15FMCE224 – Project Based Learning
3D design to be done in solidworks with the dimensions in mm, and the assembly. All the requirements of the pinball track is to be found in the attached file. Also, I don’t want the design to be so complex.
Pinball Track
Introduction
Engineering graduates are expected to have strong technical skills and be problem solvers as well
as having good team and communication skills. Engineers are also expected to be creative and
innovative. They have to work with many constraints, while developing safe products and
solutions to help the community.
Project description
You have been hired to design and build a loaded pinball track where the ball would climb up the
track and return safely without falling in any of the holes. A loaded pinball track is a balance
between safety and speed. If the ball would fall in any of the holes on the track, the ball would
fail to finish the race. You will design, construct, and test the pinball track with the following
constraints:
Design Requirements:
The maximum track dimensions are 1.5m x 1.5m x 1.5m
The maximum track width is 0.15m
The track must have minimum of 4 holes
The diameter of each hole must be 10% bigger than the diameter of the ball
The ball must climb up the track and come down in opposite direction without falling in
any of the holes
The slope angle of the initial and final ramp has to be at least 30 degrees from the
horizontal surface (floor)
There must be at least 0.2m of flat surface between initial and final ramp
The object must stop without jumping, between 0.6m to 0.8m away from the end of the
final ramp on the workshop floor, without using added barriers
Any mechanism can be used to push the ball but it has to be automatic without direct use
of hand
General Requirements:
You will be working in a group of four or five and you will remain in these groups for the
entirety of the project. You may not combine or switch groups.
Each team member is supposed to come up with one idea.
Analyze all team designs and refine your ideas down to one using a decision matrix.
Your team needs to discuss advantages and disadvantages of each design idea.
Analyze your design using hand calculations or software. However, the report including
the calculations has to be typed; using Times New Roman /12 for the body of the report.
All design work must be using a 3-D modeling software such as SOLIDWORKS.
Show all your design assumptions in your technical report.
The pinball track must be designed so that the movement of the object is stable and
smooth and the whole operation is accurate and safe.
It is expected that you perform the design and build it to validate your calculations.
It is required that you calculate the required pushing force, speed, power, distance and
any other required parameter.
Feel free to use springs, rubber bands or any other mechanical or electromechanical
devices to store sufficient energy that can be converted to kinetic energy to achieve the
required design.
Feel free to use any types of materials for either the track or the ball.
You can use any mechanism to control the speed and friction on the track ONLY.
All work has to be carried out on-campus and if there is an operation which cannot be
done in the campus, it has to be agreed and signed by your instructor and Mr. Robin.
Use of PPE is mandatory while working on constructing the design.
Using workshop machines is only allowed under supervision of workshop staff.
This is a team work. All team members are responsible for the produced prototype.
