ASME Impromptu Design
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Society Sponsor: American Society of Mechanical Engineers |
OBJECTIVE:
In mechanical engineering, plastic and creepy materials have specific meanings. In this year's impromptu design competition such materials take on a special meaning as they apply to food and food-related items used as structures. This competition will provide insight into the challenge of designing with such materials.
GENERAL RULES
Each team will be given the following materials:
1 packet of marshmallows
1 packet of soda straws
2 Styrofoam cups
1 construction plywood base
The formula for success is to use the marshmallows, straws and cups to build a structure on your plywood base to hold pennies. You must use one or both cups to receive pennies. The structure will be used to position the cup or cups above the base to hold pennies. No straws may be cut, but you may push straws through any of your materials if you wish.
The scalar representing the quality of your work, the design quality, M, is given by:
Design quality M = W x D
Where
W = weight of pennies in your cup(s)
D = height of lowest point of lowest cup above the base at the end of 15 seconds when the structure has been "design loaded" with pennies.
JUDGING CRITERIA
All teams will be given the same length of time to prepare their entry. Listen to the announcer's instructions carefully for any new information or competition changes. When asked, a member of each team will bring their structure forward to the judging table, and another member will load the cup(s) with pennies and will tell the judges when the design load is achieved. Only then will the 15-second count begin. At the end of this time the judges will measure D from the lowest cup to the base, measure the weight, W, and calculate your team's M.
Highest M wins - Good Luck!
JUDGES
The ASME Impromptu Design Committee will constitute the panel of judges for the contest.
| Place | Prize |
| 1st | $75 |
| 2nd | $50 |
| 3rd | $25 |