Hydraulic Arm Activity
Hydraulic
Arm Activity
Learn about hydraulics/fluid
mechanics while constructing a remotely operated hydraulic arm. Use the detailed
sample arm instructions or design and construct your own.
Many
teachers like to have their students build the stock hydraulic arm and then
engineer changes to it. This method seems to work well, as it introduces
students the basic concepts and methods before they are asked to engineer beyond
them. This is an Easy Engineering activity, making design, construction and
revision simple.
Activity
Documents
Possible
Engineering Challenges
▪ Design and draw the arm in CAD. Then
build it.
▪ Design and build an arm that rotates at the base
▪ Design and build a better end effecter
(gripper)
▪ Design and build an arm to move the most
weight the furthest distance
▪ Design and prototype retail packaging for the
arm
▪ Design and build a practical mechanism/method
to measure the weight of the object the arm is lifting
▪ Design and prototype a new component for the
Easy Engineering System. Demonstrate its function on a hydraulic arm
▪ Design a hydraulic arm to move as many beans
from a common tray into the teams tray as possible.
2 or 3 arms can compete at once in this competition
▪ Design a hydraulic arm to work in an assembly line with other arms.
Parts can move in front of the arms by pulling a "belt."
Innovation
Components
Innovation components allow for
greater alternative and innovative designs. They are not required, but are
suggested to bring more engineering and innovation to the activity. Only a few
innovation components are usually needed to create alternative designs, so your
supply of innovation components can be used for many hydraulic arms. Here are
our recommendations:
▪ Long
Link Strips
▪ Syringes
with Clips & Mounts
▪ Vinyl
Tubing
▪ 4-Way Valves
▪ Barbed Tees
▪ 5mm
Dowels
▪ Perpendicular
Adaptors
▪ Blue
Bases
▪ Chip
Board
▪ #12-1/2"
Screws
▪ #10
x 1" Machine Screws
▪ #10
Washers
▪ #10
Square Nuts
▪ Rubber Bands
▪ 70mm
Pulleys
▪ 30mm
Pulleys
▪ Galvanized
Colored Wire
▪ Anything else you can dig up (Raid the recycling bin, wood, metal,
plastic, broken toys, etc.)
Do you
have the Easy Engineering tools to complete this activity?
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| Do you have everything you'll need? - Here are some recommended tools and components: |
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Connector Strips (300mm)- 50 Pack
Connector strips can be used to build structures, linkages, support axles for gears and pulleys, form frames, etc (they're an essential component in any Easy Engineering project).
Price: $ 14.95
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Easy Cutter- Easy Engineering
Easy Cutter provide a safe and simple way to cut plastic link strips, dowels, and wood strips. It is designed to work with small and large hands (students from elementary school to college).
Price: $ 18.95
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Slip Joint Pliers- 6"
The perfect pliers for assembling Bugs and working with Easy Engineering components
Price: $ 4.99
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Slider Block
This block helps slide Easy Engineering components onto dowels.
Price: $ 7.95
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Vinyl Tubing for Hydraulics- 1/8in I.D. 100ft
100ft of tubing to hook up your hydraulic parts (syringes, valves, tees, etc.). It is a special high quality, ultra flexible, blend of vinyl that wants to stay on fittings.
Price: $ 12.58
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