5 step design process 1.

Problem definition and requirements The team has been tasked with designing, building, and testing a catapult system for launching a plastic Easter egg in a safe and accurate manner. The egg should crack open upon impact. In constructing the catapult only one manufactured object is allowed to be used, and the machine should be human powered prior to operation. Also, the catapult system must fit in an imaginary 2.5 ft cubic box at all times and only a string for trigger mechanism is allowed to come out of it. Important considerations for this design: safety, costs, ease, weight, aesthetics, number of components, and size. 2. Research Research has given us good ideas about how to design our launching machine. One of the best ideas we came up with, after researching over the internet, is just a simple slingshot mechanism that would be relatively simple to build and would keep costs low. Other designs we found are far more complicated, and resemble a traditional catapult but building one of these is likely to required more than just one manufactured device.

3. Weighting of requirements Weighting of requirements (5= most important1 least important)

Requirements/ Considerations Safety Costs Ease of use Weight Aesthetics Minimum components Size Difficulty of making Equipment required Disposability Accuracy Strength

Weight 5 4 3 2 1 2 5 4 4 3 5 4

4. Brainstorming a. Design 1: Slingshot mechanism made of pvc and bungee cord. Utilizes a ramp guide with guiderails and resting on wheels for added support, accuracy, and reduction of friction. PVC supports for the bungee cord ensure the structure is not deformed from continued use. The bungee cord ensures replication with nearly the same strength with each shot. The cord is also easy to detach for storage and transportation purposes of the design b. Design 2: Slingshot mechanism encased in a wooden box, utilizing a large rubber band for propulsion. Weights would be enclosed in the outermost regions of the structure to adjust for shear flow after launch. c. Design 3: Catapult-like structure utilizing counter-weights and a basket containing the desired object at the end of the launch mechanism. Most of the structure would be made of wood d. Design 4: Cannon-like design utilizing various springs to propel the desired object for ease of use and replication. Same design cues from Design 2 were borrowed such as the box enclosure, except the guide would actually be a barrel installed to the outside of the box. e. Design 5: Cannon-like design utilizing an airbladder and a length of hose to launch the projectile in a pressurized environment, ensuring distance and accuracy. Assembly would be enclosed and the egg would be loaded down the end of the barrel.

5. Weighted trade study Refer to excel file

Design Ease of use 5 2 3 5 5

Requirements Minimum Components 4 3 2 2 4 Difficulty of Equipment Making required 4 2 5 3 2 5 4 4 2 2

Safety Design 1 Design 2 Design 3 Design 4 Design 5 5 5 2 5 4

Costs 5 4 5 3 2

Weight 4 2 3 4 4

Aesthetics 3 2 3 3 2

Size 5 2 3 4 3

Arguments We choose design 1 because the structure was very easy to construct and maintain given the loading conditions during and after the launch of the projectile. The guides implemented for launching the projectile ensure replication of launches and ensures accuracy of the projectile after launch. The ramp allows for rapid changing of the launch angle, while the flat bungee cord provides plenty of power to launch a projectile a far distance. Design 2 didnt work because the enclosure was far too difficult to construct and fill with the components to the launcher. In order to adjust certain aspects of the machine, the structure would have to be disassembled, reassembled, then recalibrated. The process proved to be far too time consuming to be a viable option, considering the high redundancy of adjustments. Design 3 didnt work because replicating results seemed very difficult given the limited resources and the nature of catapults. Without many launch attempts and reworks, the design would suffer greatly. The difficulty of the calibration of the build and time needed to make the build proved unfeasible. Also, a concern was addressed given one of the design objectives of making the machine accurate. The catapult would not fare well on a windy day. Too much launching power without proper calibration would make the projectile launch too high in the air. The larger the angle of the launch, the shorter distance we would achieve. Design 4 didnt work because of the limitation to only one manufactured item. Upon requesting clarification, it was made certain that only one spring could be used in the design, hugely limiting the machine. The idea was not pursued any further. Design 5 didnt work because of the difficulty involved in finding an affordable, available airbladder. In addition, pressurizing an apparatus given only wood or pvc proved very difficult. The pvc could not be used in the barrel or firing mechanism, so the idea was deserted.