2009 CVCC TECHNOLOGY FAIR

GENERAL INFORMATION

Any questions, call Norm Hansen – (434) 832-7724, FAX (434) 386-4688

I. Categories of Competition

A. CAD Competition (Campbell Hall – Thursday, May 7, 2009, 9 a.m.-12 noon)

Students will be required to set up their own CAD station using the Menu and Template of their choice.

1. 2D Architectural (3 hour time limit) - 1 student entry per school

2. 3D Architectural- Revit or Arch. Desktop- 1 student per school

3. 2D Mechanical (3 hour time limit) - 1 student entry per school

4. Solid Modeling- Inventor or AutoCAD (3 hour time limit) – 1 per school

B. Portfolio (Due date Thursday, May 7, 2009 by 5:00 p.m.)

1. Technology Education – 1 year

2. Technology Education – 2 years

3. Technology Education – 3 years

4. Vocational Education – 1 year

5. Vocational Education – 2 years

C. Displays (Due in on Thursday, May 14, 2009 by 5:00 p.m.)

1. Displays- Group and Individual displays are in same category

D. Models (Due in on Thursday, May 14, 2009 by 5:00 p.m.)

1. Individual Models

2. Group Models

E. Live Team Competitions (Merritt Hall - May 15, 2009, 9:30 -11:30 a.m.)

1. Math Challenge

2. Team Challenge

F. Bridge Competition (Due in on Thursday, May 14, 2009, by 5:00 pm.)

Competition Friday, May 15, 2009, 9:30-11:30 a.m.

1. Best Craftsmanship

2. Best Performance

G. Trebuchet Competition (Due in on Thursday, May 14, 2009, by 5:00 p.m.)

Competition Friday, May 15, 2009, 9:30-11:30 a.m.

1. Best Craftsmanship

2. Best Performance

H. Concrete Frisbee Competition (Due in on Thurs. May 14, 2009, by 5:00 p.m.)

Competition Friday, May 15, 2009, 9:30-11:30 a.m.

1. Design, Craftsmanship, Appearance

2. Throwing Accuracy

3. Distance

I. VEX Robotics “Soccerbot” Competition

Competition Friday, May 15, 2009, 9:30 – 11:30 a.m., Merritt Hall, Room 5122-5125

Monetary Prices will be Awarded by the Region 2000 Technology Council

1. Robot Design, Functionality

2. Best Performance, Double Elimination Tournament

II. Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio content: Participants should have a selection of all types of drawings included in their portfolio that they have been exposed to. Variety and quality of drawings are very important. Limit of 12 drawings in a portfolio. Include a letter of introduction.

Bring portfolios to the Campbell Building- Room 4215

Portfolios will be judged by the following criteria:

5 pts. 1. Creativity exhibited in design of cover

10 pts. 2. Craftsmanship - The portfolio illustrates good craftsmanship (i.e., neatness, attractiveness, professional appearance, etc.)

10 pts. 3. Effectiveness - The portfolio effectively portrays the student's knowledge and skills by including drawings representing a variety of problems as well as awards, certificates and other personal information.

15 pts. 4. Adheres to drafting standards

15 pts. 5. Accuracy, view selection, dimensioning techniques

III. Display Requirements

Group and individual displays will be in the same category this year. Bring displays & models to the Multipurpose Room in Merritt Hall (5122-5125).

Displays can be civil, architectural, mechanical related or any other area of technology. Displays should be of reasonable size so they can be properly displayed. Students will be responsible for setting up their own display. All entries in this category must be submitted by 5 p.m., Thursday, May 14, 2009. Displays must be picked up by 4 p.m., Friday, May 15, 2009.

All displays will be judged using the following criteria:

1. Craftsmanship of display's construction

2. Creativeness of the project

3. Complexity of the project

IV. Model Requirements (Due in Thursday, May 14, 2009 by 5:00 p.m.)

Models should be of a reasonable size to be properly displayed. Any type model (mechanical, architectural, civil) is acceptable. Kits are not allowed. Models will be judged on quality of construction, completeness, detail and creative use of materials. Judges will decide if the entry is a model or a display. Examples of models: House or condo/apartment model, mechanical device such as steam engine, elevator, and conveyor. Incomplete models will not be judged.

V. Team Competition - Each school team must register for competition time/room upon arrival. (Registration table will be in Merritt Hall Multipurpose Room)

Team competitions will be held in Rm4207 and Rm4208 Campbell Hall.

1. Math Competition
Each participating school will be allowed to enter 1 team consisting of 4 students. The team will be required to solve 4 math problems. The math problems will include such areas as basic arithmetic, algebra, geometry and trigonometry. Each question may have an application component beyond the theoretical calculation. For example: A team member may be given a tape measure and ask to calculate the square footage of the room. Based upon a brief descriptor of each problem the team will designate 1 team member to solve each problem. Each member must solve 1 problem! Each member will have 20 minutes to calculate the answer and may not receive any assistance once the problem solving has begun. A TI –32 calculator will be provided to each participant (no other calculators will be permitted). Three problems will have exact answers and only the correct answer will be accepted (including proper units). NO PARTIAL CREDIT! The fourth problem will be an “estimate” and points will be given based upon the closeness of answers (thus eliminating the possibility of a tie).

2. Team Competition
Each participating school will be allowed to enter a team consisting of 5 students in the team. The team will be given a “challenge” which will require teamwork to complete. Factors which may assist in the completion of the problem include (but not limited to): size (both big and small), speed, problem solving skills, leadership skills, organizational skills, math skills, and communication skills. Scoring will be based upon time to complete the problem, with “penalties” accessed along the way for failure to complete specific task. All members will be required to participate.

VI. Awards

1. The following awards will be given in each area of competition:

School Spirit Trophy*

First Place $25.00 Cash Award

Second Place $15.00 Cash Award

Third Place $10.00 Cash Award

Honorable Mention Ribbon

2. Judges may withhold some or all awards in any category where the quality of workmanship does not warrant special recognition.

*The School Spirit Trophy will be awarded to the school that exhibits the most interest in the Tech Fair Competitions and Fair activities. Student attitude, student participation and competitive spirit will be among the factors considered. Cash awards may be available this year. We will announce this at a later date.

Any questions, call Norm Hansen – (434) 832-7724, FAX (434) 386-4688

Civil Engineering - Bridge Building Contest

The Basics:

Construct a truss bridge from balsa wood or bass wood to carry a load at one of the quarter points.

Design Rules:

1. The end piers (bearing supports) will be 24” apart (inside) and will be 1.5” wide. (See the illustration.) It is recommended that you allow at least 1/2” to extend onto the pier.

2. The overall dimensions for the bridge must not exceed 7.00” in height and 6.00” in width. It must allow the unobstructed passage of a 3.00” high by 5.00” wide block. (See the illustration.)

3. No individual truss member may exceed 1/8”x 1/8” in cross-section except for the deck (see below). Except at the bearing surfaces (the two ends) you may not laminate pieces to make member cross-sections that exceed 1/8”x 1/8”. The connections between truss members must be made with glue (type and brand of your choice). Do not use gusset plates.

4. The bridge must have a deck (road surface). The deck material must not exceed 1/16” in thickness and must have three 1/4” holes drilled at the quarter points. A slight variation in the hole placement can be made in order to miss substructure (below the deck) members.

5. The substructure may not extend more than 1.00” below the bottom of the deck.

The Competition:

Each bridge will be loaded to destruction. The winner will be determined by the largest ratio:

LOAD AT FAILURE

WEIGHT OF TRUSS

Get a copy of “Something about Trusses” for construction hints from your instructor.

Trebuchet Competition

The Basics:

Design and build a Trebuchet to launch an egg.

Design Rules:

New Option this year: It is permissible to build a Floating arm Trebuchet. You can search the internet for details. Same Design rules apply.

1. The Trebuchet Competition is open to all high school drafting classes.

2. Any number of students may work as a team on an entry. Only one entry per student or team is permitted. There is no school limit on the number of entries.

3. The throwing arm cannot exceed 48 inches in length. The completed trebuchet can have a maximum base size of 48” square and the frame support for the throwing arm is to be a maximum of 24” above the base. (See the attached drawing). This is not a catapult competition. That means that no springs, rubber-bands, pulleys or any other energy storing device can be used. Only a counterweight can be used to propel the projectile.

4. The energy source can be attached solidly to the pivot arm or it can swing from the arm. The counterweight must not fall off or become disconnected during the launch. The counterweight cannot exceed 30 pounds. Each trebuchet must pass a safety test demonstrating that parts will not fly off during the launch. There must be a trigger mechanism that can be activated from behind the trebuchet.

5. This must be a true trebuchet with a falling mass as an energy source and a sling that does the launching.

6. The device must be secured to the ground and cannot be moved once it is ready to begin launching. All participants must be behind the device and will have a trigger device that is clear of the arm and the sling.

The Competition:

1. The first competition will be for distance. From a starting line each entry will launch 2 Grade A large eggs onto a designated field. There will be a 50’ wide area that each egg launched must fall inside of. If the egg goes outside this area, that launch will not count for the team. The longest distance of the 2 attempts will be recorded. Points will be awarded based on standings.

2. The second competition will be for accuracy. From the starting line, each entry will launch 2 Grade A large eggs to a target. The launch team will select the location of their target. This distance will remain the same for both launches. There will be a 20’ minimum distance from the starting line to the target. The target will be a 6 foot diameter ring. The team with the best accuracy wins. In the event of a tie, additional launches will be made.

3. Each team will have 2 practice eggs, 1 for distance and 1 for accuracy. Teams should establish ahead of time the range of their trebuchet. Adjustments can be made prior to launches. All practice shots will be made prior to their turn at the starting line.

4. Judges will inspect each entry for safety prior to each launch. Judges will be located at the starting line and at the target.

The Goals of this competition:

The major goal is for students to learn about the history of trebuchets through their research, to experience the design/build process, to test and adjust their model and to enjoy the competition with others.

Concrete Frisbee Contest

The Basics:

Each team of students will design and construct a Frisbee made of concrete. This event will enable students to design, build and test a Frisbee. This will be the third and final year for this competition and we expect the entries to be much improved in design and performance compared to last year. Schools can have multiple entries.

Design Rules:

1. Each team should have at least 2 participants.

2. Each team may bring 2 Frisbee’s to the competition, one for distance and one for accuracy.

3. The primary material must be Portland cement. No other materials such as duct tape, string, plastic, etc. can be used.

4. All reinforcement materials must be non-metallic ( carbon or fiberglass mesh should be used).

5. The Frisbee must be circular and 6” to 8” in overall diameter.

6. The Frisbee must be a maximum of 2 inches high.

7. Molds can be used to form the shape. Examples: pie pans, old plastic Frisbees, wooden forms. One suggestion would be to build a layer of cement, then a mesh layer, then another layer of cement and so on.

8. The design is important for a uniform, smooth surface texture. The strength is important for durability and the weight is important for distance.

9. All entries must be sanded smooth, and painted.

10. All entries must have the following Logo printed or painted on their Frisbees: 2009 Tech Fair – you may also include school letters such as H.H.S. or B.H.S. Decals or hand lettering can be used.

The Competition:

1. Design Competition

Each Frisbee will be initially judged on design, quality of construction, and creative finish that is applied.

2. Throwing Competition

A. Distance Competition
Each team will have two opportunities to throw the Frisbee. The longer of the two throws will be recorded. The distance recorded will be from the base line to where the Frisbee touches the ground. If the Frisbee hits outside the boundary lines, that throw will not be counted.

B. Accuracy Competition
A fixed target will be placed some distance from the base line. Each team will have two throws of the Frisbee. The better of the two throws will be counted. The throw that lands closest to the target wins.

3D Modeling

The Competition:

This is the second year for this category of competition and we are looking forward to a lot of very creative entries. The emphasis of this competition will be to challenge students to be creative, artistic, and skillful in applying solid modeling techniques to art.

The competition will be open to all high school students who are currently using solid modeling software such as Inventor or AutoCAD.

Art and Sculpture with Geometric Designs

General rules:

1. All students currently enrolled in a drafting class are eligible to compete.

2. All entries must be an original creation by the student. (Not a copy of others work)

3. All entries must be saved on separate files and e-mail to CVCC. Students should retain a copy of the file.

4. The entry must be a single piece Art Model. The idea is to use geometric shapes such as equilateral triangles, hexagons, octagons, etc. as well as the torus, sphere, and helix to create a sculpture or art piece.

5. Submit a dwg. or ipt. file as well as a plotted drawing of your design. Drawings of all entries will be displayed at the Tech Fair. The winning entry will be modeled and the model will be on display.

6. All entries must be submitted by April 20, 2009 for judging. The winning entry will be modeled with our 3D Dimension printer. Email your files to Hansenn@cvcc.vccs.edu. Include your name, school name and instructor in the email along with the attached files.

Judging:

1. Artistic expression

2. Creative use of Modeling techniques

3. Creative use of Geometric shapes

4. Degree of difficulty

VEX Robotics “Soccerbot” Competition

The Basics:

This is the first year for this competition. A demonstration, sponsored by CVCC and the Region 2000 Technology Council, attracted lots of attention last year. Monetary prizes will be awarded by the Region 2000 Technology Council to the teams placing first, second, third and fourth.

Teams of two (alternate team members allowed) will design a VEX robot to play a soccer game, using a tennis ball, on a table measuring 4’ x 8’. The first team to score a point, wins the match. It’s not as easy as it sounds!

The Rules:

1. Any action deemed reasonable by the referee and not specifically prohibited by rules is permitted.

2. Each team will have a minimum of 2 members; free substitutions within teams will be permitted.

3. During matches, team members must stay within the members’ courts.

4. During matches, spectators must stand outside the competition zone.

5. During matches, only the referee may touch the table or items on the table.

6. Each robot must fit within a 2’ x 2’ x 2’ box and will be subject to inspection by the referee at any time. No robot may deploy in such a way that it exceeds the size restriction. Robots deliberately extended such that they exceed the restriction will be removed from the current match, however robots exceeding the restriction due to damage or accident may, at the referee’s discretion, remain.

7. Robots construction is limited to standard VEX components only.

8. No team may transmit outside a match. All frequency chips must be marked with some form of team identification. The referee will collect all chips before the first match and assign them to teams during matches. In assigning chips, the referee may provide chips from one team to another. The referee will return all chips to the owning teams after the last match. At the referee’s discretion, teams may be permitted to “borrow” chips for testing between matches, but all chips must be under the referee’s control before the next match begins.

9. No robot repairs may be affected during a match. The referee will generally leave dropped parts where they fall, but may remove them at his/her discretion. Teams judged to have intentionally dropped parts will be subject to the robot size rule, and the referee will remove the offending robot from the match.

10. If the referee hears any team member speak in a profane or grossly rude manner, the referee will immediately disqualify the team from the competition.