Balsa Wood Bridge Challenge

Objective: The city of Fall River needs a new bridge. Your company must submit a proposal in order to get the contract to build the real bridge. In order for you to get the contract you must build a model bridge using nothing but Balsa wood and glue following all rules of the project. Efficiency and total cost will determine if you are the company that earns the contact. Build the strongest bridge for the lowest cost and you will earn the contract. Framework Objective: 2.E Demonstrate and apply manufacturing process management techniques. 2.E.01c Identify customer needs. 2.E.02c Identify resources needed (supplies, personnel, equipment). 2.E.03c Identify and create/provide needed standard operational procedures (SOPs). 2.E.04c Monitor process using process control data. 2.E.05c Explain inventory control and the implications to production and performance. 2.E.06c Test product to verify that it meets customer specifications, regulations, etc. 2.E.07c Demonstrate process used to document and ensure compliance. 2.E.08c Insure timely delivery of product to customer.

The project contains 4 sections

1. Introduction and explanation. This will include a classroom discussion, demonstrations, question and answers session and reading the entire project to make sure all students understand what is expected of them. All teams will come up with a company name following ALL school rules. 2. Research and Design All students will perform online research regarding top built Truss Bridges. After research is completed, the student(s) will select a specific bridge type. Provide concrete reasons for selecting this particular design. Draw design to scale.

3. Construction All teams (or individuals) will build their bridge during class time or after school under teacher supervision. No team can begin building until their drawing has been approved by the Building Inspector (i.e. The teacher) During the construction phase you will need to buy supplies and rent equipment in order for you to complete your construction. You are responsible for keeping track of all costs. Your final cost must match the supply companies totals or points will be deducted. Finally, a daily work log will be kept detailing your progress. This should be available for inspection and up to date at all times. Your log will be passed in for inspection at the end of the project. 4. Testing and Final report due The final section will have all completed bridges tested for strength. After testing, teams will complete the required math work, and compile their final proposals to be passed in no later then the final day of this project. Any team passing their proposal in late will have points deducted from their overall grade. 5pts for every day late.

Code of Ethics
No team shall bother another team No team shall leave their area messy No team shall build a bridge that does not follow the rules. No team/person shall be loud or boisterous No team/person shall wander around looking for ideas from other teams. No team/person shall handle another teams materials, paperwork, drawings, bridge, etc etc. Breaking any of these rules will results in a deduction from the overall grade. Continued disturbances will result in disciplinary action.

Vocabulary
What is Tension? What is Torsion? What is Compression? What is Bending? What is Shearing? What is Load and how does it affect different structures?

Approved websites for Research

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/buildingbig/bridge/basics.html http://www.buzzle.com/articles/truss-bridge-design.html http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Truss_bridges http://science.howstuffworks.com/engineering/civil/bridge3.htm If a student wishes to use another website during class time, please speak with the teacher. That way the site can be added to the above list so everyone can benefit.

Drawing Rules
After completing your research you will create a drawing showing exactly the bridge you have chosen to build. 1. The drawing will show four (4) views of the bridge to scale. a. Side View b. Top View c. Front View d. Road Bed View 2. The drawing must be neat and accurate (1/4 tolerance). You will be using this drawing to build your bridge. Once your drawing is complete you must have it approved by the Building Inspector. YOU MAY NOT CHANGE YOUR DRAWING once you start building. If you do, you must have it re-inspected and approved again.

Construction
1. Your only materials are balsa and glue, both provided by the teacher. 2. You May Not use the glue to reinforce the balsa in any way. You may only use the glue to connect/bond/join the wood together at the ends. 3. When the bridge is complete it must rest on the testing device. 4. The bridge must be at least three (3) times the height of the vehicles. 5. The bridge must allow two (2) vehicles to cross on their own lane. (Teacher will provide the car) 6. The bridge will be self contained. Meaning you should be able to pick up the entire bridge in one piece without having to assemble anything after moving it. 7. All wood is cut using the teacher supplied wood cutters. 8. There are no parallel glued pieces.
ANYONE NOT FOLLOWING THE SAFETY RULES WILL LOSE ACCESS TO ALL SCHOOL SUPPLIED TOOLS FOR THE ENTIRE PROJECT.

Running the Business

Using the provided price list all companies will either rent or purchase their supplies when needed. Each company will keep track of all purchases and keep a running total of dollars spent. Hint: If you design your bridge upfront using the design process you should be able to buy in bulk to save money. Also, renting the wood cutters is expensive, try making all cuts at once.

Testing
The bridge will be placed on the testing template and checked for the following rules. 1) Is the bridge long enough? 2) Is the bridge wide enough? 3) Is the bridge tall enough? If the bridge passes all of these rules, then it will be tested. If it does not pass the above list, it will not. See Rubric for scoring. 4) Does the bridge match the drawings? (minor differences will be allowed. Entirely different design will not) Weight of Structure = _______________________ Load held = ______________________________ Efficiency = (Load x 4.45) / Weight of structure Efficiency = _______________________________

Proposal Contents
Will contain the following parts. 1. Cover page will have: Company name, Student name(s), project name, date. 2. Daily Log. 3. Bridge Type, and reason(s) for selecting this design. 4. Answers to the questions in the vocabulary. 5. Inspected drawing showing the four views of the bridge. 6. Weight of the bridge, the load it supported, along with efficiency calculation. 7. Ledger Sheet showing all expenses with the total at the bottom.

Durfee Hardware Supply

Note: Prices are posted daily and are subject to change 1 balsa stick $10000 4 sticks $39500 8 sticks $78500 Rental 1 pencil - $250 1 cup of glue - $500 1 wood cutter rental - $5000 per class

Example Ledger

Date 2/10/11 2/11/11 2/12/11

Product 1 Balsa Stick 4 Balsa Sticks Wood Cutter rental

Price 10000 39500 5000

Total 10000 49500 53500 53500

Example Daily Log

date 2/08/11 2/09/11 2/10/11 2/11/11

Entry Researched Truss Bridges on pbs and wikipedia site Created drawing Drawing inspected and passed, bought 1 stick of balsa Had to change drawing. Drawing changed approved, bought remaining needed balsa.

Balsa Wood Bridge Project Rubric

Points
Daily Log Completely filled out

5
Missing a few days

3
Only half the days are filled out

2
Only a few days are filled out. Wrong name given for bridge type selected with no reason or any solution. Less than half answered and/or more than half wrong. Messy, not accurate, does not match bridge. Failed three rules Wrong values given and no work done.

1
No Log

Bridge Type/ Reason given

Bridge Type selected with proper name given along with reasons.

Bridge type selected with proper name given but reason wasnt clear. All answered but some were wrong.

Bridge type selected with proper name given but no reason stated.

Not Done

Vocabulary

All answered and all correct.

All answered but most were wrong.

Not Done

Drawing

Accurate, neat, matches bridges perfectly.

Neat, matches but not perfect.

Neat does not match bridge at all.

No Drawing

Constructio n Rules

Met all constructio n rules Correct values given, all work completed and correct. Correct

Failed one rule

Failed two rules

Bridge Unacceptabl e No work done, no values done.

Efficiency numbers and Calculation s

All work completed but mistakes present

Values given but no work done.

Budget

All work

Values given

Wrong

No work

Details and total

values given, all work completed and correct. All parts present

completed but mistakes present

but no work done.

values given and no work done.

done, no values done.

Final Report

One part missing

Two parts missing

Three parts missing

Four or more parts missing

Final Grade 40 points possible Total Points Earned: _____ _________

A = 40-36

B = 35 -32

C = 3128

D = 27 24

F = < 23