Simple Machines - an Engineers' Cookbook

Simple Machines is relevant to the science, CDT and maths curricula at KS2 and KS3

Simple Machines does what it says on the tin. It introduces some of the simple building blocks of complex machinery: pulleys, gears, chains, wheels,and hydraulics.

There are lots of experiments for the audience to help with, from pulling the presenter across the stage on a sledge to the smallest member of the audience bending a big steel bar!

The show is a fun introduction to concepts of forces and friction and, of course, to the idea that engineering design is about combining simple machines to make more complex devices.

Key Concepts:

Friction as a force that opposes motion. Wheels and rollers as a way of reducing friction. Use of toothed wheels in gear and chain drives. Velocity ratio of gears and chain drives. Reverse direction of rotation of paired gears. Use of pulleys to multiply force. Velocity and force ratios of compound pulley blocks. Transmission of force through hydraulic pressure. Compact nature of hydraulic systems. Use of simple technological 'building blocks' in combination to make complex devices.

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