Mechanical Engineering · Fluid Systems
Design a hydraulic arm from syringes
Build a three-joint arm moved by water-filled syringes that picks up and places an object.
- Easy
- 1–2 weeks
- 250–500
606 projects · 13 streams · every class
Engineering projects 21
Design, build and test projects for every engineering branch, from mini projects to final-year capstones, with low-cost versions where possible.
21 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 + Physics
Build and load-test a spaghetti bridge
Design a truss bridge from dry spaghetti and glue, then load it until it fails and compute its efficiency.
- Easy
- 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
Electrical Engineering + Physics
Build a simple electric motor and measure its speed
Wind a coil motor with a paper-clip cradle and test how turns and magnets change its speed.
- Easy
- 1 day
- Under 250
Electronics and Communication · Analog Circuits
Build a clap switch
Switch an LED or a low-voltage lamp on and off with a clap.
- Easy
- 2–7 days
- 250–500
Mechanical Engineering + Physics
Build a mousetrap car and maximise its distance
Power a car with one mousetrap spring and tune the lever and wheels for distance.
- Easy
- 2–7 days
- 250–500
Aerospace Engineering · Flight Mechanics
Design and fly a balsa glider
Build a glider and tune wing position and nose weight for the longest straight glide.
- Easy
- 2–7 days
- 250–500
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
Mechanical Engineering · Machines
Reduce friction in a simple machine
Measure the force to pull a load with sliding, rollers, wheels and lubricant, and compute efficiency.
- Easy
- 1 day
- Under 250
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
Electronics and Communication · Sensors
Make a water-level indicator
Light LEDs at quarter, half and full tank and sound a buzzer when it is about to overflow.
- Easy
- 2–7 days
- Under 250
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
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
Materials, Energy and Other Branches + Physics
Design a boat hull and test its drag
Shape three hulls of equal mass and time them towed across a water trough.
- Easy
- 2–7 days
- Under 250
Automobile Engineering · Powertrain
Model a four-stroke engine
Build a card-and-syringe model that shows intake, compression, power and exhaust.
- Easy
- 2–7 days
- 250–500
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
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
Materials, Energy and Other Branches + Physics
Compare insulation materials for a cool box
Wrap identical cups in different materials and find which keeps water hot or ice cold longest.
- Easy
- 1 day
- Under 250
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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