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Design Challenge 2024

The Engineering Innovation Center

The Design Challenge in Fall 2024 is to encourage our students to collaborate across disciplines on the design and implementation of a Kinetic Sculpture. Our goal is to bring together the many ways our diverse disciplines approach design. We also want to encourage students to seek others outside of their major and make use of the campus's innovation centers.

Eligibility

  • This year’s challenge must be done by a group of 2-4 students.
  • The group must have at least 1 member with a declared major outside of the academic area of the other members (STEM, Humanities, Arts, Business, Education and Social Science, Applied Technology, Health Sciences, Workforce Development and Continuing Education).
  • All current Montgomery College students are welcome to enter the contest except for faculty, staff and Innovation Center student assistants.
  • One entry per group.
  • Each student can be a member of only one group.
  • All entries must have 3D printed parts designed using school licensed CAD engineering software: CREO and SolidWorks. No other CAD software accepted.
  • The design is original, creative, and copyright free.
  • The competition is ongoing and ends on November 27 (23:59 PM). The complete physical design must be brought to the Rockville Innovation Center (SC409) by December 6th.

Requirements/Guidelines of the Challenge

  1. The design must use functional components made in MC Innovation Centers.
  2. The part file(s) must be made with school licensed CAD software. The part files and print files must be submitted to be reviewed.
  3. The completed sculpture must fit in a closed, standard, 8½ x 11, printer paper box (11.5x18x9 in).
  4. The total Estimated cost of all parts of the sculpture must be under $200. Estimated cost includes “found” parts (from garage, supplies, dumpster, etc.). A BOM, bill of materials with their estimated cost, must be included with the submission.
  5. The sculpture must be safe. No combustion, detonation, or deflagration. No sharp external edges. No fast-moving parts that can be approached.
  6. Roles & Responsibilities of team members must be maintained in an Executive Summary (see in Appendix below). The Final Summary to be submitted with the rest of the project. All members of the group must show their participation to be awarded their portion of a winning design. 
  7. Write a one-page learning experience paper that addresses your approach to the project, anything that worked well, anything that did not work well, and what you learned.
  8. Prepare a short presentation of your design (10 minutes).
  9. Consider aesthetics, drama or serenity, concept, philosophy, appreciation by any observer in your design, statement, and presentation.
  10. All members of the group must show their participation to be awarded their portion of a winning design.

Prizes

The following prize totals are awarded to each 2 to 4 team members:

  • First prize, 3D Printer + multifilament feeder
  • Second prize, Tablet
  • Third prize, Headphones
  • Honorable mention, Portable Chargers

Judging

  • All entries will be displayed at the judging and awards event on Thursday, December 12th.
  • All students are welcome.
  • Judges are selected from faculty in STEM, Social Science, Humanities, Art, and staff and student assistants.

Judging Criteria:

Kinetic Sculpture criteria - 85%

  1. Creativity and Originality of Design: The uniqueness of the design and concept, as well as innovative use of materials and techniques.
  2. Kinetic Action: How well the sculpture operates and the effectiveness of its kinetic components. It should move in a way that enhances its artistic expression.
  3. Aesthetic Expression: Elegance and dissonance, balance and intrigue, cohesiveness and contention.
  4. Technical Execution: Quality of craftsmanship, including structural integrity and precision construction.
  5. Ethical Considerations: Sustainability, Reuse, Where is the energy coming from, Who can experience it, Context and Meaning.

Learning experience paper and Executive Summary - 15%

  1. Addresses approach to project, what did and did not work and lessons learned.
  2. Project completion Executive Summary

Bonus points (1 - 5 points) will be awarded for being prepared to discuss and discussing with judges your design and learning experience.

Appendix


Project Executive Summary Example (PDF, Get Adobe Acrobat PDF Reader - Link opens in new window)

Executive Summary from ENES100 textbook:

In many industries, it is common to follow the practice of defining a project using a “one page template”. Forcing one to write the entire project definition and update in one-page executive summary typically brings clarity of thought and execution. Generating this kind of executive summary is much harder than one might imagine. Typically, for real industry projects teams can land up spending several hours or even days or weeks in generating such a summary. One such template is shown in figure 2.1 below. A project one-pager is typically a live document and helps keep the team aligned on the status of the project and areas to focus on. If at any time new information becomes available starting the meeting with a project one pager allows for refocusing resources on the right aspects of the problem or at times change the problem definition adequately.

Figure 2.1 Project definition and executive summary template

generic template
Generic - Project Executive Summary Template

 

Implementation
Example implementation of executive summary template for an academic project.

 

Submit Your Entry

Please combine your one-page learning experience paper, your executive summary, your bill of materials, and your CAD files into one .zip file (highlight files and right-click mouse button, then select “send to“, you will see compressed-zipped folder option), and submit it below by November 27 (23:59 PM).

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