Efficiencies

[SLM]

Will there be a maximum height established? Is so, we may as well just set that as the required height, because everyone will be there anyway.

Yes, we've already thought of this issue and will have a maximum height if we go this route. I disagree that everyone 'will be there anyway', because tower weight will still be an issue, which means that the higher you go, the more you'll weigh. We are working on balancing the scoring formula to appropriately handle this tradeoff between height and weight.

The following idea does not apply to Towers, it is more related to Elevated Bridge.

Does it make sense to have the teams build a bridge that rests on a support platform and can carry the weight of a moving train consisting of one or more wagons (as illustrated below)?


This offers students an opportunity to work on a more realistic engineering problem, allows for more variations in design and creativity, and the testing platform is simple to build and relatively safe to operate. I am certain a reasonable scoring system based on weight of the bridge and the number of wagons it carries can be established.

Any thoughts?

[havenguy]

YES! We got a 21 efficiency at states and placed 6th.

To bad we didn't get our top efficiency, which was 26, which would have placed 2-4.

Lets see what we get at nationals.

[sr243]

So I found out the WI division C winner had a ratio of 44.5. That is simply amazing. I wonder what the winner for nationals will be.

[dholdgreve]

Will there be a maximum height established? Is so, we may as well just set that as the required height, because everyone will be there anyway.

Yes, we've already thought of this issue and will have a maximum height if we go this route. I disagree that everyone 'will be there anyway', because tower weight will still be an issue, which means that the higher you go, the more you'll weigh. We are working on balancing the scoring formula to appropriately handle this tradeoff between height and weight.

The following idea does not apply to Towers, it is more related to Elevated Bridge.

Does it make sense to have the teams build a bridge that rests on a support platform and can carry the weight of a moving train consisting of one or more wagons (as illustrated below)?


This offers students an opportunity to work on a more realistic engineering problem, allows for more variations in design and creativity, and the testing platform is simple to build and relatively safe to operate. I am certain a reasonable scoring system based on weight of the bridge and the number of wagons it carries can be established.

Any thoughts?

In essence, this is a buttressed type bridge, which requires virtually zero error factor from the maker of the testing apparatus. Just one mm one way or the other, and a perfectly built structure will bomb. SO has almost notoriously shied away from these in past... My guess it that won't change.

[chalker]

So I found out the WI division C winner had a ratio of 44.5. That is simply amazing. I wonder what the winner for nationals will be.

In Ohio yesterday the B winner (Solon MS) had 43.89 and the C winner (Solon HS) had 44.46. I suspect a lot of teams at Nationals are going to be in that range.

[chalker7]

So I found out the WI division C winner had a ratio of 44.5. That is simply amazing. I wonder what the winner for nationals will be.

In Ohio yesterday the B winner (Solon MS) had 43.89 and the C winner (Solon HS) had 44.46. I suspect a lot of teams at Nationals are going to be in that range.

Those scores are extremely impressive, they mean 5 gram towers held everything. I doubt a lot of teams will be in that range, but definitely the top ten.

[LKN]

Question for anyone who ideas:

Now that states are over, I have all of my balsa and bass wood left over. I plan on sorting it by measurements and densities and packing it away until next year. Any suggestions for me from someone who has done this before? Normally I just throw away the wood, but I have so much it would be a waste. On this topic:

Does storing wood for 6-10 months weaken/strengthen/affect the wood in anyway? I would expect some form of warping. I am thinking analogous to the expansions and contractions it would go under in my attic from the summer heat to the freezing winters. Anyone have any experience with this, or should I really consider pitching it and re-buying again for next year? I would also assume bass would stand better than balsa.

Thanks (I wasn't sure which thread to put this in)

[jander14indoor]

Michigan State Tournament Results:
Div B top 6: 40.1, 34.2, 32.4, 31.5, 29.2, 29.0, top two scores from teams going to nationals.
Div C top 6: 41.4, 34.4, 34.3, 33.0, 32.1, 29.8, top score is from a team going to nationals.

Jeff Anderson
Livonia, MI

[dholdgreve]

Question for anyone who ideas:

Now that states are over, I have all of my balsa and bass wood left over. I plan on sorting it by measurements and densities and packing it away until next year. Any suggestions for me from someone who has done this before? Normally I just throw away the wood, but I have so much it would be a waste. On this topic:

Does storing wood for 6-10 months weaken/strengthen/affect the wood in anyway? I would expect some form of warping. I am thinking analogous to the expansions and contractions it would go under in my attic from the summer heat to the freezing winters. Anyone have any experience with this, or should I really consider pitching it and re-buying again for next year? I would also assume bass would stand better than balsa.

Thanks (I wasn't sure which thread to put this in)

Seriously... How long ago do you think that wood was actually harvested in the forests of South America? It was most likely harvested 3 or 4 years ago, milled, dried, trimmed to sheets or sticks, containerized, shipped to the States where it sat in another warehouse for a year or so, then shipped to a Distribution Center, where it sat for 6 months, then on to a retailer, where it was placed in his rack for up to a year before you bought it, took it home and inventoried it for another 4 or 5 months... I doubt another 10 months will make much difference on the wood... Store flat, not vertical to avoid warpage... try not to store in a humid basement.

Glue, on the other hand, should not be carried from year to year... at least not the cyanacrylate type... and always buy the glue from a high volume source that you can assume turns the inventory at least 4 times a year!

[googlyfrog]

This may be a really stupid question, but what's warping?