Aerospace Engineering + Physics
Make a model wind tunnel and test shapes
Build a small wind tunnel from a fan and straws and compare the drag of different shapes.
- Intermediate
- 1–2 weeks
- 500–1,000
606 projects · 13 streams · every class
Engineering projects 20
Design, build and test projects for every engineering branch, from mini projects to final-year capstones, with low-cost versions where possible.
20 Engineering projects
Civil Engineering · Structural Analysis
Compare the strength of beam cross-sections
Fold the same sheet of card into flat, tube, box and I shapes and measure how much each bends.
- Intermediate
- 2–7 days
- Under 250
Civil Engineering + Earth Science
Design an earthquake-resistant building model
Build a simple shake table and test how bracing and base isolation protect a model tower.
- Intermediate
- 1–2 weeks
- 250–500
Mechatronics and Robotics + Agricultural Technology
Automate a greenhouse model
Control a fan, a pump and a light in a model greenhouse from temperature, moisture and light readings.
- Intermediate
- 2–4 weeks
- 1,000–2,500
Materials, Energy and Other Branches + Environmental Science
Build a biogas digester model
Ferment kitchen waste in a sealed bottle and measure the gas collected over a month.
- Intermediate
- 2–4 weeks
- 250–500
Civil Engineering + Robotics, IoT and Hardware
Build a model of a smart street light
Make street lights that switch on at dusk and brighten only when a vehicle passes.
- Intermediate
- 1–2 weeks
- 500–1,000
Mechanical Engineering · Machines
Design a gearbox and measure its speed ratios
Build a two-stage gear train and check the measured ratio against the tooth counts.
- Intermediate
- 1–2 weeks
- 250–500
Electrical Engineering + Physics
Build a wireless power transfer demo
Light an LED with no wire connection using two coils and an oscillator.
- Intermediate
- 2–7 days
- 250–500
Industrial and Manufacturing · 3D Printing
Optimise a 3D print for strength and time
Print test bars with different infill and layer settings and find the best strength per minute.
- Intermediate
- 1–2 weeks
- 500–1,000
Electrical Engineering · Power Systems
Model a power grid with series and parallel loads
Show why power is transmitted at high voltage using long thin wires and small bulbs.
- Intermediate
- 2–7 days
- 500–1,000
Materials, Energy and Other Branches · Materials Testing
Test materials for strength with a home-made rig
Stretch wires and strips of different materials to breaking and compare their strength.
- Intermediate
- 1–2 weeks
- 250–500
Mechanical Engineering · Fluid Systems
Build a model of a gear pump or centrifugal pump
Make a small centrifugal pump from a motor and a bottle cap and measure its flow at different heights.
- Intermediate
- 1–2 weeks
- 500–1,000
Chemical Engineering · Separation
Build a distillation column model
Separate coloured water from a salt solution by simple distillation and measure the recovery.
- Intermediate
- 1–2 weeks
- 250–500
Electronics and Communication · Communication Systems
Build an FM radio receiver
Assemble an FM receiver from a radio IC and tune in local stations.
- Intermediate
- 1–2 weeks
- 500–1,000
Mechanical Engineering + Environmental Science
Build a solar water heater
Make a flat-plate collector from black tubing and measure how much heat it captures.
- Intermediate
- 1–2 weeks
- 500–1,000
Materials, Energy and Other Branches + Chemistry
Study corrosion protection for steel
Compare paint, oil, zinc coating and sacrificial protection on steel in salt water.
- Intermediate
- 2–4 weeks
- 250–500
Electrical Engineering + Environmental Science
Generate electricity from a bicycle
Couple a DC motor to a bicycle wheel and measure the power a person can produce.
- Intermediate
- 1–2 weeks
- 1,000–2,500
Aerospace Engineering + Physics
Measure the thrust of a water rocket
Build a static test stand and measure thrust against time for different water fills.
- Intermediate
- 1–2 weeks
- 250–500
Electrical Engineering · Generators
Make a hand-crank emergency torch
Build a torch that stores hand-cranked energy in a capacitor and lights an LED.
- Intermediate
- 1–2 weeks
- 500–1,000
Biomedical Engineering · Biomechanics
Build a prosthetic hand model
Make a string-tendon hand from card and straws that grips objects.
- Intermediate
- 1–2 weeks
- 250–500
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