Presented by Bill Nelson
Read instructions to make sure your building is correct
Use the National website
A- Boomilever:
Load divided by mass (load/mass)
Use the school’s wrestling scale
Most efficient - lightest mass apparatus that carries the most load or weight (note: apparatus doesn’t
have to carry the full load to win)
a- Test platform:
Mounting plate 20x 30 cm ½’’ thick plywood
b- Impound: (check in devices so they can’t/won’t be touched by anybody, including the participating student)
1 hr. time period to check the apparatus in
bring apparatus and weigh it
impound goggles if not needed for a different event to make sure the student has them
(they won’t be allowed to walk back out to get them if they forget to bring them)
impound voucher if competing as a medaling event for your team so the voucher is with
the apparatus when the event begins.
If something does happen (dropped and broken) they can fix it until the end of impound time
Anyone can impound an apparatus (apparatus needs to have identification on it - NAME &
TEAM #)
Impound is for all building events
c- Problems/Issues
No help from “peanut gallery”, student has to know how to do it
Once the apparatus is picked up- no one can tell the kid what to do make checklist so they don’t
forget something
Blocks don’t fit
Boomilever pulls away form mounting bracket
Need to be wearing the right safety equipment
Be careful with how you glue things (don’t want globs of glue as it adds mass)
d- Safety Glasses
Insignia- Z87 code- sufficient for events (must have side shields)
For kids with glasses get the chemical goggles
Must have safety goggles with them when they enter the event (best if they can impound them with the apparatus)
e- Wood
Balsa wood- if you want it to carry a load, you want the grain to be vertical - not
horizontal
f- Gluing – be careful when gluing - you don’t want globs of glue because glue adds to mass
g- New Event in future - Beam (trial event)
Sat, Oct 27
Build attachments to specs using rules
Glue is important (light weight, heavy strength)
Boomilever brakes can still win work on ratios
Balsa wood works best - Pitsco, hobby stores (Hobby Lobby or Destination Hobby on Riverdale
frontage road), craft stores
Part of 8th grade core to build a structure that supports a weight
Tower:
Loading block is the same 50 cm
Efficiency is goal - maximize strength to minimum weight
Give kids rules, wood, glue and let them test (for practice)
Understand weight efficiency - can still win even if tower breaks
Science Olympiad San Francisco, Oct 6, 2007
Session #3: TOWER BUILDING (B Event) Notes from Andy Pollaehne
Design and build the lightest tower with the highest structural efficiency, capable of supporting a load of up to 15 Kg.
Things to do to improve score:
Distribute the weight evenly on the top and bottom of the tower.
Keep the top as level as possible
Keep a log or journal of tower building and testing. This will be used to break a tie if towers are
otherwise equal.
Load sand into bucket evenly and with a slow pour, no dumping.
Use a hobby saw or razor saw with a miter box. (Better than a Exacto knife for less damage to
balsa wood)
Work on wax paper to prevent too much sticking.
Let students use wood glue on practice towers but for final tower use super glue for extra weight
savings. (Just a minute dab will do it)
Photocopy one side of the tower, then replicate that side if a successful compression test can be
performed. Use as a guide for the other sides
Before making a tower practice making joints. Making joints with no
gaps, and as little glue as possible.
Use the thinnest wood that you dare to use.
Construction:
Loading block= 5.0 cm x 5.0 cm x 2.0 cm
Loading block will be a minimum of 50.0 cm above testing platform.
Loading block will be centered in tower.
The portion of the tower more than 30 cm above the testing platform
must pass thru a 8.0 cm diameter hole or opening. (New for this year)
Testing platform will be a flat surface with a 20.0 cm x 20.0 cm
square opening.
Scoring:
Structural Efficiency = Load Supported (grams) / Mass of Tower (grams)
First Tier = Meet all specs
Second Tier = DO NOT meet one or more specs.
Third Tier = Cannot be tested for any reason, ranked by lower mass.
Ties broken in favor of lighter tower. Remaining ties will be broken by
team’s log of prior tests and building.
Websites with good ideas for Tower Building:
http://www.soinc.org/events/towers/Tower_Checklist_2007.pdf
Use the above checklist with 2008 changes
http://www.soinc.org/events/wrightstuff/glueweight.htm
Good for learning weight reduction techniques.
http://www.soinc.org/events/towers/TowerBuilding_LogSuggestions.pdf
Good log for Tower Building.
http://www.specializedbalsa.com/products/index.php
A source for balsa wood
http://www.midwestproducts.com/
A source for balsa wood
http://www.zimsweb.com/balsa/information/info.htm
Hobbytown USA in Orem Utah has hobby knives and saws for cutting balsa.
Boomilever Notes from Trish Wade
Coaches Conference in San Francisco
Built from wood and glue
Use balsa
Pay attention to the grain of the wood
1st tier is based on structural efficiency – THE BOOMILEVER CAN BREAK & STILL WIN
See link on www.soinc.org for boomilever websites
type of glue will make a difference & will depend on the materials being used
experiment with types of glue & try diluting glue
longer pieces of balsa are stronger than short pieces glued together
You will need to incorporate some kind of structural support (like the arm of a crane).
The presenter for this event was not experienced in building boomilevers, so I did not get a lot of information. I think the web sites are probably a good resource for this event.
Trajectory (B):
Fri, Oct 26 Science Olympiad Teacher Training Camp
Presented by Wayne Sumner (Utah event coordinator
Write down procedure step-by-step and use that procedure each and every timeAttach the step-by-step process to the built device so that when kids get nervous they can still
remember how to work things (GOOD ADVICE FOR ANY BUILDING EVENT)
The elevated target is in front of the target on the ground
Choose a flexible (elastic) material that you won’t come close to breaking -
a material that’s very consistent.
Building materials need to be well within their elastic limit
Types of materials that work:
Fiber glass is a more consistent non-metallic elastic solid (use an old fishing pole)
Use of gravity in any way will disqualify
Sat, Oct 27
Lowest score possible
Make sure that you have good graphs and tables to show what your machine can do
Build early & practice a lot
Keep results
Keep everything in your imaginary box 80x80x80
You can’t touch your machine to keep it from moving
Bring your own ball
Non- metal elastic materials work best (want a consistent draw back strength)
Science Olympiad San Francisco, Oct 5, 2007
Session #1: TRAJECTORY (B Event) Notes from Andy Pollaehne
A rubber band powered catapult, ballista or gun.
This is being judged like golf, lowest point total wins.
Launcher will be placed in a 1 meter by 1.5 meter rectangle. All parts of the launcher including rubber bands must stay in this area.
The launcher itself must fit into a cube 80 cm x 80 cm x 80 cm. During
firing the launcher can extend out of this cube but must return to its
beginning size on its own.
Weights can be used to stabilize the launcher but they must also fit inside
the 80 cm^3 volume.
The projectile will be a hollow, pliable ball between 3cm and 9cm in
diameter. (Tennis Ball works well)
A remote trigger is required; it can be mechanical or electrical but not wireless.
Targets are in a straight line in front of launcher the first target will be elevated. It could be elevated as much as one meter. The targets are 1 meter wide, and can be placed at distances between 2 m to 8 m and at increments of 1 meter.
Each team will have a total of 10 minutes to:
Place launching device in launch area.
Check the launch distances and complete 4 shots.
Two shots per target area.
The time to measure each shot will not be deducted from the allotted
10 minutes.
The students must inform the event supervisor which target they are aiming
for before shooting.
Missing the close target will mean an automatic 700 mm penalty.
Missing the far target will be measured to the closest mm for center.
Lack of Graphs and Tables will count as 400 points added to scores.
Each graph that is properly labeled and prepared is a hundred point
reduction.
-20 pts for completed data table
-20 pts for completed graph
-20 pts for data table matching graph
-40 pts for being properly labeled
Each graph could be for a different variable (I.E. Angle of
Declination, Rubber band position, Short distances, long
distances, etc )
Partial credit may be given.
Ranking by tier
First tier- hit both targets
Second Tier- hit one target
Third Tier- hit no targets
Fourth Tier- Device did not meet specifications
Trajectory Notes from Sharon Miya
from Coaches Clinic in San Francisco
Landing area can be square or circular w/elevated target in front of the target that is ground level
Must have a remote launch trigger
Rubber bands, bungee cords, and surgical tubing are the only things that can be used to launch ball
Teams bring their own ball to the competition
One of the major challenges is device stability; students need to make device very stable so it doesn’t leave marked launch area; limit recoil
Must be able to adjust launch angle and there should be angle markings on the device
Also can look at pulling rubber bands to different lengths to adjust launch energy
Accuracy on the ground level target is most important. If students miss the first target the score is a maximum number. A miss on the ground target is measured and that is the score.
Rubber bands can’t come off and fly out of marked area or device will be disqualified
If a counter balance is used it cannot aide in propulsion, but only help return the device to the original position
Trigger from straight behind to avoid changing angle of device
This even needs a high ceiling
Use a material in the targets that will clearly show where the ball lands initially (fine sand)
PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE