Project 1.1.

6:
Compound Machine Design
By: Abhi Gohil

Team: Dayna Alaina, Jaewoo Kim, Reid Harrison, Abhi Gohil

POE BLOCK 3
9/25/15
Design Problem
The 1.1.6 projects main goal is to test the students skills they have learned so far by
lifting an 8 ounce weight vertically 6 inches. We must apply our knowledge from the years of
teaching and put it to the test, such as creating an interlocking gear system, or implementing
simple machines into our compound machine to make it fully functional. Our end goal is to
create a compound machine that will lift an 8 ounce weight vertically 6 inches.
We must understand how the elements of design can affect the mechanical advantages of
other parts of our compound machines. The students must also understand how the simple
machines can work together to complete the task that is listed. The students will be using the
VEX components to complete the initial task, they will have to test and experiment with the
capabilities and limitations of the VEX components for future projects as well.
For this project there are 4 main constraints, the applied effort force may only be
provided by a single human input, the final design must include a minimum of 3 different

mechanisms and must include 2 simple machines. Each of the required mechanisms must have a
mechanical advantage greater than 1, and the final design must have a mechanical advantage
greater than 1.

Brainstorm Idea

My first design was a compound machine with a separate gear system, and inclined
plane, a pulley system, and a wheel and axle system. The machine worked by having a string pull
an 8 ounce weight. The string would go through the pulley which funnels through the gears,
finally being reeled in by the spool. The compound machines task was to life the 8 ounce weight
6 inches off of the ground.

Final Design Proposal

We finally chose the final 1.1.6 drawing by a group vote. The vote was a raise of hand for
what was the best in their opinion. Our votes were based on the most productive, simplest, and
efficient design. The final drawing that was chosen (Reids) is a compound machine that has a
chain and sprocket system, wheel and axle, a pulley, and an inclined plane. The way it works is
by a string attached to a weight, the string is connected to an 8 ounce weight that is threaded
through a pulley. Then it goes through the chain and sprocket system, and ends with the wheel
and axle system. The end result would be the weight being lifted 6+ inches off of the ground.

Design Modifications
The design modifications we had done to our compound machine consisted of 2 changes.
The first modification was the implementation of a crank. The crank contributed to helping wind
the string up which would life the weight to the height that was necessary. The second and final
design modification that we added was an increase in the size of one of the gears. This increase
contributed by creating a 1:1 gear ratio which helped our compound machine as a whole.

Final Design Presentation

Ramp: IMA = DE/DR = 12.5in/7.75in = 1.61

AMA = FR/FE = 7.9g/200g = 0.0395
Chain and Sprocket: 12/30 = 2/5 = 0.4
Total AMA = FR/FE = 224g/200g 1.12

Modifications: A crank and a bigger wheel.

Total IMA: 2(4.09)*24.39*1.61*.04 = 128.484564

Wheel and Axle 1: DE = 4in DR = 0.164

IMA = 4in/.164in = 24.39

Wheel and Axle 2: DE = 0.67in DR = 0.164

IMA = DE/DR = 0.67/0.164 = 4.09

Efficiency: = 100(AMA/IMA) = 100(0.0395/128.484564) = 14% Efficiency

Team Evaluation
Dayna Alaina: Hard worker, always stayed on task. She emailed before the day she was absent
and gave us a heads up on when she would be back. Followed all the rules that were put in place.
Jaewoo Kim: Always stayed on task and had a head of the group lead. Followed all of the rules
and worked hard with the group, always making sure everyone was on task and wanted to help
others when they needed it.
Reid Harrison: Diligent worker, stayed on task, followed all of the rules and made sure we all
knew what we were doing and when it needed to be done. Worked very hard and pulled his
weight.
Abhi Gohil: I did my best to stay on task and worked as hard as I could. I pulled my weight and
made sure if anyone needed help I would help them. I stayed very organized and thought out
each step before it was put into action.

Post-Mortem
1) For which mechanism was it the easiest to determine the mechanical advantage or
drive ratio? Why was it the easiest?
The easiest mechanism to determine the drive ratio was the chain and sprocket because
we knew that the sprockets were the same size, so there was a 1:1 gear ratio.
2) For which mechanism was it the most difficult to determine the mechanical
advantage or drive ratio? Why was it the most difficult?
The most difficult mechanism to determine the mechanical advantage of was the spool
and string connecting to the sprocket system, this was difficult because the necessary
measurements were not easy to get, and the calculations were hard to compute.
3) What modifications would you make to your compound machine to make it more
mechanically efficient, if you didnt have to worry about time?
The modifications I would add to the compound machine, disregarding time, would be to
make the platform we made the compound machine on, from the metal parts in our VEX
boxes. I would do this because it would be more stable and a lot easier to work with.
4) Is there anything else you would do different?

Another change I would make to the compound machine would be to add a sturdier
structural build, I would do this because one of the biggest issues we had was how stable
the machine was as a whole.