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 35
Design, build and test projects for every engineering branch, from mini projects to final-year capstones, with low-cost versions where possible.
35 Engineering projects
We couldn't find an exact match. These are the closest 35, found by leaving out the class and the difficulty.
Or look inMechanical EngineeringCivil EngineeringElectrical EngineeringElectronics and CommunicationChemical EngineeringAll EngineeringTwo-subject projectsHelp me choose
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
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
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
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
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
Automobile Engineering · Safety Systems
Build an anti-lock braking demonstration
Show how pulsing a brake keeps a model wheel from locking.
- Advanced
- 2–4 weeks
- 1,000–2,500
Civil Engineering · Materials
Test concrete mixes for strength
Cast cubes with different water-cement ratios and compare their strength after curing.
- Advanced
- 2–4 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
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
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
Materials, Energy and Other Branches + Chemistry
Make and test a simple supercapacitor
Build a capacitor from activated carbon electrodes and salt water and measure its capacitance.
- Advanced
- 2–4 weeks
- 500–1,000
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
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