Blog Entry 6 + Practical 4

Time flies like an arrow… and now we are at week 13. 

For this lesson, we started on Topic 7: Operating Principles & Mechanisms. In this lesson, we learnt that there are six essential mechanisms, they are: 

1. Actuator 

2. Cams 

3. Gears

4. Lever 

5. Ratchets 

6. Springs 

After we learnt the theoretical knowledge, we were tasked to design a ping pong ball launcher, using one or more of the mechanisms we just learnt.

This is my group's design. Yes, I know you are confused. Let me explain how it works.

My group decided that we use spring, which is a very common item. Where is the spring? you may ask.

The spring is located in the barrel. When the handle is pulled, the spring is stretched. The elastic potential energy is converted to kinetic energy, which propels the ball forward, and out of the barrel 

Now let's move on to the pièce de résistance, PRACTICAL 4!!!!! 

For Practical 4, we were tasked to design a marble run machine, using one of the mechanisms we learnt in week 13, as well as include cardboard joineries we used in Practical 2. During our brainstorming process, we had the idea of a competition, to attract people to play, since people enjoy winning right.  

This was the design we come out with (uhhhh, i know my sketch does't do it justice) 

After we had the sketch, we moved on the cutting the parts required 

       

On the actual day of the practical, we assembled the parts we all cut. Looking at the machine slowly coming together is so nice. We started off with making the slopes for the marble to roll out when it drops during the game. Then, we moved on to assembling the parts we all previously cut.

ANDDDDD we are done!!!!!😀😀😀

I proudly present, the making of our marble run machine!!!!! 

Practical 4 allowed me to play with cardboadrd, again! But compared to Practical 2, I had so much more fun in this practical. Maybe because I already had experience with cardboard. I also had the chance of applying what I've learnt previously, it made me appreciate my learning even more. I think I enjoyed this practical more because I get to play with the machine at the end hehe. Although there were a few hiccups during the practical, such as the initial slope being too small and the paper was not able to stick evenly on the board, but we all overcome it as a group, teamwork makes the dream work i guess.

Before I end, lemme tell yall a short story. Okay, so while my group was happily designing our machine, we realised we completely forgot about mechanism, and yes we didn't include any. That's the end of my story, thank you.