School Kits & TSA
There are a number of kits, including “virtual” kits, suitable for use in school. Students can use any of the kits to build a robot arm either following instructions or using “loose” materials to design and build a device of their own. The school challenge kits are below.
“Regular” School classroom kits here
The School Challenge is a school-based project to enable classrooms to participate in a Fluid Power Challenge. Assuming a class of 28 students, four (4) students participate as a team. Each of the seven (7) teams complete a program of classroom activities to select a team to represent the school and/or class. Once a team of four (4) is selected, that team completes the design and construction of a prototype device recording their process in a portfolio-notebook. Using only this portfolio, their tools and a kit of materials the team, under Challenge conditions, builds their device to meet the Challenge. Their portfolio, a video of their device operated by team members and judges’ feedback are submitted to determine the current year’s winners.
School Challenge Kits:
The standard in-school package for a classroom of 28 students in teams of 4,comprises of:
7 X Classroom Workshop Kits – each includes two introductory kits (Lifter & Clamp kits), parts to build a working hydraulic base and materials for each team of four (4) to design a prototype device and record their process in a Portfolio (Notebook- Portfolio)
1 X Selected Team Kit to enable the selected team to re-design their solution prior to the Challenge Event
1 X Challenge Kit to enable the school team to build their final device at the Challenge using their Notebook-Portfolio
1 X Current Layout Board and access to substantial on-line resources.
Additional kits are available if your class size is larger. Optional kits are available:
Nat’l Tools Kit – contains 4 safety glasses, 1 miter box for cutting wooden strips, 1 fine-toothed saw, pair of scissors and ruler
Nat’l Advisors & Facilitators’ Kit – containing extra materials including a mini-glue gun and glue sticks (72)
Florida State Event:
The 2022 Florida TSA State Event is going ahead as an in-person event! Teams who register for the Fluid Power Challenge on Saturday 26th Feb will receive 1 X School Workshop kit that contains materials for an introduction to fluid power (Lifter & Clamp kits), extra materials to build a working Rotating Base and other materials for a team to design a prototype device, as well as web access to substantial support materials. In addition, your team will receive 1 X School Challenge Kit and a Layout Board to bring to State. A list of tools to bring to the event will be available.
Holding a school-based program to select your team?
If your school is holding a school-based challenge to select the team to represent the school-chapter then you will order from Mechanical Kits Ltd. the FL State School Kit. This classroom package contains the kits required to select your team from seven (7) teams of four and provide additional materials for that selected team to re-design their final prototype prior to the State Event. Additional materials kits and tool kits are available.
