All questions submitted must be in a form that can be answered by a "yes" or "no." All questions must be postmarked on or before Friday January 16, 1998. Any questions regarding the contest rules or problem statement must be submitted by e-mail or in writing to:
 

1. If our system has three motors can a battery pack with three batteries be used to power the individual motors as needed?

   No. A motor may receive power only from a single battery. A motor may not be connected to more than one battery.
    

2. Is there a limit to the number of motors you can use in your design?

   No.
    

3. Plexiglas sold as 1/4" is actually 0.236". Is this the actual thickness of the widgets?

   We will use Plexiglas that is sold as 1/4". The exact thickness is not and will not be specified.
    

4. Can the box used to hold the system be incorporated into the design?

   No.
    

5. Is there a limit to the size that the system has to operate within?

   No.
    

6. Can anything be placed under the Plexiglas covering the pitcher before the widgets are released?

   Yes, provided you maintain a 2 to 5 cm height clearance between your entire system and the pitcher/cover. The judges will release the widgets at a height 2 to 5 cm above your system at the horizontal location you specify.
    

7. Given item #2 in the problem statement concerning the motors, batteries and power source constraints, can batteries be used to power anything other than the motors (e.g., a logic circuit)?

   A single motor may be powered only by a single battery. Additional AA batteries may be used for other purposes (control electronic, sensors, etc.), provided the battery energy is not used to actuate the system. Any active system actuation must be provided by the motors.
    

8. Can we drill holes into the receiving boxes?

   No.  You may not alter or damage the receiving boxes.
    

9. Can we attach the receiving boxes to our system or do they have to be able to be removed from the system without taking the system apart?

   The receiving boxes will be provided before you begin assembly, and they must be returned (unaltered) immediately after your run is completed.
    

10. Are there any constraints on the widget release height?

    
     
    The widgets will be released 2 to 5 cm above a specified point on your system (see Q&A # 6).  This is the only constraint on the widget release height.
     

11. Will the widgets be provided by the contest hosts or must each team provide its own widgets?

    
     
    The widgets will be provided by the judging team and must be returned undamaged after
    use.
     

12. The rules state that timing stops when the last widget stops moving in the receiving boxes.  Must all of motors and mechanisms in the system stop running at that time as well?

    
     
    No.
     

13. Can we use a tank of water in our system?

    Yes, if the widgets do not get wet and if you don't violate any rules in the problem statement and updates.  The widgets must end the run in the same condition as at the start (no significant damage, dry, no residue, etc.).
     

14. Can any part of the system be in or attached to the receiving bins?

    Yes, provided that after your run the bins are in the same condition as at the start (undamaged, no residue, etc.).
     

15. In regards to Q&A # 7, can a control system receive power from more than one battery or must it run on 1.5 volts?

    Multiple batteries may be used.
     

16. Will it be possible to change battery sources to a motor through the use of circuitry in mid-operation provided the motor never receives power from more than one batteries at one time?

    No.  A motor may receive power from only a single battery.
     

17. Will the widgets be expected to end up at the same height in which they enter the machine?

    No.  The widgets should end up in the bins which lie on the contest surface.
     

18. Will the widgets be opaque or transparent?

    This is not specified, so your system should be able to process widgets of any color and of any degree of opacity.
     

19. Will the edges of the widgets be smooth or rough?

    The widgets will either be cut on a mill or sanded after being saw cut; therefore, the edges will be relatively smooth.
     

20. Regarding Q&A #15, can sources of energy other than batteries (e.g., compressed air) be used to operate sensors and other non actuating devices?

    
     
    No.  The only sources of energy allowed in your system are the AA batteries.
     

21. Do the batteries have to be the Radio Shack brand specified or can they be from other manufacturers as long as they are AA 1.5 Volts?

    
     
    You must use the Radio Shack Alkaline Enercell 1.5V AA batteries which will be provided at the contest.  Each team will be provided with one set of new batteries, where a "set" is the number required to operate your system.

22. Can the box used to hold the system have a lid and can it be made out of any material?

23. Any box may be used, with or without a lid, provided the box is rigid.  The box must have inside dimensions no larger than 16x16x32 cm and the system must fit entirely within these dimensions.
     
24. Can I use circuitry to increase the voltage and current to a motor?

• Yes, provided the circuitry is passive.  All energy received by a motor must originate from a single AA battery.

24. Will the surface the machine sits on be smooth (i.e., a table top or tiled floor, etc)?

• The contest surface can be any flat, firm, and relatively smooth surface (e.g., table top, tiled floor, plywood, etc.).

25. If there is a wireless remote control used to turn the motor(s) on, must it be placed inside the pre-assembly box even though it is infrared and wireless?

25. Yes.  See Item 3 in the Problem Statement.

26. Can we use solenoids to activate mechanical gates to sort the widgets?

• No.  Per item 2 in the problem statement, all system actuation must be provided by the dc motor(s).

27. Can you use an electromagnet to open and close a metal door?

• No.  See update Q&A # 26.

28. Are the widgets allowed to stack up in a receiving box even if a widget ends up above the top plane of the box?

• Yes.

29. Do the widgets have to be resting on the bottom of the bin?

• For a widget to be counted as successfully separated, it must be in contact with the inside of a receiving box or be on top of a widget pile within the receiving box.

30. Do all of the motors in the system have to be turned on with a single switch?

• No, but they all have to be turned on when the widgets are released.

31. Can you sort the widgets using only gravity?

• Yes.

32. Can you use a "funnel" to align the widgets into a device for separation?

• Yes.

33. Can we modify our system between trials or before a run-off?

• Yes.

34. Can we use multiple motors to drive a single gear train, as long as each motor is powered by a single, separate battery?

• Yes.

35. Can the widgets still be touching a part of the system after they have been separated into the receiving bins?

• Yes.

36. Can tape be used to assemble the system and/or to attach the system to the contest surface?

• Yes, provided no significant residue is left behind on the surface.  Also, the tape will be considered to be part of your system, so it must be contained within the pre-assembly box.

37. This is an update from the contest committee:

• At the contest, batteries will be provided only for the motors in your system.  You will have to provide the batteries used for other purposes (e.g., control electronics).  It is important that you specify the number of motors in your system on the "Letter of Intent to Enter" form so the contest coordinators will know how many batteries will be required.

38. With regard to requirement #2 in the design problem statement, will the widgets be considered "falling masses"?

37. No.  The widgets are not considered to be part of your system.

39. Can a strip of electrical tape be placed on the widgets prior to putting them into the 2 1/4 quart pitcher?

• No.

40. Can widgets be modified in a non permanent fashion prior to system starting?

• No.

41. Does the system have to contain a motor and a battery?

• No.  See Update Q&A #'s 7, 17, 31 and 38.

42. Can a single battery be used to provide energy to both a motor and a logic control circuit?

• Yes. However, Update Q&A #'s 1, 7, 15 and 16 still hold.

43. Does Update Q&A # 26 prohibit the use of a solenoid to control the release of potential energy, if that energy was previously stored or subsequently restored (within the separation time) by a motor?

• Yes.  All active battery-powered motion must be provided by the motor(s).  Therefore, solenoids may not be used for any purpose.

44. Does Update Q&A #30 prohibit the use of a control circuit to turn motors on and off during the separation process?

• No.  Update Q&A #30 only applies to switches that are "turned on" manually when the widgets are released.

45. Please describe the word "attached" that appears in Item # 4 of the Problem Statement.

• The Rubbermaid drawer organizer box has a lip on one of its long sides that allows it to "attach" to an adjacent box.  The "good" and "bad" boxes must be adjacent and connected ("attached").

46. Can permanent magnets be used for passive purposes?

• Yes, provided there isn't a significant net change in magnetic potential energy (for any individual magnet).  If you have a magnet that does much work or is used to actively actuate part of your system, and if the energy used is not restored before completing the separation, you will be disqualified.

47. Do the receiving boxes have to be fully attached on the long side, or can they partially attached where only some of the lip of one box is attached to the other?

• They must be fully attached.