Hydraulic Robot Arm Design Challenge

This design challenge introduces students to the principles of fluid power and mechanical engineering through the construction of a functional hydraulic robot arm. Using the engineering design process, student teams build an articulated arm powered by water-filled syringes and vinyl tubing to demonstrate Pascals Law in a practical setting. Participants learn to calculate torque and moments, analyze the impact of live and dead loads, and understand the relationship between piston area and force. The project culminates in a performance challenge where the student-built arms must demonstrate grasping, lifting, and swiveling capabilities to transport objects between locations.

Hydraulics Fluid Power Pascals Law Mechanical Engineering Robotics Engineering Design Process Torque Moment Degrees of Freedom DOF End Effector STEAM Syringe Hydraulics Pistons Dead Loads Live Loads Industrial Arts Articulated Arm Physics STEM

Uploaded by demo on 2026-07-19 · ready · Other · Original source ↗

Files: Science-Syllabus-2023.pdf · NSF_ATE_provenance.txt

Readiness checks

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Latest report — 2026-07-19 19:49

Readiness report

Automated readiness checks for lab type other are not supported yet — only electronics labs are researched in this version. The lab's snapshot remains the reference for manual checking.

Snapshot What the lab depended on when it was uploaded — the baseline the readiness checks research against.

This lab is a six-week STEM design challenge where students collaborate in teams to design, build, and test a hydraulically powered robot arm. Using water-filled syringes and vinyl tubing to demonstrate Pascal’s Law, the mechanical arm must be capable of grasping, lifting, and swiveling through a 45-degree arc to transport small objects (such as marshmallows or M&Ms) into a target container. The lab is primarily mechanical and shop-focused, requiring no software or electronic components, but it relies heavily on specific hardware and external web resources for construction guidance.

Temporal and Fragile Dependencies

Missing Internal Documentation The provided PDF is an incomplete excerpt of a larger syllabus. It specifically references the following critical documents that are missing from the current fileset:

  • Detailed Procedure Guidelines: Referenced as being on page 9. This likely contains the step-by-step assembly instructions.
  • Fluid Power Worksheet: Referenced as being on page 18.
  • Moments and Counterbalances Worksheet: Referenced as being on page 25.
  • Robot Arm Quiz: Referenced as being on page 28.

External Web Resources The lab suggests several external sites for instructional videos, alternative guides, and 3D design files. These links are highly susceptible to link rot:

  • Instructional Guides: Tufts University “Teach Engineering” (teachengineering.org), Ideas-Inspire (ideas-inspire.com), and Instructables.
  • Commercial Reference: Copernicus Toys (copernicustoys.com) assembly instructions for a retail kit.
  • CAD/3D Printing Files: Thingiverse links for printable arms (thingiverse.com/thing:1328020 and thingiverse.com/thing:39803).
  • Supplier Reference: Pitsco Education (pitsco.com) for pre-manufactured kits.

Specific Physical Materials (BOM) The build requires specific dimensions and types of hardware that must be sourced from medical supply stores or hardware retailers:

  • Syringes: 10 cc capacity. The document specifies the "Luer-Lok" tip style as a requirement because it holds tubing more securely than standard tips.
  • Tubing: 1/4" clear vinyl tubing.
  • Linkage Materials: 1/16" and 1/8" welding rods are recommended for stiff wire components.
  • Structure: Wood strips, plywood (for the base platform), and assorted blocks of wood.
  • Fasteners: Assorted screws, nuts, and bolts.
  • Game Elements: Small objects between 1/4" and 1", specifically including M&M candies, marbles, ball bearings, and empty aluminum cans.

Shop Tools and Facilities The lab assumes access to a fully equipped "tech studies" shop or lab, including:

  • Heavy Machinery: Drill press (or hand drill arrangement) and a band saw for cutting plywood pieces.
  • Hand Tools: Whitney punch, wire strippers, fine-toothed saws or sturdy knives, screwdrivers, and scissors.
  • Adhesives: Hot glue guns and glue sticks.
  • Wet Workspace: A dedicated area with access to water for filling/bleeding syringes and paper towels for drying components.