Oil Spill Crisis. GEORGIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering ME Creative Decisions and Design

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1 Oil Spill Crisis GEORGIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering ME Creative Decisions and Design Time: 5:00pm, Friday, July 23rd, 2010 MaRC Building Atrium 1. INTRODUCTION An oil rig in the Gulf of Mexico has exploded, leaving behind a pipe that continuously leaks oil into the surrounding water. Stopping this oil leak poses an incredibly difficult engineering problem. The autonomous machines working at the bed of the ocean have to operate in an extreme environment, characterized by low temperatures, high pressure and corrosive materials. Your team of engineers has been hired to build an automated machine to assist in the containment and cleanup of the oil. Your timeframe is short because the problem is time-sensitive the oil is spreading daily, doing damage to wetlands, wildlife, and the coastal fishing industry. Your device will be evaluated in the test arena shown in Figure 1. Your machine will be assigned one of the four starting locations from which it can enter the arena. The other three starting areas will have machines built by other teams. The machines will have 1 minute to perform the following four tasks: 1) Plug the oil pipe. Your team will be given a hollow plastic bowling ball, representing a plug. In order to score points, your ball must be plugging the opening of the central oil pipe when the round ends. Plugging the pipe is worth 40 pts. Note that the pipe is only large enough to fit one bowling ball, so a maximum of one team will be able to score these points in any given round. 2) Deliver dispersant to the spill. Your team will be given three squash balls, representing containers of dispersant. Your team will earn 10 pts for each squash ball that is delivered into the pits on the middle tier of the centerpiece. 3) Collect tarballs. There will be tarballs (actually whiffle balls) placed around the low tier of the centerpiece. To score points, these balls must be completely inside your team's safety zone when the round is over. Completely inside' means that when viewed from the top, the silhouette of the ball does not intersect any part of the edge defining the safety zone. For each ball within the safety zone at the end of the round, your team will earn 10 pts. Additionally, if a tarball is in your home zone but not contained in your safety zone, you will be penalized 2 points (-2 pts) for each ball. 4) Rescue pelicans. Oil-stricken pelicans will be represented by hollow plastic bowling pins attached to a thin wooden base. Your goal is to capture these pelicans and take them back to your safety zone, where they will be cleaned and hopefully returned to good health. Two bowling pins will be placed in each team's home zone. There are three possible scenarios for each pin:

2 a. Not inside the safety zone, pin standing: your team has not rescued the pelican. A standing pin is worth 0 pts if it is not in the safety zone. b. Inside the safety zone, pin standing: your team has successfully captured the pelican. You will earn 10 pts for each pin completely inside the safety zone. c. Pin knocked down: a fallen pin means that your team has additionally injured the oilcovered pelican. There will be a 10 point deduction (-10 pts) for each fallen pin. Figure 1: Test Arena Your devices will be tested on five occasions: 1) Machining Contest (week of June 21) Your pneumatic launcher will be used to shoot a Q-tip into an open container (nominally the middletier pit of the centerpiece). For each Q-tip launch, you will choose your launching distance from the container. The pneumatic tank may be pressurized to no more than 100 psi. You will have 5 minutes to shoot the Q-tip at most three (3) times. Your score will be the sum of the distances covered by successfully-deposited Q-tips. In other words, if none of your three shots is successful

3 (lands in the container), then your score will be zero. If one shot is successful from a distance of 70 inches, then your score will be 70. If all three shots are successful, each from a distance of 100 inches, then your score will be = 300. One percent of your course grade comes from this test. 2) Individual Competition (week of June 28) Your individual machine will compete in two tasks: Task 2- Injecting the dispersants (three squash balls), and Task 4 Rescuing the pelicans (mounted bowling pins). The competition track will be used, but the centerpiece will not be rotating. The bowling pin collection mechanisms can use energy from gravity, and up to 3 mousetraps. The machine will need to be electronically-triggered. You will need to coordinate testing with your team members to share the computer controller and pneumatic supplies that were issued to your team. Your device will compete alone, without other machines running. You will have 5 minutes to run your machine at most three times. Your total score will be the sum of the scores from the three trials. Two percent of your course grade comes from this test. 3) Team Preliminary Competition (week of July 5) This team-constructed machine must be computer triggered and controlled. The competition track will be used, and the centerpiece will be rotating. Your device will compete alone, without other machines running. Your team may use any components in the entire mechatronics kit, and up to 5 mousetraps. The machine will be evaluated on three tasks: Task 1 - Plugging the pipe (with bowling ball), Task 2- Injecting the dispersants (three squash balls), and Task 4 Rescuing the pelicans (mounted bowling pins). You will have 5 minutes to run your machine at most three times. Your score will be the sum of the scores from your three attempts. Your team s performance will be ranked against all studios. Two percent of your course grade comes from this test. 4) Team Qualifying Competition (week of July 12) Your team's machine will compete against other machines in all aspects of the contest. You will compete several times during the studio period, against a variety of opponents. Your score will be ranked only against teams in your studio section. The results from this qualifying round will be used to seed the brackets for the final contest. Two percent of your course grade comes from this test. 5) Final Contest (July 23) Your machine will compete in two events: the design review and the final contest. i) Design Review: starting at 5:00pm, a panel of judges will perform a design review of your machine. You will need to describe your machine quickly and clearly to the judges that visit your machine. The judges will evaluate your team on aesthetics, ingenuity, and presentation. ii) Final Contest: Each machine will compete at least two times. The top two machines in each test will be declared winners. All machines with at least 1 win in the first two rounds will proceed to the third round. Only winners in the 3 rd round will proceed to the 4 th round, only winners in the 4 th round will proceed to the 5 th, etc. Eight percent of your course grade comes from this test.

4 2. DETAILS 2.1 Test Arena The arena is a square with 7-foot-long sides, as shown in Figure 2. The surface is supported by 2x4's, so it is elevated approximately 4 inches above ground. There are also 2x4's around the top perimeter. In front of each starting platform, there is a small ramp (made from a diagonally-cut 2x4) that leads from the starting platform to the arena s main surface. The arena is divided into 4 equal size zones. The zones are bounded by the inside edge of the 2x4 perimeter, the diagonal dividing lines on the left and right sides of each zone, and the rotating centerpiece. The volume of space above a zone is also part of the zone. Figure 2: Approximate Dimensions of Arena A side view and top view of the rotating centerpiece are shown in Figure 3. The centerpiece rotates at a constant speed of approximately 6 RPM. The centerpiece has three tiers. The surface of the low tier is approximately 6 inches off of the arena floor, the middle tier is 12 inches off of the floor, and the high tier is 24 inches off of the floor. On the surface of the high tier, there is an approximately 2.5-inch-diameter hole in the center. This represents the hole in the oil pipe. On the middle tier there are two pits that are used for scoring in the squash ball delivery task. There is a 4-inch-tall wall next to the edge of both pits. All dimensions are approximate. Your device should be robust to these uncertainties.

5 Figure 3: Rotating Centerpiece 2.2 Building Materials Your device should not be expensive or complicated. To limit the expense and complexity of your design, you are permitted to use energy only from the controller box, the pneumatics, five mousetraps, and gravity. Your team will be provided with a set of actuators, such as motors, solenoids, and pneumatic cylinders. No other actuators may be driven by the computer. The computer also powers the sensors, which include: an IR range detector, an encoder, and some micro-switches. You may purchase additional building materials and sensors as long as your team budget remains under $100. You are required to turn in a bill of materials with the associated cost for each part in your final report. 2.3 Contest Format From 5:00pm-6:00pm your devices will be on display in the MaRC building for the design review. The design review score incorporates aesthetics, ingenuity, and presentation. You are allowed to dress up yourselves, your machine, and your presentation area in order to maximize your score. At least one team member will need to be in attendance during the design review to discuss the features of your machine. This will operate in a typical science fair mode. There will be an award given for ``Best in Show", which does not count towards your grade. The final contests begin at 6:15pm. 2.4 Details of Competition Scoring All scoring is based on the state of the arena at the end of the one-minute competition. Plugging Oil Pipe You will be given one (1) hollow plastic bowling ball that matches the color of your home zone. You place the ball into your machine during the setup period. The ball cannot be modified in any way. If your ball is plugging the oil pipe (top-tier hole) when the one minute period ends, then you will receive 40 points. To be plugging the hole, the ball must be resting on the entire circumference of the inner edge of the hole.

6 Delivering Dispersant You will be given three (3) squash balls that match the color of your home zone. You will place the balls into your machine during the setup period. The squash balls cannot be modified in any way. For each ball that you deposit into the middle-tier pits, you will receive 10 points. Collecting Tarballs At the start of each contest, ten (10) whiffle balls will be placed on the low tier of the rotating centerpiece. In order to score points, the entire ball must be within your safety zone at the end of the round. For each ball that is collected, you will receive 10 points. For each ball that is in your home zone but not inside your safety zone, you will lose 2 points. Saving Pelicans At the start of each test, two (2) hollow plastic bowling pins will be standing in your zone. If a bowling pin remains standing at the end of the round, but is not in your home zone, no points will be added or deducted. You will receive 10 points for each standing pin inside your safety zone. You will lose 10 points for each knocked-over pin. Tiebreaker Procedure In the case of a tie score, the following tiebreakers will be applied in order until one team is declared victorious: 1) The team with the most points from collecting dispersant delivery; 2) the team with the most points from tarball collecting; 3) the team that rescued the most pelicans, and 4) coin toss. The methods of scoring are summarized in Table 1. Scoring Method Plugging Oil Pipe Delivering Dispersant Collecting Tarballs Saving Pelicans Table 1: Scoring Point Value + 40 for ball plugging hole in top tier + 10 for each squash ball inside pits in second tier + 10 for each whiffle ball inside safety zone - 2 for each whiffle ball inside home zone but outside safety zone + 10 for each bowling pin standing in safety zone 0 for each standing bowling pin not in safety zone - 10 for each knocked-over bowling pin

7 2.5 Grading The performance of your machine composes 15% of your grade for the course and the design review counts for 5%. The 15% of your grade that comes from the performance of your machine is divided into five components, as shown in Table 2. Table 2: Grading Breakdown Maximum points Test 1 Machining Contest 2 Individual Competition 2 Team Preliminary Competition 2 Team Qualifying Competition 8 Final Contest Machining Contest People scoring 0 after 3 tries will get 0 points. All other scores will come from a linear interpolation between 0 and the highest score in the studio section. Individual Competition Your score will be determined as a percentage of the scoring range in your studio section. The top scoring person will get 2 points. The lowest score will get 0 points. All other scores will come from a linear interpolation between these values. Team Preliminary Competition Your performance will be ranked against teams in all studio sections. The maximum score is 2; the minimum score is 0. Team Qualifying Competition Each team will compete several times. The sum total earnings from all tests will be used to rank the teams within the studio section. The maximum score is 2; the minimum score is 0. Final Contest Your points are based on how many contests you win. The team(s) with the most wins earn 8 points; the teams with zero wins get 1 point. All other scores come from a linear interpolation between these values. Design Review The judge's scores will be summed and divided by the number of judges that evaluate each machine. These average scores will be ranked across the entire class. The maximum score is 5 points; the minimum score is 1 point.

8 3. DETAILED DESIGN CONSTRAINTS If a team is disqualified for a rules violation, then they lose the current contest in which they are competing. If the team can eliminate the violating offense, then they are eligible for future contests. For the final contests, your device will be assigned to a 7-minute time block. All competing devices will be automatically activated at the 4-minute mark, and must be removed from the track by the 7- minute mark. Thus, you will have 4 minutes to setup your device and then it will compete for 1 minute. The next two minutes will be used for scoring and cleaning up. By the end of the 7-minute period, you must remove your device (and any bits and pieces), return the supplied squash balls and bowling ball, and clean up the arena. Disqualification can be imposed for taking longer than your allotted time. Once your device has been activated, you may not touch the device or enter the competition area until the field official indicates it is time to clear out your machine. Doing so results in a disqualification. It is your responsibility to be on time with a working machine. If you are not present during your assigned time, you are disqualified for that contest. The source of power in your device is limited to the five mousetraps provided to you, a compressedair tank provided to you, the controller box power, and gravity. You may replace the mousetraps with exactly the same model if they break. The only permitted actuators are those supplied to you by the ME 2110 staff. (For example, no additional magnets are allowed). Your machine must fit within a 24 x 12 x 18 (length x width x height) inch box. The 12-inch dimension describes either the width or the length of the device. The 18-inch dimension is the maximum starting height of your system. Your device will be measured with a go/no-go box during the 4-minute setup period. When the box is removed, your machine may not ``bloom" out and occupy a larger volume. Doing so will require a re-boxing of the machine. If your machine has not been cleared to compete by 15 seconds before the trigger time, you will be disqualified for that test. The device must be launched from within the 2.5 X 2.5 foot starting area outside each home zone. The outside of the lumber perimeter defines one side of the starting area. You may place your device in any configuration or orientation within the starting area; however, the go/no-go box must be able to fit over the device prior to its start. You can only reposition your device after it has been checked for size; you cannot set triggers, adjust components, turn on your controller, etc. Your machine cannot overhang into the competition area - defined by the outside of the 2x4's. A three-foot perimeter around the arena, marked off by tape, will be off limits during the competition. If your machine causes any objects to cross outside of the taped-off region, then you will be disqualified as a safety hazard. The device must be safe. It must not have the potential to injure bystanders or yourself. It must not damage, stain, or permanently change the competition area or its surroundings. It must not scratch the floor. The faculty will disqualify any device they deem unsafe. Each team may not spend more than $100 on the device. You will be required to document the cost of your materials by submitting your receipts, as well as a bill of materials and costs in your final report. Material may be prorated for costs. The cost of an object is defined to be that which Joe P. Citizen must incur in obtaining the object. For donated or scrounged material, an equivalent price must be specified.

9 The cost of the kits supplied to you is NOT included in the $100. The $100 is out-of-pocket expense. The School will not reimburse you for the expense. The cost of any aesthetic materials (e.g., paint and stickers) and fasteners (e.g., staples, tape and glue) are not included in the $100 budget. All supplies provided to you (electronics, motors, etc.) must be returned in good working order at the end of the term. Failure to do so will result in an Incomplete (I) for your course grade. No exceptions! The device shall not be permanently bonded in any manner to the competition track or its surroundings in any way. The device must be activated by using the start plugs near each starting area. The start plug circuits will be closed during the 1-minute competition and open otherwise. Your control code must sense the closed circuit and activate its actions. Power to the computer will be available from outlets near each starting area. If your computer travels far out into the competition area, you must supply your own extension cord. The device must shut down (e.g., no motor turning) at the end of the one-minute competition when the start-plug circuits are opened. Failure to do so will result in disqualification. The device must operate autonomously. No remote control is allowed. The device may touch or otherwise utilize any part of the arena or its surroundings. It may not utilize or interact with any living entity, such as trained monkeys, during the competition. While machines may go outside of the arena, there are no guarantees as to what will be located outside of the track, e.g., a wall, motor, or a person may be located outside of the track area. False starts that disrupt the arena such that it cannot be reset in time for the scheduled start will result in a disqualification of the offending device. The faculty will assign the teams. The teams will remain constant for the duration of the project. The faculty has the right to remove or otherwise penalize disruptive members of any team. Wanton destruction of the opposing devices and/or the arena is prohibited. If you do not play, you cannot win. If your device does not make any perceptible movement, then you lose that round of competition or score the minimum possible points if this occurs in a preliminary competition. Swearing, spitting, vulgar scratching, or other rude behavior at the competition will result in disqualification, and possibly physical expulsion from the MaRC Building. Faculty rulings on any clarification or dispute of these rules are binding and final.