Technology Tournament 2014

One of our club members, Gordon Turner as a BAE Manager was invited to be a judge at the Windermere Technology Contest.He reported as follows :

The Rotary Tech Tournament consisted of 12 schools from the Penrith, Keswick, Kendal and the Lakes area. The task was divided into categories of Foundation Task for students in Key Stage 3 (ages 11 to 14), Intermediate Task for students in Key Stage 4 (ages 14 to 16) and Advanced Task for students in Key Stage 5 (ages 16+), some schools entered teams into all three categories.

The task was to build a device which could reach 1.5 metres and could extract a meteorite (represented by a tennis ball), which had fallen to earth, from the front of a Perspex box and place it onto a target half a metre in front. The Perspex box was a different configuration depending on the category, foundation box was completely open back and front, intermediate a small 100 mm hole in the front and open at the back and finally advanced task was a small 100 mm hole in the front and completely enclosed at the back. 

There were several categories on which the marking was formulated: 

• Evidence of Planning and Team work:

How they planned, did they work as a team, did they all contribute and was there good leadership. 
 

• Design Analysis:

How well they understood the problem and constraints, did they have a variety of designs produced and did they understand the advantages and disadvantages.

• Development of a Solution and Communication of Ideas:

Is the design suitable, did they test it and if so how well and did the results lead to improvements?

• Portfolio:

How well was the idea documented, did it include drawings/diagrams, was there more than one solution, does the evaluation of test results lead to adaptation and are there reasons for adaptation clear?

• Manufacture of their Design:

Is the structure stable, operable and well made?  Are the materials used appropriate, are the parts made accurately, are the joints and braces well made? Were tools used appropriately, did they check the quality of their manufacture?

That was a possible 50 points

• Final Testing and Achievements of Aims

Gripping the meteorite 1^st time and not dropping       20 points

Gripping the meteorite 2^nd time and not dropping       10 points

Insecurely held, rolled or dropped                             1-5 points

Not gripped                                                                  0 points

• Placing meteorite on target area

Accurately placed in centre and stays                       20 points

After release rolls to another position                  5- 10 points

• Time Taken

Done in 30 seconds or less                                       10 points

Done in more than 30 seconds and less that 46        5 points

Done in more than 45 seconds                                  0 points

Another 50 points possible

The winners were  Advanced - Kirkby Kendal School, Intermediate - Queen Elizabeth Grammar School, Foundation - Kirkby Kendal School