Boot Scoot Bogey April 26, 2009 Team Members: ü Stuart Boyce ü Matt Hawkins ü Bradley Chase

Boot Scoot Bogey
   April 26, 2009

   Team Members:

   ü Stuart Boyce
   ü Matt Hawkins
   ü Bradley Chase

Abstract

       The whole point of this project was to test the principles of physics in creating a Rube

Goldberg device. In essence a Rube Goldberg device is a series of chaotic and inefficient steps

that perform a simple task. Our device was required to have at least five steps and operate in

no more than two minutes. The final step of our device was required to turn on some kind of

electrical apparatus. In the case of our device, we chose a small battery powered fan.

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Introduction

The underlying objectives behind this assignment consist of:

   •   Solve an open ended problem as a team

   •   Create a reliable, and less than functional, design to display principles of physics

   •   Have fun applying the interesting topics covered in engineering

Throughout the semester the class has learned multiple laws of physics. This final project was

designed with the intention of having the students employ all of these methods in a hands-on

lab by creating a Rube Goldberg device that would conclude with operating an electric device.

The point of creating a Rube Goldberg device is to accomplish a simple task by creating a series

of extremely complex, and inefficient steps, resulting in a very inefficient transfer of energy.

Examples of these laws include the conservation of energy, conservation of moment, center of

mass, and much more.

                                          Design Process

       Throughout the design process, our team ran into many problems. We started out by

brainstorming and making several simple sketches of what we wanted to build. Originally, we

planned on our device being much more complex and inefficient. We quickly learned that it

would be better to have a simple project that worked instead of a complex project that did not

complete the task at hand. All though our device was simple, we still faced many problems in

completing this project.

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After coming up with our plan, we went out and found as many of the supplies that we

would need. Since we had a budget we decided to make adjustments to our plan based on the

supplies that we found. Most of our supplies were found at Goodwill for a very inexpensive

price. After obtaining all of the supplies and adjusting our plan we began to construct or

apparatus. Along the way we tested various parts of our device to make sure that each step

would perform the task that it was required to do.

                                              Device

       The device, named Boot Scoot Bogey, was built out of Good Will’s wealth of various low

cost toys and gadgets. Boot Scoot Bogey was pieced together on a 2 x 2 board of wood, which

was necessary to suspend the ramps and other miscellaneous objects. It all begins with an

elegant golf ball. This ball will roll down the first ramp, and into a pivoting scoop. The ramp

was held onto the board by high strength glue, while the outside edge of the ramp was lined

with a flexible wall of duct tape, to help keep the ball rolling in a straight path. Because the ball

reached too great a velocity to properly land into the scoop, a dangling hollow boot was placed

in the path of the ball to create a small collision and reduce the ball’s forward velocity. Having

now landed in the pivoting scoop, the ball shifts the center of mass and the lever begins to drop

onto the second ramp. The ball will now roll down the second ramp, which was constructed

identical to the first, and collide with a second object. This second object, an industrial screw,

would then fall off its platform at the end of the second ramp. This industrial screw was

attached by a line of dental floss, which would transfer the tension onto the switch of our

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handheld fan, and thus operate the fan. This was done by running the dental floss around a nail

directly above the fan, such that the torque would be a in a direct and perpendicular angle.

The equations to describe Boot Scoot Bogey’s reactions are as follows:

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2 x 2 Wood board - $5

Misc. Wood - $2

Misc. Good Will items - $0.30

Hand Held Fan - $1

Screws and Nails - $2

Adhesive Materials - $3

Total Expenditures - $13.30

                                             Results

       Originally, we found it hard for our device to complete the task of turning on the fan

consistently. The problem of the ball not rolling straight on the ramp was quickly fixed by

placing multiple layers of duct tape on the sides of the ramps. The lever device also proved to

be troublesome. The lever would often come out of alignment with the board, causing excess

friction and also not allowing the ball to make proper contact with the scoop. We solved this

problem by placing a spring around the screw where the lever pivots and between the board

and the lever. This allowed the lever to stay in place when operating the device. Another

problem was that the dental floss would often come in contact with the fan blade and would

quickly cause the fan to not operate properly. This was solved by placing staples around the

dental floss so that it would stay very close to the board and not come in contact with the fan

blade. After making the necessary adjustments to our device we were confident that our

device would be successful during our presentation.

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Conclusions

       Overall, the group project was a smash success. The group flawlessly performed the

objective of creating a relatively reliable Rube Goldberg device within the given deadline. The

group members all learned the importance of working together and accomplishing tasks on

schedule, including allowing plenty of time for error. There were many problems initially, most

of which concerned the design process. There were difficulties deciding upon materials and

objectives, on top of the design itself. This group specifically was fortunate in having a wide

variety of available times to meet and discuss the project’s direction and ideas concerning what

could be done. If given a chance to re-plan this project and change details, the group as a

whole would have liked to increase the complexity of the design and more extensively test the

device before the day of the presentation. We all felt as if the Boot Scoot Bogey could have

been more extravagant; however we needed to stick to what would work reliably given the

approaching deadlines.

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