Hydraulic Arm Challenge
Students design and build a mechanical arm that lifts and moves an empty 12-ounce soda can using hydraulics for power. Small design teams (1-2 students each) design and build a single axis for use in the completed mechanical arm. One team designs and builds the grasping hand, another team the lifting arm, and a third team the rotation base. The three groups must work to communicate effectively through written and verbal communication and sketches.
A student designed and built hydraulic arm.Copyright 2006 Center for Engineering Educational Outreach, Tufts University
Just like engineers, students in this activity work in teams and follow the steps of the engineering design process. Engineers develop hydraulic arms for a variety of reasons. Hydraulic arms can be used in situations that are too difficult or dangerous for people to deal with directly or in automated systems. Examples include arms that lift heavy weights and arms that hold a load and unload them into a specific position.
After this activity, students should be able to:
- Identify the steps of the engineering design process.
- Recognize the steps of the engineering design process as they design and build.
- Represent solutions to a design process in multiple ways.
- Describe and explain features and purpose of a design.
- Explain the basic concepts of hydraulic and pneumatics.