Download Drop Tower Design - Worcester Polytechnic Institute

385.6 kg (850lbs); concentrating the majority of the weight in the base makes the tower more stable.
The base must also be able to fit through doorways and be transported between different labs and
buildings. There must also be a method of dampening the impact transferred to the floor of the lab.
Figure 3 Steel Plate Base
The first iteration was a 1m X 1m X .04 m (39.4 in X 39.4 in X 1.5 in) steel plate. In order to lessen
the impact on the lab floor rubber loading dock bumpers were designed to be used as feet underneath
the steel plate. These rubber bumpers are typically used for loading docks to protect semi-truck trailers
from damage. This design met the requirements for weight but was ultimately rejected. The steel plate
was far too expensive, costing approximately $1200. This made this iteration of the design infeasible for
use in this project.
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