RUBE GOLDBERG MACHINE
What does our Rube Goldberg Machine do?
A Rube Goldberg Machine is a complicated multi-step machine built in order to complete a simple task. Our machine, with the theme construction, had an end goal to put the final nail into a house. The first step on our machine was an elevated plane with dominoes that progressed in size. When the last domino fell it hit the hammer that we constructed from two pieces of wood that was our wheel and axel. Then the hammer fell and hit a small metal marble. The marble then rolled down a ramp and into a tube. From the tube it fell onto our longest ramp which was also a tape measure. Once it was off of the tape measure it want onto a flat ramp where it rolled in to a funnel, then fell into a cup. With the weight of the marble in the cup it pulled down on a pulley system raising the other end pushing another marble forward. The marble then goes into a screw that spits it out onto another ramp where it creeps slowly then falls into a cup on a lever. The cup is lowered because of the weight and the other end lifts a door releasing a large ball. The ball then rolls into a real hammer which is pushed and hammers in the last nail in one hit. All of the calculations of the steps are a little further down.
What I Learned
This project was one big learning experience. One the the first and most frustrating things that I/we learned was that what you put on blueprint will not magically fall onto the board just as planned... We also had the issue of having limited materials to work with, whatever wood we had, that was it. It caused us to have to settle with certain pieces of wood that were harder or maybe less aesthetically pleasing. But in the end, that didn't matter. Just like many other kids going onto STEM I thought that I was good at collaboration. That thought was soon destroyed as multiple mini squabbles arose between me and a group member. Throughout most of the project we continued to butt heads on many aspects of our machine. In the end, we both worked things out and I feel that we now are fairly good friends after just figuring out how we work as students. Overall I feel that I have grown quite a bit in this one project. Being the first large project that I had done in high school, that was expected. Now I know what I need to work on in the future.
Construction Log
Prep Days
Day 1: We started on the blueprint and figured out the theme.
Day 2: We made a rough sketch of our blueprint.
Day 3: We finalized the blueprint and checked in with Mr. Williams.
Build Days
Day 1: We attached legs to the board and cut the dominoes to length.
Day 2: We made the slab of wood that the dominoes will stand on, the hammer, and we made the ramp that the first marble rolls down after being struck by the hammer.
Day 3: We found and attached the pipe that the first marble falls through onto the tape measure. We also made the platform that the tape measure will rest on.
Day 4: We attached the tape measure, the platform after the tape measure, the funnel, and the pulley system.
Day 5: We attached the wood stab that holds the second marble and made a temporary screw.
Day 6: We attached the platform that the second marble will roll down after going through the screw.
Day 7: We attached a better screw (the one we are using now) and made the door contraption.
Day 8: We started on the house and attached the second hammer to the board.
Day 9: We finished the house and made some final adjustments to the board before doing a final test.
Presentation Prep Days
Day 1: We created the log and started on the final blueprint and decorations.
Day 2: We finished up the blueprint and continued with decorating. We also completed that calculations.
Calculations
Rube Goldberg Principles of Art Design
When our group was looking to choose a theme for our Rube Goldberg Machine we wanted something that would be practical and relatively simple to express. We chose the theme construction knowing the we would be able to display our theme with pattern and great contrast between the variety of the colors of the tools and the stark pale wood backdrop. The many ramps we have traversing the board gives a rhythm in the layout of our steps and movement as the steps progress downwards to the end goal. Another great purpose the ramps serve, is a way to show leading lines, drawing emphasis on the objects we want to be seen. With all of the principles of art we were able to create a unity within our project. We were able to take the knowledge we learned in class, from Ms. Kats, before the allotted build days and then, when we did start to build efficiently but them to good use in our design. Art principles apply to almost anything and everything that you want to build so when applying them to future projects we will have a better understanding each time we work on a different unit. Overall, this unit was quite stimulating, it seems relatively easy in theory but when actually applied to onto a physical structure it proved to be much more of a formidable job.
A Rube Goldberg Machine is a complicated multi-step machine built in order to complete a simple task. Our machine, with the theme construction, had an end goal to put the final nail into a house. The first step on our machine was an elevated plane with dominoes that progressed in size. When the last domino fell it hit the hammer that we constructed from two pieces of wood that was our wheel and axel. Then the hammer fell and hit a small metal marble. The marble then rolled down a ramp and into a tube. From the tube it fell onto our longest ramp which was also a tape measure. Once it was off of the tape measure it want onto a flat ramp where it rolled in to a funnel, then fell into a cup. With the weight of the marble in the cup it pulled down on a pulley system raising the other end pushing another marble forward. The marble then goes into a screw that spits it out onto another ramp where it creeps slowly then falls into a cup on a lever. The cup is lowered because of the weight and the other end lifts a door releasing a large ball. The ball then rolls into a real hammer which is pushed and hammers in the last nail in one hit. All of the calculations of the steps are a little further down.
What I Learned
This project was one big learning experience. One the the first and most frustrating things that I/we learned was that what you put on blueprint will not magically fall onto the board just as planned... We also had the issue of having limited materials to work with, whatever wood we had, that was it. It caused us to have to settle with certain pieces of wood that were harder or maybe less aesthetically pleasing. But in the end, that didn't matter. Just like many other kids going onto STEM I thought that I was good at collaboration. That thought was soon destroyed as multiple mini squabbles arose between me and a group member. Throughout most of the project we continued to butt heads on many aspects of our machine. In the end, we both worked things out and I feel that we now are fairly good friends after just figuring out how we work as students. Overall I feel that I have grown quite a bit in this one project. Being the first large project that I had done in high school, that was expected. Now I know what I need to work on in the future.
Construction Log
Prep Days
Day 1: We started on the blueprint and figured out the theme.
Day 2: We made a rough sketch of our blueprint.
Day 3: We finalized the blueprint and checked in with Mr. Williams.
Build Days
Day 1: We attached legs to the board and cut the dominoes to length.
Day 2: We made the slab of wood that the dominoes will stand on, the hammer, and we made the ramp that the first marble rolls down after being struck by the hammer.
Day 3: We found and attached the pipe that the first marble falls through onto the tape measure. We also made the platform that the tape measure will rest on.
Day 4: We attached the tape measure, the platform after the tape measure, the funnel, and the pulley system.
Day 5: We attached the wood stab that holds the second marble and made a temporary screw.
Day 6: We attached the platform that the second marble will roll down after going through the screw.
Day 7: We attached a better screw (the one we are using now) and made the door contraption.
Day 8: We started on the house and attached the second hammer to the board.
Day 9: We finished the house and made some final adjustments to the board before doing a final test.
Presentation Prep Days
Day 1: We created the log and started on the final blueprint and decorations.
Day 2: We finished up the blueprint and continued with decorating. We also completed that calculations.
Calculations
- Dominoes: Toppling = The center of mass goes outside of the base, and the object falls.
- Hammer: Wheel & Axle Mechanical Advantage; MA=distanceeffort ÷ distanceload=26cm/34cm=13/17≈0.76
- Ramp: Incline Plane MA; MA=deffort ÷ dload=25cm/5cm=5
- Tape Measure: Acceleration
- vavg=Δd/Δt=0.7m/1s = 0.7m/s
- vfinal = 2vavg = 1.4m/s a = Δv/Δt = 1.4m/s ÷ 1s = 0.7m/s2
- Pulley System: Pulley MA
- MA= # of wraps=1
- Ramp: Acceleration through MA
- MA=deffort ÷ dload=23cm/0.5cm=46
- A down ramp = A due to g/MA = 9.8m/s/s ÷ 46 = 0.2 m/s2
- Drillbit: Screw MA; MA=deffort ÷ dload=42cm/18cm=7/3≈2.3
- Long Ramp: Acceleration; a=Δd/Δt=0.56m/3.3s≈0.17m/s2
- Door: Lever MA; ,MA=d of eff. ÷ d of load=18.5cm/10.5cm≈1.76
- Big Ball Ramp: Incline Plane MA; MA= deffort ÷ dload=38cm/1cm=38
- Final Hammer: Wheel & Axle MA; MA= deffort ÷ dload=21cm/29.5cm=0.7
Rube Goldberg Principles of Art Design
When our group was looking to choose a theme for our Rube Goldberg Machine we wanted something that would be practical and relatively simple to express. We chose the theme construction knowing the we would be able to display our theme with pattern and great contrast between the variety of the colors of the tools and the stark pale wood backdrop. The many ramps we have traversing the board gives a rhythm in the layout of our steps and movement as the steps progress downwards to the end goal. Another great purpose the ramps serve, is a way to show leading lines, drawing emphasis on the objects we want to be seen. With all of the principles of art we were able to create a unity within our project. We were able to take the knowledge we learned in class, from Ms. Kats, before the allotted build days and then, when we did start to build efficiently but them to good use in our design. Art principles apply to almost anything and everything that you want to build so when applying them to future projects we will have a better understanding each time we work on a different unit. Overall, this unit was quite stimulating, it seems relatively easy in theory but when actually applied to onto a physical structure it proved to be much more of a formidable job.