How to Design a Rube Goldberg Project
Rube Goldberg is a satirical comic best known for his work in the early 1900s. His best-known work includes drawings of several overly complicated machines. Based on the machines depicted in his work, Rube Goldberg projects are designed to teach students about design, physics and engineering. Many Rube Goldberg contests exist around the world, so designing a good Rube Goldberg project can help a student get recognized when starting out as a beginner in design, physics or engineering.
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Instructions
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Choose a simple task that can be performed by building a machine. The task can be related to a need that you have, or it can be silly and pointless, depending on the requirements for the project.
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Identify your supplies from available objects. Explore your home, thrift stores and discount stores for potential parts to inspire your Rube Goldberg machine. The more unusual components, the better, since Rube Goldberg projects are meant to be comic and a little ridiculous.
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Brainstorm possible paths that you could take to create the action you chose for your project. Consider moving parts that you might use to create the machine. Common objects used to trigger or power these types of projects include balloons, bowling balls, ball bearings and rubber bands.
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Draw your vision for your Rube Goldberg project design. A rough sketch can help you remember the parts of the machine, but a reasonably to-scale drawing will help more during the building process.
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Write down the steps as you intend them to happen, in a numeric sequence that matches the planned sequence for triggering the Rube Goldberg project. Include details about how you intend to execute each step, including the materials and tasks necessary to get from one step to the next.
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Review your design for any potential problems, conflicts or ambiguous instructions that might become obstacles when completing the designed project.
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Tips & Warnings
Keep safety in mind and choose safe steps for your project.
When designing your project, keep in mind that the heart of the Rube Goldberg project is the ridiculous, unnecessary step. Avoid making the machine too logical.
Consider using slower steps and adding steps that are risky and may not complete to increase the excitement of watching your Rube Goldberg project run.
Steer clear of sharp objects in your design. Real injuries can result when dangerous objects are introduced into a Rube Goldberg project. If your Rube Goldberg project requires that you cut something, like food, choose components that are unlikely to cause harm, such as plastic knives, in lieu of sharper cutting tools like razor blades.
If the design of the project necessitates dangerous objects, you can change the material to be cut into a softer material, such as melted butter instead of apples, so you do not risk injury.
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