The goal of this competition was to design a boom truss with the best mass to weight supported ratio. In a team of three, we began by formulating designs using 3D modeling software, and calculating the affect as a function of force on all the boom's members and supports. The affects we accounted for included tension, compression, torsion, stress concentration, bearing and shearing stress, bearing and shearing strain, and bending.
We went through several design iterations, designing the members in AutoCAD and laser cutting them on balsa wood based on the calculations. Our boom truss was able to hold 311 times its weight, earning us first place at the competition.
Skills: AutoCAD for designing truss members, Mechanics of Deformable Solids coursework for calculations