Sketch Model Challenge

.Since 2010, MMAE 432 students participate in the Sketch Model Challenge, a friendly competition that:

introduces students to the materials commonly used in sketch modeling;
demonstrates the role of craftsmanship in prototyping;
kick-starts the students' creative juices;
introduces the team members to each other; and
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, but 2025 requires a new game...The BIATHLON!

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 west of Rettaliata. See 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:

Learn to use materials commonly used in sketch modeling.
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. This requires experience, so even if you don't get it right this time around, you can learn from the process.
Get the creative juices flowing.
Learn to work with your teammates.
Learn how to properly document your ideas in a design notebook.
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. Please do not try to distribute single roles to different people. Try to give everybody in the group a chance to try everything.

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.

Problem Statement

Your team will build a device that is 100% powered by the person who rides in/on the device. The person is not allowed to touch the ground. If the person touches the ground, they receive a penalty by having to perform an extra task in the shooting zone.

The goal is a relay race. You will have to perform one lap (approximately around Kaplan, but that change depending on the field conditions. It could also be around the field between Rettaliata and Kaplan). Once you complete the first round, you have to knock down an object (approximately the size of a dodgeball) that is positioned on a cone from approximately 10m away (That's the "rifle" aspect of the biathlon). You may knock the ball off the cone using a dodgeball in any way you want as long as you use a device (i.e., can't just throw the dodgeball) . In other words, you create the device to knock it down. Once knocked down, you switch riders and until everyone in the group has gone.

The device should be constructed mainly of paper and paper products. Foam-core board and insulation foam are also very popular, but they are not counted as paper. Nonetheless, they are generally very light and students commonly use them. Wood and MDF are also not paper products. 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.

Weight cost = Total 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

Even though this is not a graded exercise, I will give the top team an extra 3 points, the second place team and extra 2 points, and the third place team an extra 1 point.
Lighter teams will be given an advantage by starting farther along the course.
There is NO contact allowed with other teams. Any contact will result in an extra ball that needs to be knocked down in the "rifle" range. However, if you wish to incorporate spikes for intimidation purposes, I will be impressed.
If the rider touches the ground at any point, they must perform an extra ball knock down in the "rifle" range.
Cardboard "shoes" are not allowed. Yes, they would be by the above rules, but let's try to make this more fun than that.
The team with the highest weight cost will be additionally penalized by having their rider blind-folded. You may have a person run alongside your blindfolded runner to help guide them.
The team with the most aesthetically pleasing design (paint, streamers, etc.) gets an extra head start.

Grading - What is due when

Progress Review: Lab Week 2

This is a non-graded consulting session with Prof. Spenko or the TA 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. The TA or 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:

Introduce the team members
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.
Review the functional requirements.
Present your approach to solving the problem
Demonstrate how you addressed the requirements
Address how you evaluated your different concepts
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 pushing creativity boundaries
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.

Challenge - Lecture Week 4

By 9 am 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 groups' design notebooks 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.