American Society of Mechanical Engineers
1996 Student Design Contest

• Design Problem
  
  
• General Rules
  
  
• Submittal Form
  
  
• Update Form
  
  
• Update Bulletins
  • Update 1
  • Update 2
  • Update 3
    
    
• Contest Guidelines
  
  
• Prizes
  
  
  

1996 ASME STUDENT DESIGN CONTEST
Design Problem

Many manufacturing processes involve the use of hazardous liquids that require proper collection and disposal after use. A company in your area is exploring feasible options for transporting such material from a factory collection point to a disposal collection point.

The company is offering ASME Student Members the opportunity to contribute to this development by designing a model vehicle that meets the following requirements:

1. Design and develop a system capable of safely transferring 250ml (8oz) of water between two identical containers 2m (79 in) apart.
2. Initially 300ml will be in a standard 355ml (12oz) styrofoam cup, and 250 plus or minus 15ml must be transferred to the second styrofoam cup.
3. The system is to be powered by one Radio Shack DC motor, (part number 273223) and one Radio Shack AA alkaline battery (part number 23-557). No additional energy sources are permitted.
4. The complete system, in its unassembled form, must fit within a 16x16 x32 cm (6x6x12 in) box that can be assembled at the time of operation, provided that any initial preparation and the liquid transfer are completed within five minutes. The contestant is not allowed to touch the styrofoam cup at any time.
5. When the system is ready to begin the transfer, a 'go' signal will be given and the time to complete the transfer will be measured. During the transfer each and every spill of liquid will be assessed a time penalty of every five (5) seconds. A spill is defined as any liquid that ends up on the surface holding the cups.
6. The design objective is to transfer the liquid as rapidly as possible without any spills.
7. Once the system has been put into operation, no further communication of any kind is allowed to be transmitted. The system must stop automatically when the transfer is complete.
8. The entire operation must be completed within five minutes, but the winner will be determined on the basis of transfer time.

1996 ASME STUDENT DESIGN CONTEST
General Rules

1. All participants, individual or team members, must be Student Members of ASME who have not received their first engineering degree prior to the 95/96 academic year.
2. The contest is open to individuals but teams of from 2 to 4 members are encouraged. No team may have more than 4 members. Individuals may participate on more than one team.
3. Multiple entries from any Student Section in a Region are permitted at the regional competitions.
4. Each potential entrant (individual or team) is requested to submit a Letter of Intent to Enter to the appropriate Regional Office at least two weeks prior to the scheduled regional event. The required form of this letter is available from your ASME Student Section Faculty Advisor.
5. Any questions regarding the contest rules or problem statement must be submitted in writing to both:

   Dr. David Alciatore, PE
   Mechanical Engineering Dept.
   Colorado State University
   Fort Collins, CO 80523

   e-mail: dga@engr.colostate.edu
   

   Mr. Richard A. Hirsch, PE
   8220 Marcie Drive
   Baltimore, MD 21208-1944

   e-mail: 71175.274@compuserve.com
   
   Copies of all questions and answers will be sent to the Region Vice Presidents, Faculty Advisors, Regional Directors and to students through the Faculty Member designated on the submitted Information Update Form. All questions must be postmarked on or before December 1, 1995.

6. Each Regional Student Conference (RSC) is entitled to select one prototype design to enter the final national competition. The process for making this selection is at the discretion of each Region Vice President but formal regional competitions are desired and encouraged. All regional selections must be made on or before June 1, 1996. Decisions made by the Region Vice President or by his or her designated representative(s) are absolutely final.
7. At the RSC's (or at time/date and location specified by the Region) in addition to the prototype, each entrant must submit (a) a one-page summary of the engineering principles used in their design, (b) one page of operating instructions, and (c) the required submittal form.
8. The basis for selecting the winners of the national competition shall be:
   • Ability of the prototype to meet all requirements of the problem statement.
   • Originality of the design.
   • Reliability of the design.
   • Clarity of the written summary and operating instructions.
9. Immediately after each RSC makes its selection for entry into the national competition, that prototype will be turned over to the Region Vice President for forwarding to Dr. Conwell. The written material may be revised and forwarded to Dr. Conwell within two weeks after the RSC.
10. The regional winners will compete at ASME's International Mechanical Engineering Congress and Exposition (formerly the Winter Annual Meeting) in Atlanta GA in November 1996. The order of performance will be determined by lot. Each competitor will be allowed to operate their device for two trial runs if they so desire. For the final scoring run the device may be operated by a member of the Contest Committee, following the written operating instructions supplied with the device. The first, second, and third place winners will be invited to display their prototype at the ASME National Design Engineering Conference in Chicago in the spring of 1997.
11. In order to qualify for the travel allowances to Atlanta or Chicago all contestants must still be Student Members in good standing or, if graduated, must have upgraded to Associate Member and be in good standing.

*** Note ***: Any deadlines for entry into a competition and/or submittal of entry information published by any ASME Region take precedence over any deadlines or submittal information requirements /deadlines published in these rules.

1996 ASME STUDENT DESIGN CONTEST
Letter of Intent to Enter

Contact your Regional Office for submittal date information

FROM (school):

PROTOTYPE NAME:

I/We are planning to enter a device in the competition to be held at the RSC.

INDIVIDUAL ENTRANT / TEAM CAPTAIN

NAME:

ASME MEMBER #:

SS#:

MAILING ADDRESS:

TELEPHONE #:

TEAM MEMBERS (Captain plus 3 members maximum per team) Form must be completed by all team members

NAME:

ASME MEMBER #:

SS#:

MAILING ADDRESS:

TELEPHONE #:

Bring this form and the following to the RSC:

1. A one page summary of operating instructions.
2. A one page summary of the engineering principles used in your design.

Note: If your design is selected for entry into the final national competition, you must immediately turn over your prototype to your Region Vice President. You may revise the two pages of written material but you must submit them along with this form to Dr. James Conwell within two weeks of the RSC.

Mail to : Your ASME Regional Office.

1996 ASME STUDENT DESIGN CONTEST
Information Update Form

If you think you might be interested in competing at the regional level, you *must* submit this form in order to receive progress reports, updated information, and answers to questions that arise during the semester.

The reports and information will be forwarded, along with your name(s), to the Faculty Member you designate.

The Faculty Member you designate should be either your project advisor or the ASME Student Section Advisor.

Faculty Member:

NAME:

ADDRESS:

TELEPHONE NO:

FAX NO:

E-MAIL ADDRESS:

Student Name(s):

1.

2.

3.

4.

As soon as possible, mail this form to:

David R. Cook, PE
ASME
1950 Stemmons Freeway, Suite 5037C
Dallas, TX 75207-3109

1996 ASME STUDENT DESIGN CONTEST
Update Bulletins

QUESTIONS: 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 December 1, 1995. Any questions regarding the contest rules or problem statement must be submitted in writing to both: Dr. David Alciatore, PE, Mech Eng Dept, Colorado State Univ., Ft. Collins, CO 80523 ( dga@engr.colostate.edu) AND Mr. Richard A. Hirsch, P.E., 8220 Marcie Drive, Baltimore, MD 21208-1944 ( 71175.274@compuserve.com).

1996 ASME STUDENT DESIGN CONTEST
Update 1
July 1, 1995

1. Where is the system permitted to start in relation to the two containers?

   There are no restrictions on where the system is placed provided no part of the system is touching either container at the start.

2. Is there a required finish or out-of-bounds zone?

   There are no restrictions on the final placement of your system provided nothing is touching the destination container or the contained liquid at the completion of the transfer.

3. What is the condition (roughness/flatness) of the surface like?

   The containers will be centered on a 1" thick 4'x8' sheet of grade 'A' plywood lying on a flat surface. Slight surface imperfections, dirtiness, wetness, and nonflatness are possible but will not be intentional.

4. "Are the containers affixed to the surface in any way?"

   No.

5. Are there dimension restrictions on the containers?

   The approximate dimensions of the cups will be: base diameter = 53 mm, rim diameter = 89 mm, height = 117 mm. The cups will be provided and will be standard readily available 12 oz styrofoam cups; for example, the 12 oz StyroCUP brand made by WinCup (Phoenix, AZ).

6. It states in Item 4 that "the complete system, in whatever form, must fit within a 16*16*32 cm box.....". Does this mean that the mechanism can be disassembled when it is put in the box?

   Yes. However, the system must be assembled from the box and complete the transfer all within 5 minutes.

7. In Item 4 it states that "the contestant is not allowed to touch the styrofoam cups at any time." Is it okay for the transfer mechanism to touch or move the cups?

   Yes, provided the destination container is standing no more than 1 cm from its initial position at the completion of the run.

8. Will a small short splash-type spill of 1 ml be penalized the same amount as a large long sustained trickle-type spill of 65 ml (provided the remaining 235 ml is transferred to the destination container)?

   No. In addition to the 5 sec per spill penalty, a 1 sec penalty will be assessed for each ml of liquid not contained by either container at the completion of the run. At the completion of a run, the liquid in the destination container will be measured and if the volume is not within the 235 ml to 265 ml range, the run is unsuccessful. If the run is successful, any liquid remaining in the source container is added to the transferred liquid. This total volume is then measured and subtracted from 300 ml, and a 1 sec penalty is assessed for each ml in the difference. For example, if a system delivers 255 ml of liquid to the destination container in 20 sec, and if 30 ml were left in the source container, and if the judges decide that 2 separate spills occurred, the resulting score would be 45 (20 + (300 - 255 - 30) + 2*5).

9. Can energy storage devices (e.g., springs, rubber bands, capacitors) be used if they provide no net power output to the system?

   Yes. However, each energy storage device must end the run with the same or more energy than at the beginning of the run.

10. Does inserting a hose into a cup constitute touching the cup?

    No, provided it only touches the liquid. No part of your system may touch either cup at the start. Also, at the completion of the run, no part of the system may touch the destination cup or the liquid it contains.

11. Since Radio Shack model numbers 23-557 (2-pack), 23-552 (4-pack), and 23-652 (12-pack) each refer to the identical Alkaline Enercell 1.5V AA battery type, is it possible that any of these will be used?

    Yes.

12. How will spills be counted?

    Any occurrence which results in water landing on the surface will be counted and penalized as a spill. Since determining the number of spills can be extremely subjective, here as some guidelines to help further define a "spill":

    • A "messy splash," even though it may result in many puddles, should only be counted as 1 spill. However, each obviously distinct splash should be counted as a separate spill.
      
    • A constant or intermittent "dripping" or "leaking" from one location on the system, even if the leak or drip point is moving should only be counted as 1 spill. However, each obviously distinct drip or leak point should be counted as a separate spill.

    In summary, only obvious distinct spills should be penalized since the amount of volume spilled will also be penalized.

13. Can the contestants place something in the cup(s) if they do not touch the cup(s)?

    Yes, realizing that this "something" is considered to be part of the system. Refer to Q&A #10.

14. If a pump is used, can it be primed before timing begins?

    No.

15. Can the system be set on a platform to decrease the amount of work done by the pump? If so, does the platform have to fit in a 16x16x32 cm box?

    The system can take on any configuration provided all system components (e.g., the platform) fit within the 16x16x32 cm box before assembly and preparation.

16. Item 7 of the problem description states that once the system is started "no further communication of any kind is allowed to be transmitted." Does this prohibit all interaction with the system during the run?

    Yes. Once the system is started, no external communication, interaction, or influence of any kind is allowed. In other words, the system must be completely autonomous and stop by itself without any external assistance whatsoever.

17. If something is used to start the system and removed as soon as the transfer begins, does this component have to fit within the 16x16x32 cm box?

    Yes. When you are ready to start your device, everything other than the board, cups, and liquid, including anything used in starting your device, is considered to be part of your system. Any tools used while assembling the system will not be considered to be part of the system provided they are removed before starting. Your entire system must fit within the 16x16x32 cm box before preparation and assembly.

18. Can any part of the system leave the board during the transfer?

    No.

19. Can the system or part of the system be temporarily fastened to the board with tape or thumb tacks before the run?

    Yes, provided everything is easily and completely removed from the board at the completion of the run. Fasteners such as nails or screws which could result in significant damage to the board will not be allowed.

1996 ASME STUDENT DESIGN CONTEST
Update 2
September 14, 1995

20. Is there a penalty if liquid is spilled during the setup?

    Yes. If any liquid is spilled before starting your system, one 5 second spill penalty will be assessed. The amount spilled will also be penalized based on Q&A #8.

21. What is the penalty for touching the cup or knocking it over during setup?

    There is no penalty for touching the cups during setup provided that no part of the system is touching either cup at the start. Also, the cups must be centered in their indicated positions, 2 m apart, at the start. If the cup containing the liquid is knocked over, the attempt is disqualified. Multiple attempts will be allowed if time permits.

22. What is the penalty if too little or too much liquid is transferred?

    The attempt is disqualified.

23. Does the time stop when the motor stops or when the water stops flowing between the cups?

    The time stops when water stops flowing both out of the source cup and into the destination cup.

24. Are the one motor and one AA battery the only devices allowed in the system to provide power and actuation?

    Yes. Also, the one motor must be the specified RS 273-223 dc motor. No other motors will be allowed.

25. Can the first styrofoam cup be picked up and moved without returning it to its original position?

    Yes.

26. Can the first styrofoam cup be cut, punctured or crushed?

    No. Neither cup may be damaged in any way.

27. Can a chemical be added to the water to aid in its pumpability?

    No.

1996 ASME STUDENT DESIGN CONTEST
Update 3
January 1, 1996

28. Can the source cup be in physical contact with the system at the end of the run even if such contact prevents the source cup from touching the plywood?

    Yes, given Q&A #10 and Q&A #13 in Update 1.

29. Can a solid be in the source cup, which would be removed at the time of water measurement?

    Yes, given Q&A #10 and Q&A #13 in Update 1.

30. Is potential energy considered an energy storage device?

    Yes.

31. Given that potential energy is considered an energy storage device, if part of our system goes down do we have to put it back up?

    Strictly speaking, if the center of gravity (CG) of your system ends up at a lower height at the end of the transfer as compared to the CG height when the system was started, then your attempt will be disqualified. However, the CG of the system will not be measured before and after the transfer, so this will involve a judgement call. You will definitely be disqualified if you are obviously using a potential energy effect to aid the transfer (e.g., using a large mass falling over a distance to provide energy to a pump). If, on the other hand, some side effect in your system causes the CG to be lower at the end of the transfer, but the change in potential energy was obviously not utilized in the transfer (e.g., a piece of your system falls onto the board without imparting energy to the rest of the system), then the attempt will not be disqualified.

32. Can the specified Radio Shack motor be disassembled and altered in any way?

    No.

33. What weight does originality, reliability, and clarity of written summary have in the final score as compared to the example of scoring given in Answer 8 of Update Bulletin No. 1?

    The score is determined as described in Q&A # 8. The lowest score wins and the other criteria will be used only to break a tie.

34. Q&A # 21 in Update 2 states that the contestant can touch the cup during setup. Does this mean that we can pick up the cup and set our machine around it as long as we put the cup back in the same spot and no part of the system is touching the cup?

    Yes.

35. Can the fluid in the first cup be transferred to a third container and can fluid remain in the third container at the completion of the transfer?

    Yes, but the liquid in the third container will be penalized based on Q&A # 8, Update 1.

36. Can the cups be capped and/or pressurized?

    Yes, provided the system does this automatically under the power of the single AA battery once the "go" signal is given. Also, see Q&A #'s 1, 10, and 17, Update 1.

37. Can we change motors and batteries between trials?

    Yes.

38. Does ASME supply the battery at the competition?

    Yes.

39. What will be the temperature of the water?

    Typical room temperature, approximately.

40. What kind of water will be used (tap, distilled, etc.)?

    Whatever is readily available at the contest; but most likely, tap water.

41. Can the first cup be completely emptied?

    Yes, but this will be penalized based on Q&A # 8, Update 1.

42. Will there be standard environmental conditions (no wind, extreme temperature, strong magnetic field concentration, etc.)?

    There will be typical indoor conditions.

43. Does the system have to be reusable or can it be designed to break itself (e.g., burning up the motor)?

    It can break itself.

44. Is there a weight limit to the system?

    No.

45. If water is no longer flowing out of the source cup and no longer flowing into the destination cup, but the system is leaking liquid onto the board, does the time stop (see Q&A # 23, Update 2)?

    No. The time stops only when all water flow has ceased.

46. If the system is still dripping liquid after the apparent completion of the transfer, does the transfer time clock keep running?

    Any dripping will be considered "flow" (see Q&A # 45) and the time will continue to run until the drip rate slows below 1 drip per second (i.e., when the time interval between drips exceeds 1 second).

47. Will a system that uses the change in vertical position of a float to trigger an event be disqualified since it is utilizing potential energy? What about a spring in a mechanical timer which is pre-wound?

    The float is OK since it is does not actively provide power to the system and since it does not actively control the system. Instead, the float is just passively reacting and triggering an event in response to the liquid transfer process. Also refer to Q&A # 31. The pre-wound mechanical timer, on the other hand, is using the stored energy to actively control the device. Therefore, the system would be disqualified.

1996 ASME STUDENT DESIGN CONTEST
Guidelines for Conducting the Contest
January 1, 1996

• Personnel Required
  • A three person Judging Panel including a Chief Judge.
  • Two Timers, a Water Handler, and a Recorder.
    
    
• Equipment and Materials Required
  • A 3/4" thick 4'x8' sheet of grade 'A/C' plywood.
  • New Radio Shack (RS) Alkaline Enercel 1.5V AA batteries (at least two per entry). Valid RS part numbers are 23-557 (2-pack), 23-552 (4-pack), and 23-652 (12-pack).
  • A graduated cylinder or other volume measuring device capable of measuring up to 300 ml with an accuracy of 1 ml. Also, a funnel if necessary.
  • Two digital stop watches.
  • Meter stick and metric ruler.
  • Plenty of dry rags and a mop.
  • A bag of 12 oz styrofoam cups. The 12 oz StyroCUP brand made by WinCUP (Phoenix, AZ) is recommended.
  • An open-ended box with inside dimensions: 16x16x32 cm.
  • Containers (e.g., 2 liter bottles) with enough water to run all trials.
    
    
• Preparation
  • The Region Vice President appoints the Judging Panel, Chief Judge, Timers, Water Handler, and Recorder.
  • The Host Section sets up the contest area. The plywood should lie on a firm, flat, and level surface. The cup locations should be clearly marked with base circles 2m apart center to center, centered on the plywood.
  • All personnel involved with the contest should read the problem statement and all update bulletins very carefully. Anything unclear or confusing should be discussed by the Judging Panel.
  • Collect the one page "Summary of Engineering Principles Used in the Design" and the one page "Summary of Operating Instructions" from each team.
  • The order for running the first trials should be selected randomly (e.g., by having the teams pick numbers from a hat).
  • A second set of trials should be run if time permits.
    
    
• Conducting a Trial
  1. Call the selected team to the contest area and supply them with a new battery.
     Have the team verify that their entire system fits within the 16x16x32 cm box.
  2. Wipe the board with a dry mop or rags to ensure the surface is relatively dry.
  3. The Water Handler should measure 300 ml of water, pour ir into the source cup, and place the source cup in its starting position. Also place an empty cup in the destination position.
  4. Give the team a signal to start assembling their system and have the Timers measure the assembly time. The team should give a clear signal to the Timers when the assembly is complete. Once this signal is given, the team members aren't allowed to touch the system until the transfer start signal is given. The Recorder should note the assembly time and the Timers should reset their watches in preparation for the transfer.
  5. Before the system is started, the judges should verify that no part of the system is touching either cup and that no liquid was "spilled" during assembly.
  6. Give the team a signal to begin the transfer. Both Timers should start their watches at this time.
  7. During the run each judge should note the number of spills based on the definition of a "spill" given in Q&A # 12, Update 1.
  8. The Timers should stop their watches when all water flow ceases (See Q&A # 45, Update 3). The average time should be noted by the Recorder rounded to the nearest tenth of a second.
  9. The judges should verify that the destination cup is no more than 1 cm outside the circle marking its initial location and that no part of the system is touching the cup or its contained liquid.
  10. The transferred volume in the destination cup should be measured and recorded. The water remaining in the source cup should then be added to the transferred liquid and the total volume should be measured and recorded.
  11. The team can now collect and remove their system.
  12. The Recorder should note the total number of spills as decided by the judging panel.
  13. The trial is disqualified if any rules were violated during the trial, if the total assembly and transfer time exceed 5 minutes, or if the amount of liquid transferred is not within the range: 245 ml to 265 ml.
      
      
• Determining a Winner
  • The score for each valid run is computer as follows:
  • SCORE = T + 5*Ns + V
  • where:
  • T = the transfer time measured in seconds (rounded to the nearest tenth).
  • Ns = the number of "spills"
  • V = the amount of liquid outside of the containers at the completion of the run = 300 - (total volume in both cups measured in ml).
  • The lowest score wins.
  • If there is more than one trial, select the best score for each team.
  • If there is a tie, the Judging Panel should select a winner based on originality and reliability as subjective measures.
  • The Region Vice President s encouraged to give special awards to temas for originality, aesthetic appeal, enthusiasm, etc.

1996/1997 ASME STUDENT DESIGN CONTEST
Prizes

REGIONAL

Regional Student Conference (RSC), Spring 1996.
(Contact your Regional Office for dates and locations)

• 1st - $200, Trophy, plus up to $1000 travel allowance (*) to the FINALS.
• 2nd - $100 plus plaque.
• 3rd - $50 plus plaque.

FINALS

1996 International Mechanical Engineering Congress and Exposition (The ASME Congress) Atlanta, GA, November, 1996.

• 1st Place - $3000 plus up to $1000 travel allowance (*) plus $1000 awarded to Student Section of Winner's Institution.
  
  
• 2nd Place - $1000 plus up to $1000 travel allowance (*) plus $500 awarded to Student Section of Winner's Institution.
  
  
• 3rd Place - $500 plus up to $1000 travel allowance (*) plus $250 Awarded to Student Section of Winner's Institution.

The travel allowance refers to travel to the National Design Engineering Show & Conference in Chicago in the spring of 1997. The 1st, 2nd and 3rd place designs will be displayed at this conference.

(*): Travel Allowance Restrictions

For Region winners to attend the 1996 Congress, and for finals winners to attend the 1997 National Design Engineering Show & Conference.

• All travel contributions will be paid after submittal of expense reports.
  
  
• All travel contributions are subject to ASME policy restrictions (travel expense + $80/day out-of-pocket expenses).