Below are the instructions for the Egg Carr Project in case you have lost the one I provided in class.
CTD Class – Transportation Technology: Engineering Safer Automobiles
“The Egg Car” Project
is due on __________
Background: We
can all agree that automobiles have forever changed our lives. However, with all of the many benefits and
conveniences there are some negative impacts.
First on the list would be safety for the occupants during crashes. Since cars can travel at great speeds the
need to design and build safe vehicles is a crucial task for engineers. Today’s automobiles are safer than ever due
to improvement to seat belts, air bags and state of the art chassis.
For this homework assignment you will explore automobile
safety engineering by designing and building a vehicle capable of keeping your
passenger (one raw egg) safe during a crash.
Put on your thinking caps and start designing.
Objective: Design
and build a vehicle capable of transporting and protecting one raw egg during
three impacts with a concrete barrier.
Specifications and
Constraints for building the vehicle:
You may use any material to build your vehicle
except foam, Styrofoam and/or bubble
wrap. Milk cartons, juice bottles
and small boxes make great car chassis. I will provide wheels and axles.
You will receive extra points for vehicles built
out of materials that would get thrown away or can be recycled.
The vehicle must roll freely down the ramp. No braking devices.
The vehicle should not exceed 22 inches in
length and 12 inches in width.
You may add a bumper, but no foam bumpers please. Creating
a unique bumper can earn you points.
You may use tape, glue, nails, hot glue guns,
screws or any other fastening device to assemble the vehicle.
I will supply the egg on test day. Try and see if you can make part of the egg
visible from the outside of the car.
Specifications and constraints
for protecting the egg.
These are the only
materials you are allowed to use that can touch or protect the egg. The
challenge is to use only these materials to protect the egg. Combining the materials is allowed.
Evaluation/Grading –
A rubric will be used to assess the five areas below:
Creative problem solving (Is your vehicle
creative and unique?)
Up
to 40 points
Construction (Is everything put together well? Does it roll down the ramp)
Up to 25 points
Egg Safety (Did your egg survive all three test
runs?)
Up
to 15 points
Completed self-assessment sheet turned in on
time
Up to 10 points
Use of throw away or recyclable material throughout
the vehicle.
Up to 10 points