Today: ‘Battle of the container handlers’ Design Competition

Today, Wednesday 20 June 2018, the faculty of Mechanical Engineering will host the 25th edition of the first-year student Design Competition. Over 75 teams of 7-8 students will face each other to create the most crazy, efficient or ludicrous container handlers, a type of crane design for shipping containers.

All first-year Mechanical Engineering students develop a design in a team, which they then build, test and improve. The theme is different every year, and alternately falls within one of the domains of mechanical engineering. Last year, for example, the students made jumping robots, and the year before a bicycle-driven water pump.

Cranes
This years competition will focus on cranes; moving and stacking more containers in the 5 minute time limit will lead to more points. Instead of using real containers, scale models will be used (100 x 100 x 240 mm). The jury will also look at lightweight constructions, design decisions and the manufacturing process; the entire (disassembled) crane has to be able to fit in a standard moving box!

Come and watch!
The competition will be held on the central market square in Delft, on 20 June 2018, from 10:00 – 15:30. You are happily invited to come and watch. For an idea as to what you might expect; check out the Mechanical Engineering Facebook page!