Name:Sarah, Haley, Holly, Zach

Period:1
Date Started:5-25-16
Due Date:
Group Members:Sarah, Haley, Holly, Zach
Foundations of Technology
Unit 4 Lesson 1: The Core Technologies
File 4.1.3: Rube Goldberg Design Brief Design Folio
1.

Date:5-27-16

Define the Problem

Develop a problem statement that identifies the what, who, when and how the problem
should be addressed.

Our group was tasked with making a machine that can raise a flag as the final result.

2. Brainstorming
Sketch five possible subsystems that you might use in your final design to meet the
criteria and constraints of the design challenge. Clearly identify and describe how each
of these ideas uses core technologies and simple machines.
3. Research and Generating Ideas
In the space below, document your research. Be sure to include proper citations at the
end of your notes.

Notes:

A pulley system to raise the flag works well

Percision is important so all parts move as they should
Having only one system working at one time is easier to
control
Longer systems are more complex and harder to control
It is easier to move parts of the machine down an inclined
plane
A wind-up toy can be used to push over the dominoes

Citations/References
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=27Iv5HJ10yg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cv5WLLYo-fk

4. Identifying criteria and specifying constraints

What are the criteria and constraints of the design problem?

Criteria
Constraints
Machine includes all 5 core
Cost of the device should be minimized
technologies
Device cannot be touched or altered
Flag is raised by the
when in motion
machine as the final result
Must meet all requirements
All materials in machine
(measurements, including all core
work and perform
technologies, etc.)
successfully

Materials List: Based on your brainstorming and the criteria and constraints, list the
materials you plan to use to meet the design requirements.
flag
inclined plane
dominoes
pulley system
rope
flower in a pot
cup of water
(small) Tennis ball
Wind-up toy
A piece of wood

5. Exploring possibilities
Reflect on your brainstorm ideas and research notes and describe the plusses and
minuses of each design approach you have considered.
Brainstorming Idea
Idea 1: rolling a ball
down the inclined place
into a cup of water
Idea 2: ball dropping
into empty cup to pull
down a oull system to
raise the flag
Idea 3: dominos falling
down an inclined plane
with one dropping down
into a cup of water

Pluses
It would be a simple
machine and effective

would work effiently and

effectively, would reach
the goal of trying to raise
the flag
it would work effectively,
and do its purpose of
getting in the water with
enough force to push the
cup of water over

Minuses
the water would splash every
where and be a mess to clean
up, and the ball may miss it
aimed wrong of the angle of
the inclined plane is wrong
The ball may not be heavy
enough

more than one domino could

fall into the cup, causing the
cup to offbalance or not go any
where, or knock over

Did alternative solutions arise as you initially evaluated your designs? Cite
examples.

Yes. We added a flower in there for when the cup with the domino falls over, it will water
the flower. Also we added at the beginning, a wind up toy to push the dominos over.
Those are really the only additions we made.

6. Selecting an Approach
a. Enter the constraints and criteria of the project in the first column.
b. Score your brainstorming ideas against each constraint or criterion and indicate how
well the idea meets the criteria and constraints.
3 pts = easily meets, 2 pts = somewhat meets, 1 pt = does not meet
c.
Total the columns and circle the highest score to indicate your best design
idea.
c.
Write a short paragraph justifying your solution. Include trade-offs that were
made in the selection.
Constraint/Crit
erion

Brainstorm
ing Idea 1

Brainstorm
ing Idea 2

Brainstorm
ing Idea 3

Machine includes
all 5 core
technologies

Cost of device
should be
minmized

Flag is raised by
the machine as
the final result

Device cannot be
touched or
altered while in
motion

All materials in
machine work
and perfom
successfully

15

15

15

Total

Brainstorm
ing Idea 4

Brainstorm
ing Idea 5

Justify the solution

All 3 ideas would meet the criteria and constraints. All ideas would use 5 of the 9 core
technologies successfully in order to raise a flag as the final result.

7. Developing a Design Proposal

Take your highest scoring brainstorming ideas and create working drawings (sketches
with dimensions, so that you could build your project) of your complete device. Attach
your working drawings to this sheet.
In addition to the drawings in your design proposal, use the material type and cost data
in the design brief to predict the cost of materials for your device. Remember, the
customer wants to keep the cost of the device down as much as possible. The following
table will help you organize your cost data and calculate a predicted cost before you
build.
Material to be Used
Flag (Haley)

Qty

Cost Per Unit

$0.19

Dominoes (Sarah)

10-15

Rope (Mrs. Harlan)

2ft

$0.54

$1.08

Flower in a pot (Sarah again)

$1.50

$1.50

Cup of water (Sarah again again)

Inclined plane (Mrs. Harlan)

Tennis ball (Holly)

Wind-up toy (Zach)

1
1

A piece of wood (Mrs. Harlan)

$0.00
$2.98

Total Cost
$0.19
$14.92

$0.00
$0.00
$2.98

8. Making a model or prototype

In the space below, document (using digital pictures) your construction of the
model/prototype. Be sure to include a picture of the final model/prototype.
Construction in Process

Construction in Process

Construction in Process

Final Product

9. Testing and Evaluating the Design, using specifications

As you create your solution, you will perform tests to make sure that the solution is
meeting the needs of the given problem. If your solution does not work, you may need
to repeat the previous steps of the Engineering Design Process, until you find a
functional design. In the space below, document the type of tests you conducted and the
results.
Test Performed
Wind-up toy pushing the
dominoes

Pulley system pushing cup down

and wood up

The ball falling down the inclined

plane to raise the flag

Test Results
The dominoes pushed each other down the line and
went off the edge where we needed them to go

The domino alone is not strong enough to push the

wood up.

The ball to doesnt have enough weight to pull the flag

up

10.Refining the Design

Based on your tests, what design refinements should be made to the prototype to
ensure that it can satisfy all of the criteria and constraints of the design problem.
we changed a lot; we made a fluid technology of a car traveling down another inclined
plane to pull the bolt out from under the tennis ball to make that go down another
inclined plane. And we pushed a closed water nootle off of the table by having the ball tap
it, and we had the whined up car go and cut a rope t4hat had a knife tapped to the back
of it, pulling the flag up with a pulley system and a weight on the other end of the rope.

11.Creating or making it
Modify your model/prototype to incorporate the design refinements you identified in
section 10. Document the construction of the model/prototype. Be sure to include
sketches/pictures as appropriate.
Construction in Process

Construction in Process

Construction in Process

Final Product

12.Communicating processes and results

a. Demonstrate the operation of your Rube Goldberg device to the class. As part of
your demonstration, describe the steps involved and point out the core technologies
& simple machines used in your device.
b. Time Required to complete the task: _________ min. and _______ sec.
c. In the table below, describe each subsystem & list the core technologies or simple
machines used.
Subsystem
Core Technology or Simple
Machine Used
Wind-up car
Mechanical Technology
knocking waterbottle down and pulling wood and Mechanical Technolgy
wood up
car filled with water rolling down the ramp
Fluid technology
Inclined plane
Inclined plane
Inclined plane
Structural technology
Water bottle
Fluid technology
raising the flag with weight on the other end
Pulley System
Cutting the rope with the knife
Structural Technology

d.
Final Cost Estimation and Comparison
Using the material type and cost data in your design brief, estimate the final cost of your
device.
Material Used
Flag

Qty
1

Cost Per Unit

$0.00

Total Cost
$0.00

car

$0.00

$0.00

Rope

$0.00

$0.00

inclined plane

$0.00

$0.00

Cup of water

$0.00

$0.00

Inclined Plane #2

$0.00

$0.00

Tennis Ball

$0.00

$0.00

Wind-up car with knife

$0.00

$0.00

Piece of wood

$0.00

$0.00

Total

$0.00

Predicted Cost from Design Proposal

$0.00

Difference (Final Cost Predicted Cost)

$0.00

Percent Difference (Final Cost Predicted Cost)/(Final Cost) x 100

$0.00
e.
Mechanical Advantage Calculation
To meet specifications, your final device should have included at least 2 simple machines.
Examine one of the simple machines used in your device and calculate the mechanical
advantage (MA) it creates. Be sure to show all your work and the actual measurements you
obtained from your device. Refer to the mechanical advantage worksheet we went over in
class for examples of how to calculate MA for various simple machines.
Category

Below Average

Average

Excellent

Define
Problem

Rephrases the
problem with
limited clarity.

Develops a problem statement that

includes the who, what, when, and
how the problem will be addressed.
Recorded in the Engineering Folio
or EDJ.

Develops a problem statement that is clearly

and precisely stated. The problem statement
includes the who, what, when, and how the
problem will be addressed. Recorded in the
Engineering Folio or EDJ.

Brainstorm
Possible
Solutions

Contributes few or
implausible ideas.

Contributes a series of plausible

ideas, which are recorded in the
Engineering Folio or EDJ.

Contributes multiple plausible ideas, which

are expanded upon to show understanding of
the concept. All notes are recorded in the
Engineering Folio or EDJ.

Research
Ideas/ Explore
Possibilities

Contributes ideas,
but without
documented
research. Produces
incomplete
sketches.

Specify
Constraints
and Identify
Criteria

Does not identify

the criteria and/or
fails to specify
constraints.

Clearly identifies the criteria and

specifies the constraints listed in
the design specifications. All notes
are recorded in the Engineering
Folio or EDJ.

Consider
Alternative
Solutions

Inadequate
analysis of a
variety of possible
solutions.

Satisfactorily analyzes a variety of

possible solutions, based on
research and the relationship of
those designs to the criteria and
constraints. All notes are recorded
in the Engineering Folio or EDJ.

Select an
Approach

Selection of
solution is not
justified based on
consideration of
criteria and
constraints.

Selects and justifies a promising

solution based on the problem
statement as well as the criteria
and constraints. Uses some type of
evaluation method to determine
the final design. All notes are
recorded in the Engineering Folio or
EDJ.

Develop a
Written Design
Proposal

Design proposal is
inadequate and
lacking pertinent
information.

Make a Model
or Prototype

The model or
prototype meets
the task criteria to
a limited extent.

Test and
Evaluate

Testing and
evaluation

Contributes several additional

plausible ideas and includes
documented research. Produces
accurate conceptual models to
show the design concepts. All notes
are recorded in the Engineering
Folio or EDJ.

Design proposal contains the who,

what, when, where, and how the
solution will be developed as well
as how the solution will be
evaluated and what tests will be
conducted to determine success.
Includes annotated sketches,
notes, and technical drawings.
Recorded in the Engineering Folio
or EDJ.
The model or prototype is neatly
developed to meet the problem
statement and the given criteria
and constraints. A record of the
construction process can be found
in the Engineering Folio or EDJ.
Testing and evaluation processes
are defined in the Design Proposal

Contributes many additional plausible ideas

and with clearly documented research.
Produces accurate conceptual models to show
the design concepts with annotated sketches.
All notes are recorded in the Engineering Folio
or EDJ.
Clearly identifies the criteria and specifies the
constraints that are listed in the design
specifications and some that are not but
pertain to their suggested design. All notes
are recorded in the Engineering Folio or EDJ.
Did not enter the research phase with a
preconceived idea of the final design.
Satisfactorily analyzes a variety of possible
solutions, based on research and the
relationship of those designs to the criteria
and constraints. All notes are recorded in the
Engineering Folio or EDJ.
Selects and thoroughly justifies a promising
solution based on the problem statement,
criteria, and constraints as well as evidence
collected through research. Uses some type
of evaluation method to determine the final
design. All notes are recorded in the
Engineering Folio or EDJ.

Design proposal is written technically and

precisely and contains the who, what, when,
where, and how the solution will be
developed as well as how the solution will be
evaluated and what tests will be conducted to
determine success. Includes annotated
sketches, notes, and technical drawings.
Recorded in the Engineering Folio or EDJ.

The model or prototype is neatly and

precisely developed to meet the problem
statement and the given criteria and
constraints. A record of the construction
process can be found in the Engineering Folio
or EDJ.
Testing and evaluation processes are clearly
defined in the Design Proposal and align to

processes are
inadequate.

and align to the problem

statement. The data collected
during evaluation can be used to
improve the design. All notes are
recorded in the Engineering Folio or
EDJ.

the problem statement. The data collected

during evaluation is clearly documented and
can be used to improve the design. All notes
are recorded in the Engineering Folio or EDJ.

Refine/
Improve

Refinement based
on testing and
evaluation is not
evident.

Refinements were made from data

collected during testing and
evaluation. Data-driven decision
making is clearly evident, and the
solution has improved based on
testing. All notes are recorded in
the Engineering Folio or EDJ.

Refinements were made from data collected

during testing and evaluation. Data-driven
decision making is clearly evident and
documented. Refinements to the solution are
clearly documented, and the solution has
improved based on testing. All notes are
recorded in the Engineering Folio or EDJ.

Create/
Make Product

Finished solution
(product) fails to
meet specifications.

Finished solution (product) aligns to

the design proposal and reflects the
Engineering Design Process and
includes evidence of refinement
based on testing and evaluation of
the design. The process(es) used to
create the product are recorded in
the Engineering Folio or EDJ.

Finished solution (product) aligns to the

design proposal and reflects the Engineering
Design Process and includes evidence of
refinement based on testing and evaluation of
the design. The solution (product) is well
constructed and easily meets the problem
statement. The process(es) used to create
the product are recorded in the Engineering
Folio or EDJ.

Communicate
Results

Solution presented
with limited
accuracy. Limited
supporting
evidence on how
the solution meets
the task criteria.

Solution is presented accurately

and precisely using the Engineering
Folio or the EDJ. The Engineering
Design Process is well documented,
with supporting evidence. All
information aligns to how the
solution meets the problem
statement as well as the criteria
and constraints.

Solution is presented accurately and precisely

using the Engineering Folio or the EDJ. The
Engineering Design Process is well
documented, with supporting evidence. All
information aligns to how the solution meets
the problem statement as well as the criteria
and constraints. A more formal
presentation/showcase was developed to
support the solution.