Berkshire

Fragile Freight Challenge

What's it about?
This secondary Challenge enables pupils to solve a problem faced by communities in Nepal who grow produce (including tomatoes) on high mountain terrain. They need to transport it, without damage, to a market below; however, carrying produce down the mountain can be a long and difficult journey. The Challenge is for students to design a model/system that can move this ‘fragile freight’ down the mountain in a safe and controlled way without damage.

In addition to STEM learning into forces, gradients, material properties and structures, this challenge also supports general understanding of global issues and gives students the opportunity to find out more about Sustainable Development Goals / Global Goals, particularly Goal 9 – Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure.

The aims of the Challenge:
- To design and build a model/system to move the greatest possible weight of cherry tomatoes in a controlled manner from a starting station to a base station in two minutes. The base of the loading container(s) to hold the cherry tomatoes must start its journey at a height of at least 85cm above ground level and descend to deposit the cherry tomatoes at ground level, travelling across a horizontal distance of at least 100cm
- Encourage problem-solving, team work, presentation and communication skills
- Increase students’ awareness that engineering design is influenced by the world around us, including geographical location and available resources
Eligible school year groups: Years 7-9

Entries accepted from: Individuals or teams of 2-5 students. Schools may submit a maximum of 3 entries for the Challenge. Teams may be mixed age if desired.

Open to: Bracknell Forest and Wokingham Authority schools, academies and private schools. Home-educated children may also participate. See our Terms and Conditions.

Watch the video to see the creative designs in the 2019 competition.

CREST Bronze Awards

3M will pay for entries for the Fragile Freight Challenge to be submitted for a British Science Association CREST Bronze Award. See our Terms and Conditions. Please indicate your consent on the Entry Form.

Information for teachers

- Download the Fragile Freight Challenge Risk Assessment
- The model/system can only be built from materials on the Materials List
- The model/system must include one or more loading containers to hold the fragile freight (cherry tomatoes). There are no restrictions on the dimensions of the container(s)
- The base of the loading container(s) to hold the cherry tomatoes must start its journey at a height of at least 85cm above ground level and descend to deposit the cherry tomatoes at ground level, travelling across a horizontal distance of at least 100cm
- Cherry tomatoes should be loaded into the container(s) at the starting station and unloaded at the base station.
- The container(s) must not touch the ground during the journey until it reaches the base station, although it can be in contact with other parts of the model
- The model/system must include a method for returning empty container(s) to the starting station. This method cannot include directly lifting and placing the container by hand, though manual power through the model/system is allowed. Other powering methods can include but are not exclusive to mechanical, gravitational and electronic means (while meeting the Materials List requirements).
- The total weight of cherry tomatoes that reaches the base station during the two-minute time period will be weighed using digital weighing scales. Any tomatoes which are squashed or otherwise damaged will not be counted
- Tomatoes that fall from the container(s) during the journey cannot be replaced
- There are no limitations on the maximum dimensions of the model/system but it must be transportable to the judging session at 3M. Very minor assembly can take place prior to testing
- If required, two standard office desks of height 72cm, length 160cm, width 80cm and depth 2cm will be available for support of the model. Models can be attached to the desks using only materials from the Materials List. Any attachments must not damage the desks
- Bucket(s) of cherry tomatoes will be provided by 3M for testing
- Entrants will get two attempts at operating their model/system. The run delivering the greatest weight of cherry tomatoes will be used to allocate marks
- Please refer to the Judging and Mark Scheme information below

Closing date for entries: 25 March 2020

Judging: 13 May am, 13 May pm and 14 May am 2020 at 3M Centre, Cain Road, Bracknell, RG12 8HT. Please indicate your preferred judging date/time on the entry form.

Judging

Entries will be screened to ensure they meet the entry criteria. Students, accompanied by their teacher, will be invited to present their Fragile Freight model to the judges and give a presentation of up to ten minutes containing information on their background research, materials selection, design experimentation, any calculations performed and construction process. Presentations should demonstrate an awareness of factors influencing the design of similar systems used for communities in Nepal which this Challenge is based on. Sketches and prototypes showing the evolution of the model’s design should be included. The presentation can take any form (PowerPoint® slides, poster, video, a talk or combination) and should aim to build the students’ confidence, communication and presentation skills. Judges will ask questions about the students’ experience of taking part, their STEM learning, awareness of global issues and their final structure. All members of a team should play a part in the presentation.

Testing

The model will be checked to ensure it only uses materials from the Materials List, and that the position of the base of the loading container(s) and horizontal distance covered are correct. The two-minute time periods will be measured using a digital stopwatch. The total weight of cherry tomatoes will be measured in grams using digital weighing scales.

Mark Scheme

Up to 30 marks for the total weight of cherry tomatoes transported

Up to 25 marks for idea generation

Students should demonstrate their understanding of the aim of the Challenge, describe the background research and influences on initial design ideas and material selection

Up to 20 marks for design development

Students should demonstrate evidence of STEM learning in design development, prototyping and building their model/system. Explain how they worked as a team and problem solved

Up to 15 marks for an understanding of Sustainable Development

Students should explain the importance of engineering to achieving sustainable development goals; how real-world applications influence design; describe how their model/system could be adapted to other applications to support sustainable development

Up to 10 marks for quality of the presentation

Total marks available = 100

The students’ year group will be taken into account when awarding marks.

Judges will select 4-6 finalists who will be invited to attend the 3M Young Innovators Challenge presentation evening on 11 June 2020.

Prizes

£750 of science or design and technology equipment for school use plus a £50 gift voucher for the winning individual or team member. All finalists and their schools will receive a framed certificate.

All entrants will receive a certificate of entry and personalised feedback from the judges.

Curriculum links

Links to Science Curriculum (England)	Links to Design and Technology Curriculum (England)
Key stage 3 Scientific attitudes; pupils should be taught to: pay attention to objectivity and concern for accuracy, precision, repeatability and reproducibility understand that scientific methods and theories develop as earlier explanations are modified to take account of new evidence and ideas, together with the importance of publishing results and peer review Experimental skills and investigations; pupils should be taught to: ask questions and develop a line of enquiry based on observations of the real world, alongside prior knowledge and experience make predictions using scientific knowledge and understanding select, plan and carry out the most appropriate types of scientific enquiries to test predictions, including identifying independent, dependent and control variables make and record observations and measurements using a range of methods for different investigations; and evaluate the reliability of methods and suggest possible improvements Analysis and evaluation; through the content, pupils should be taught to: present observations and data using appropriate methods, including tables and graphs interpret observations and data, including identifying patterns and using observations, measurements and data to draw conclusions present reasoned explanations, including explaining data in relation to predictions and hypotheses identify further questions arising from their results Forces forces as pushes or pulls, arising from the interaction between 2 objects using force arrows in diagrams, adding forces in 1 dimension, balanced and unbalanced forces non-contact forces: gravity forces acting at a distance on Earth and in space	Key stage 3 When designing and making the model, pupils should be taught to: Design: identify and solve their own design problems and understand how to reformulate problems given to them develop specifications to inform the design of innovative, functional, appealing products that respond to needs in a variety of situations develop and communicate design ideas using annotated sketches Make: select from and use specialist tools, techniques, processes, equipment and machinery precisely select from and use a wider, more complex range of materials and components, taking into account their properties Evaluate: test, evaluate and refine their ideas and products against a specification, taking into account the views of intended users and other interested groups Technical knowledge: understand and use the properties of materials and the performance of structural elements to achieve functioning solutions

Links to Science Curriculum (England)

Links to Design and Technology Curriculum (England)

Key stage 3

Scientific attitudes; pupils should be taught to:

pay attention to objectivity and concern for accuracy, precision, repeatability and reproducibility

understand that scientific methods and theories develop as earlier explanations are modified to take account of new evidence and ideas, together with the importance of publishing results and peer review

Experimental skills and investigations; pupils should be taught to:

ask questions and develop a line of enquiry based on observations of the real world, alongside prior knowledge and experience

make predictions using scientific knowledge and understanding

select, plan and carry out the most appropriate types of scientific enquiries to test predictions, including identifying independent, dependent and control variables

make and record observations and measurements using a range of methods for different investigations; and evaluate the reliability of methods and suggest possible improvements

Analysis and evaluation; through the content, pupils should be taught to:

present observations and data using appropriate methods, including tables and graphs

interpret observations and data, including identifying patterns and using observations, measurements and data to draw conclusions

present reasoned explanations, including explaining data in relation to predictions and hypotheses

identify further questions arising from their results

Forces

forces as pushes or pulls, arising from the interaction between 2 objects

using force arrows in diagrams, adding forces in 1 dimension, balanced and unbalanced forces

non-contact forces: gravity forces acting at a distance on Earth and in space

Key stage 3

When designing and making the model, pupils should be taught to:

Design:

identify and solve their own design problems and understand how to reformulate problems given to them

develop specifications to inform the design of innovative, functional, appealing products that respond to needs in a variety of situations

develop and communicate design ideas using annotated sketches

Make:

select from and use specialist tools, techniques, processes, equipment and machinery precisely

select from and use a wider, more complex range of materials and components, taking into account their properties

Evaluate:

test, evaluate and refine their ideas and products against a specification, taking into account the views of intended users and other interested groups

Technical knowledge:

understand and use the properties of materials and the performance of structural elements to achieve functioning solutions

Important documents to download

Please make sure you download these important documents for the Fragile Freight Challenge. Please save the entry form to your device and send as a file attachment to NorthEuropecomms@mmm.com.

If you have any questions, please Get in Touch.
Please see our Terms and Conditions.

Judges

Neale Griffiths

Neale Griffiths is Senior Research Specialist for the 3M Corporate Research Systems Lab. He started his career in Engineering as an Apprentice Mechanical and Production Engineer with a hands-on approach to problem solving. Before joining 3M 12 years ago, he held positions as a Design and Development Manager at a consumer products manufacturing company before moving to the position of Development Manager at a contract medical device manufacturing company. Neale is passionate about promoting the benefits of both the academic and vocational routes into Engineering to ensure that there is a broad and balanced strong technical base in the UK.

Richard Putland

Richard is a Process Engineer with a degree in Chemical Engineering, which combines Maths, Physics and Chemistry and applies this to industry. He works at Wood plc in Reading, Berkshire as a Project Process Manager. This work has involved travel to countries such as Saudi Arabia, Korea and China.

Fragile Freight Challenge

What's it about?

CREST Bronze Awards

Important documents to download

Neale Griffiths

Richard Putland

3M Young Innovators Challenge