A universal systems model is a combination of elements or parts that work together to help complete a task. For the egg catching project, we invented a universal system to catch/stop the egg from cracking after being dropped from about six feet above the ground. We were only allowed to use 2 sheets of paper, 2 rubber bands, a 12inch ruler, 6 inches of tape, and a pair of scissors to work with. With one sheet of paper, we were able to make a tube that constricted the lower you got to the bottom. We used some tape to hold it together and then with our second sheet of paper - that we cut into squares - we created a cradle/nest type thing. Then we cut the 12 inch ruler in half and used the two rulers as support beams. We then raped taped around the rulers and paper tube, and placed the "nest" underneath incase the egg was to slip through the tube. The tube caused enough friction so that the egg stopped moving right before it was able to fall out.However there were moments where if the tube was not directly under the drop zone, the golf ball (Our testing dummy), would miss the tube completely.
The engineering design process is the steps an engineer takes to improve/invent something. The first step is to identify a problem with the current object or identify a new problem. Our problem was the egg cracking every time after it had been dropped. The second step is to brainstorm on ways to fix the problem; we sketched out different types of catching machines. After that, the engineer(s) will create a prototype. Step four is the testing and experimenting, this is the step when all the prototypes are put into use to see which one works the best. Then, after testing a prototype, the engineer usually makes revisions to the contraption/invention to better compensate the problem. We changed things every time we tested our contraption until we were successful in not dropping the egg.
Picture of the finished contraption:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B4aa5OrmeogKMEVEbU5sckpHQzhTT0N3NmtfU3A2ekVxU2VN/view
