Physics Olympics Vacuum
The UBC Physics Olympics was a team competition against other high schools in the Lower Mainland, where we collaborated on a month-long build project. I worked in partnership with another student, combining our skills to complete the challenge successfully
Design/Concept Generation
During the concept generation phase, a very complicated design was created. One that involved a fan rotating within a half-full container of water to produce a vacuum.
It was an ambitous idea that was attempted for 3 weeks. However, we found out that it was not a feasible idea and had to change ideas one week before the competition.
CAD Modelling
Our new idea was a much simplier vacuum that has a fan powered by a motor. The intake air at the start is pushed by the fan out of the side hole, allowing for more air to funnel through.
​​
I taught myself how to 3D model the vacuum and had it fully 3D printed.
The motor powering the fan was a high RPM motor powered by a 9V battery.
Testing + Competition
The 3D-printed vacuum performed exceptionally well during testing and competition, earning a score of 270, which was above average.
It operated flawlessly, meeting all functional expectations despite significant last-minute changes to the design. With just a week before the competition, we improvised and adapted, making the success even more rewarding.
The reliable performance validated our efforts and demonstrated the effectiveness of our problem-solving and adaptability under pressure.
