • Week 2 Lab: Progress Review - Ungraded 15-20 minute discussion with Prof. Spenko
  • Week 3 Lab: Design Briefing/Progress Report - Graded, see below
  • Week 4 Lecture: Sketch Model Challenge Competition - Be prepared for snowy, wet, muddy conditions.  Meet in Morton Park.  See further instructions below.
  • Week 5 Lecture: Final Report Due - See instructions below. 

Overview
The sketch model challenge is designed to teach you the following while engaging in some friendly competition: 
  1. Learn to use materials commonly used in sketch modeling.
  2. Understand craftsmanship and its role in prototyping. When building a prototype, spending too much time trying to make things just right is a waste of resources. However, being sloppy can result in an inaccurate evaluation of your idea. You have to learn to find the right balance.
  3. Get the creative juices flowing.
  4. Learn to work with your teammates.
  5. Learn how to properly document your ideas in a design notebook.
  6. Introduce you to the difficulties of solving open-ended problems. There are many right answers (and more wrong ones)!
The project should be fun, hands-on, and social. You should have the chance to fill many roles such as designer, builder, planner, creator, presenter, or organizer. 

The final competition itself is not graded. It is supposed to be fun, and I would rather see interesting, novel designs that might not necessarily be the best compared to dull, low-risk, predictable designs. Interesting and novel does not mean complicated. Keep it simple! 

Problem Statement
You will be working with your team to build a device that is capable of being pushed/pulled by one person (the driver) such that the person on/in/over the device (the rider) does not touch the ground. The device should be constructed mainly of paper, paper-products, foam-core board, and insulation foam. Non-paper products are permitted, but you will incur a significant cost, so use them only as a last resort! You are responsible for measuring the weight, calculating the weight cost of your device, and reporting it to Prof. Spenko by 10 am of the day of competition. 

Weight_cost = Gross weight (kg) + 30*non-paper weight (kg) 

It is important that everybody have a chance to "make" something at this stage. This is more important than having an "expert" builder fabricate the device. If you do not participate in the fabrication of your device then it does not bode well for your learning experience and enjoyment in this class. 

Game Rules
  1. I will pit the two lab sections against each other to determine the superior lab section!
  2. Each team will line up on opposite sides of Morton Park. Dodgeballs will be placed in the middle of the field. Your group's starting position will be determined by your weight cost. Lighter teams start closer to the dodgeballs.
  3. The driver's only job is to drive the cart. Riders must pick up dodgballs and hit the other riders.
  4. Drivers may not interfere with the ball at all.  No kicking!
  5. There is NO contact allowed with the other team. Any contact will result in a disqualification. However, if you wish to incorporate spikes for intimidation purposes, I will be impressed.
  6. If the rider touches the ground at any point, they are "out" for that round.
  7. Cardboard "shoes" are not allowed. Yes, they would be by the above rules, but let's try to make this more fun than that.
  8. The team with the highest weight cost will be additionally penalized by having their driver blind-folded.
  9. The team with the most aesthetically pleasing design (paint, streamers, etc.) gets an extra head start.
  10. After each round you must switch drivers and riders. Each team member must participate in the competition before any one member is allowed to participate again.  Each team member must also be both a driver and rider once before they are allowed to repeat.
  11. Each team must paint their design (Don't paint foam-core board though! The paint will destroy it). Tuesday is black. Thursday is red.

Grading - What is due when

Progress Review: Lab Week 2
This is a non-graded consulting session with Prof. Spenko during normal lab hours. Everybody in the group is required to attend. Bring your design notebooks. At this time you should have several designs identified and progress should be made on both analysis and prototyping. 

Design Briefing - Lab Week 3
This is a graded review attended by all team members to be held during normal lab hours. Plan for a 15 minute presentation. I will be asking you questions throughout and the entire session will last about 25 minutes. The final assembled prototype should be complete and be prepared with drawings and supporting calculations/experimental results. 
You will be evaluated on both the content and presentation. For the design briefing, you may want to use the following format: 
  1. Introduce the team members
  2. Introduce the design.  This is not a mystery novel where you wait the end to unveil the product.  Present it early and use the model throughout to demonstrate things.  A picture is worth a 1000 words and a physical model is worth a 1000 pictures. 
  3. Review the functional requirements. 
  4. Present your approach to solving the problem 
  5. Demonstrate how you addressed the requirements
  6. Address how you evaluated your different concepts
  7. Identify any adjustments that need to be made before the competition date.
Feel free to use handouts, posters, video, pictures, or other visual aids. This is not a formal "powerpoint" presentation. I don't expect you to use it (you can if you like). We will have more formal presentations later in the class. 

Scores

Content 
  • 5.0 = A+, Absolutely incredible design (I have given it a couple times in the past)
  • 4.0 = A, Exceeds my expectations, a model for future classes.
  • 3.0 = B, A solid effort
  • 2.0 = C, OK, will probably work, not that creative
  • 1.0 = D, Will be useful as spare parts for next year
  • 0.0 = F, No show
Presentation Clarity - I look for a clear and succinct presentation. Rationale - how well did you describe the path you took to meet the functional requirements? Reflection - what lessons did you learn from both your successes and failures. 
  • 5.0 = A+, Amazing (I gave it once).
  • 4.0 = A, Exceeds my expectations
  • 3.0 = B, Solid effort
  • 2.0 = C, OK.
  • 1.0 = D, Rambling, unconvincing, lots of excuses (rationalization) and future promises.
  • 0.0 = F, No show
The final grade is an average of the two above grades with content more heavily weighted.

Presentation Schedule

Wednesday
1:50-2:15: 200 Proof
2:15-2:40: FGR
2:40-3:05: Notorious ENG
3:05-3:30: Overbuilt and Underpaid
3:30-3:55: Tied for Last
3:55-4:20: Warmongers

Friday
10:00-10:25: MPZKG
10:25-10:50: The Hackers
10:50-11:15: Windy City Subs
11:15-11:40: Wondernerds
11:40-12:05: Wheelers
12:05-12:30: Vulcan Engineering

Challenge - Lecture Week 4
By 10am email your weight cost to Prof. Spenko. 

Final Report - Lecture Week 5
This is the most important aspect of the project and the most important step in this is to DOCUMENT IN YOUR DESIGN NOTEBOOK AS YOU GO. This is the single most important thing to do. Keep your design notebook with you at all times when you work on the project. Inside your Design Notebook you should have: 
  • Drawings, sketches, and photos of your concepts and prototypes. Use a digital camera for photographs; print the photographs, and staple or tape those into your design notebook.
  • Team meeting notes, items discussed, who is responsible for what aspects of the design.
  • Action plans and milestones, updated as needed
  • Conceptual designs, what did you think of, what did you try to build?
  • Concept evaluation, what criteria did you use to come to the final prototype?
  • Analysis - Did you use wheels - how did you calculate the load on the axle? Did you use skis - what coefficient of friction did you estimate?
Use all of this information in your design notebook to create a concise report that will be graded as follows: 
  • 5.0 = A+, All aspects above are covered and done in a succinct and clear manner. Designs were original and well built. Back of the envelope analysis was clear and reasonable and/or experiments were thorough and well-conceived. Truly a combination of Captain Kirk and Mr. Spock.
  • 4.0 = A, Captain Kirk and Mr. Spock team up, but maybe missed a few small points.
  • 3.0 = B, A respectable report but missing a key aspect of the problem. Spock or Kirk, but not both.
  • 2.0 = C, Respectable, but rambling, did not perform documentation in the design notebooks as you worked on the project and it shows.
  • 1.0 = D, Prototypes were weak and report lacking depth and clarity. Lack of original ideas.
  • 0.0 = F, I don't expect to give this.