Cardboard Chair Challenge
OVERVIEW
Corrugated cardboard, made from a natural renewable resource, has one of the bestenvironmental records. Cardboard has the best recycling rate of any packaging material used today. A hard look at everyscrap of cardboard can lead the creative mind to see it as a valuable raw material. This is youropportunity to discover the potential of corrugated cardboard.
THE TASK:
Design a chair! This activity asks your group to design and build a full-sized chair fromcorrugated cardboard and glue. The chair must support a pre-determined weight that isselected by the team for at least 5 minutes. The person seated will be in a “comfortable” positionwith his / her back leaning against the back of the chair. Students will get an opportunity to learnabout paper and cardboard as a building material and the statics and dynamics of structures. Thisdesign competition is designed to encourage and reward excellence in design that integratesfunction (does the chair work); aesthetics (is it pleasing to the eye); ergonomics (is it comfortablefor the average person); details (are my drawings and actual construction accurate); and fun.
COMPETITION COMPONENTS
1. Form & Function of the chair (comfort & aesthetics) 25 Marks.
2. Presentation of the Solution (academic display / presentation) 50marks
3. Structural Integrity of the Chair (strength) 25 marks*
*Your weight divided by the weight of your chair equals a strength design factor. High numbersare best.
SCORING SUMMARY
Final team rankings will be based on the total score from the competition components. Amaximum of 100 points are available. In the case of a tie, the team with the lighter chair will bedeclared the winner.
Final team rankings will be based on the total score by adding all of the component scores.
MATERIALS
1. Untreated corrugated cardboard
2. Box cutters
3. Metal rulers, Scissors
4. Adhesive of team’s choice
RULES FOR CONSTRUCTION
1. The chair must have a seat and a back.
2. No non-cardboard mechanical fasteners will be permitted.
3. Glue of any type is accepted.
4. The seat of the chair must be at least 16” from the floor (measured to the bottom of theseat).
5. The top of the back must be no less than 30” from the floor.
6. If any of the above criteria are not met, your design will be automatically disqualified.
TESTING CONDITIONS
1. Each chair will be weighed and the weight will be recorded.
2. Each team should identify a “tester” prior to arriving to the competition. This person willbe weighed and the weight will be used in the structural integrity formula to determinethe chair’s efficiency.
3. The tester will carefully sit in the designed chair; as previously tested. The weightdistribution on the chair should be a design issue for each team.
4. Once the “tester” is comfortably seated in the chair, the timer will begin. If the chairwithstands the allotted time, your chair is then compared by the weight.
5. “Comfortably” seated is defined as the tester being seated in the chair and leaning againstthe back of the chair and resting. There will be no sudden forces acting on the chair; justone constant force and weight throughout the five minutes.
6. The chair with the highest efficiency will receive the maximum 25 points. The chair withthe second highest efficiency will receive 20 points. The chair with the third highestefficiency will receive 15 points. This pattern will continue until 0 points is reached or allof the chairs have been evaluated.
7. Any chair that is not successful will not receive any points for the function category.
JUDGING
1. A team of judges will conduct individual evaluations of the designed chairs.
These individual scores will be averaged to determine the overall winner.
ALL DECISIONS MADE BY THE JUDGES ARE FINAL.
PROCEDURES
Generating Ideas, Working Potential Solutions
a. Research – see what others have done relative to similar contests such as using theInternet, library, local bookstores, or furniture stores. Write a summary of 3 different cardboard chairs (who what when where why)
b. Design sketches – prepare 3 sketches of some possible design ideas of a chair of yourown design.
c. Drawings – prepare dimensioned working drawings from your design sketches thatwill allow you to construct a model from the plans you prepare.
d. Outline a detailed materials list (include size of cardboard
e. Model – prepare a prototype model made completely out of cardboard and fixativesas per allowed in this competition.
f. Test – conduct some tests to see how well your prototype conforms to the designrequirements of this competition.
Cardboard ChairAcademic Display (25 points)
Objective
Teams will present their chairs and relevant aspects of the design project in a display format. Thefocus of the display is to highlight the design process of each team.
Components of the Display
Abstract
A brief synopsis of the project in 500 words or less must be part of the display. It shouldstate the purpose and the most important features of the students’ research, the mainconclusions and recommendations. It should be written in informative, non-technical termsand be interesting to the reader. Include summaries of chair research.
Scientific Explanations
An explanation of the team’s approach to address the scientific forces acting on the chair shouldbe included. In addition, to identify with the theme, the team should discuss the environmentalimpact of using recycled corrugated cardboard.
Drawings / Graphics
Each display board should include an orthographic drawing of the designed chair (top, front, andside views). This drawing should include dimensions and a specified scale. The drawings on thedisplay and the actual chair should be accurate when the project is complete.
The Design Process
Photographs, tables, processes, etc should be included that demonstrate the team going throughthe design process. The design process includes: identifying the problem, the design brief,research the problem, brainstorm / develop solutions, choose the best solution, modeling &prototyping, testing & evaluating, manufacturing, and redesigning.
Cardboard ChairOral Presentation (25 points)
Objective
Each participating team will make an oral presentation about their engineering design project to the class. After the presentation, teams will be asked questions by the judge(s).
Presentation Guidelines
1. Teams will have a maximum of five (5) minutes to make an oral presentation of their project to the class.
2. All team members must be present and orally contribute to the presentation.
3. Props, models, charts, graphs, and visual aids are allowed. Costumes are not allowed.
4. Due to time constraints, electronic presentations will not be permitted (i.e., laptops,PowerPoint, Internet)
5. The presentation will be followed by a brief question and answer period conducted by the
Judge(s). These questions will be brief and to the point and solely to ascertain studentknowledge of the project.
6. Students are discouraged from reading directly from a sheet of paper.
Presentation Highlights
Students should discuss and describe the following topics:
The design process used in designing and constructing chair
How they addressed the scientific forces acting on the chair
Any research or knowledge gained about recycling materials
Recommendations and conclusions
Design 20 Cardboard Chair Challenge
Evaluation