Mech Days 2025
What?
• Build a gravity-powered elevator in a 2-day clinic environment • Achieve reliable auto-feeding and continuous lift of balls • Keep the mechanism simple, robust, and easy to tune • Document parts and steps so the build can be repeated • Hit a measurable throughput goal during demos
How?
• Rapidly prototype feed and track geometries; tune slope and friction • Use laser-cut panels and off-the-shelf parts; adjust belt tension and guides • Add anti-jam features and hopper staging for continuous flow • Time runs, log jams, and iterate on critical constraints • Assign roles, maintain a build checklist, and record settings
Results
• Reliable conveyor-style lift with auto-feed at ≈0.4 balls per second • Stable demo runs with minimal jams once tuned • Clear BOM and assembly notes enable quick rebuilds • Met clinic safety and materials constraints • Identified paths for higher throughput and smoother feeding
University of Waterloo (ME101)
2025
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