The document outlines a design challenge for students to design a robotic arm to transfer items between work areas in a factory. The robotic arm must pick up items from a work area, submerge them fully in a dunking tank, and place them in the corresponding numbered spots in a drying area. Teams will have 3 tries to complete the task in the shortest time without penalties for dropped items. The team presenting the most efficient system will receive a prize. Each team member is responsible for designing a different part of the robotic arm: the rotating base, the arm itself, or the end effector.

1. Year 9 Design & Technology Syringe Robotic Arm Design Challenge Design Situation You are a designer at Acme Robotics , Ltd . Your company has been asked to design a toxic material-handling system for Thingamajigs Inc . Thingamajigs Incorporated manufacture ‘ Thingymebobs ’. During the manufacturing process, these ‘ Thingymebobs ’ need to be moved from a work area (A) and then dunked into a tank (B) of toxic liquid before being placed in a drying area (C). At present this task is done by hand! Moving the ‘ Thingymebobs ’ by hand is boring and dangerous now that a toxic material has been recently introduced into the manufacturing process. The company has in the past had to pay a lot of medical bills due to injuries and illness caused by moving these ‘ Thingymebobs ’. Management feels that using a robot to move these ‘ Thingymebobs ’ will free personnel for more important work, improve employee safety and improve productivity.

2. Design Situation (continued) Your department head has decided to put together several design teams. Each design team ( 3 people ) will develop and present a proposal for solving the material-handling problem. Each team is to prepare a proposal for presentation to the CEO of Thingamajig Inc . This proposal will be in the form of a working model hydraulic robotic arm and a digital design folio which documents the teams design process. The design team that presents the best proposal and most efficient system will receive the contract ( PRIZE )!

4. Roles of Team Members Each member of the team is responsible for the equal input into the design project. Teams must nominate a Team Manager whose role will be to bring in the project smoothly and on time. Each team member is to focus on a particular area of R&D (Research and Development) related to a specific part of the robot arm. Team organisation should be as follows: Team member 1 : Design of a rotating base Team member 2 : Design of arm Team member 3 : Design of End Effector