Boomilever
Division: B – Middle School
NC Essential Standards Alignment: Grade 6, 7, and 8: Goals 1 and 2; High School Physics 7.P.1, 7.P.2, Phy.1.1, Phy.1.2, Phy.1.3, PSc.1.1, PSc.1.2
Event Rules: See National Rules
Event Score Sheet: Coming soon
National Event Page: Here
Description:
Teams will build a cantilevered beam or truss structure that extends from a vertical Testing Wall and supports a load at a specified height and distance from the Testing Wall. The structure must meet the requirements specified in these rules to achieve the highest score, which is a combination of Structural Efficiency and Load Scored Bonus.
Materials:
Each team is allowed to enter only one Boomilever, built prior to the competition. All participants must properly wear eye protection at all times. Participants without proper eye protection must be immediately informed and given a chance to obtain eye protection if time allows. Participants without proper eye protection will not be allowed to compete and be placed in Tier 3. Participants may NOT bring any equipment such as levels or squares. The Event Supervisor will provide the Test Apparatus and tools/materials for measurement
Scoring:
High score wins. Scoring for this event is based on efficiency. There is an added base bonus this year. The following formula will be used:
(Load supported + load score bonus)/Mass of Boomilever
Boomilevers that fail to meet one or more of the requirements will be ranked in a 2nd tier beneath those that do meet requirements. Boomilevers that cannot be tested at all will be ranked in a 4th tier below those that can be tested. Ties will be broken first by whichever boomilever is lightest, then by the students who provided the best estimates of their boomilever’s capacity.
Common Mistakes:
The goal is not to build the strongest boomilever, it is to build the most efficient boomilever. Most winning boomilevers will break before hitting 15kg
Students will also have to estimate what their load supported will be this year. This number will be used only in tie breaker situations.
Event Resources:
https://www.soinc.org/boomilever-b
BALSA Engineering – https://www.youtube.com/@balsaengineering
https://scioly.org/wiki/Boomilever
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c1630kO-MGA
Additional Past Resources
Boomilever 2019 Coaches Clinic Presentation (2020 Rules)
Boomilever 2018 Coaches Clinic Presentation (2019 Rules)
2017 Coaches Clinic Presentation – This link is for Towers but contains good information that can be applied to your boomilevers.
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FAQs
Have a question about an event? Check our 🔎 Event Intel: Coach Questions & Answers for answers to all event FAQs submitted by coaches. The document includes event-specific questions and clarifications and will be updated as additional questions are reviewed and answered.
Please check the FAQ document before submitting a new question – you may find your answer already there!
