
Basic Hydraulic Arm Activity
Design your own “robotic”, remotely-controlled hydraulic arm with TeacherGeek. Use it to pick up your room, eat dinner, stack blocks or compete against other fluid-powered arms – it’s totally up to you! Tap, ream, screw and cut real components, outfitting three cylinders to move the arm and three cylinders to form the control panel.
Incorporate recycling bin and found materials to re-engineer a truly innovative design. Learn about hydraulic and pneumatic power, Pascal’s Law and introductory robotics in this true STEM project.
Need more components or a bolder challenge? Try our Advanced Hydraulic Arm.
For ages 12 and up, click here
If you are working with ages 7 to 11, start with the Build Guide, then, move on to the Engineering Challenge.
MS Word or PDF - Which document format should you download? Always download the PDF document, unless you want to edit/change it. If you want to edit/change the document, download the MS Word (Microsoft Word™) version.
Build Guide
Start by building your hydraulic arm using the Build Guide. This will be a great design to get you started. You’ll start to create your own amazing designs during the engineering challenges.
Engineering Challenge
- Design & Engineering Challenge: : PDF or MS Word -- Engineer your End Effector to dig, stack, and play games. Are you ready?.
Optional Resources
- Hydraulic Arm Build 1.0: PDF -- (No longer sold)
STEAM Market-It Challenge
Add the STEAM Market-It Challenge to any completed TeacherGeek activity to teach students how to turn their TeacherGeek design into a retail product. Students will learn the 4 'Ps' of marketing - Product, Placement, Price and Promotion. Students have the option of completing a commercial, a billboard or retail packaging as a summative assessment.
Completing the
Hydraulic Arm Activity
with Ages 12 and Up
For ages 6-11, click here
If you are working with ages 6-11, you can choose how to complete the Gears & Pulleys Activity.
- Choice #1 Without Labs: Go straight from the Build Guide to the Engineering Challenges. This option works well when you’re doing the activity outside of a classroom, in a Makerspace, as a self-directed activity, or just for fun.
- Choice #2 With Labs: Start with the Build Guide. Once your hydraulic arm is built, an Optional Lab is available to explore hydraulic and pneumatic power. You can apply this knowledge to the Engineering Challenge. This option works well when you want to teach this activity to a class or during a class visit to a Makerspace.
MS Word or PDF - Which document format should you download? Always download the PDF document, unless you want to edit/change it. If you want to edit/change the document, download the MS Word (Microsoft Word™) version.
Build Guide
Start by building your hydraulic arm using the Build Guide. This will be a great design to get you started. You’ll start to create your own amazing designs during the engineering challenges.
Optional Labs
Explore the power behind fluid dynamics and creating mechanical advantage. (Suggested Grade Levels: 7-12)
- Fluid Power Lab (Imperial Units): PDF
- Fluid Power Lab Answer Key (Imperial Units): PDF --Password protected.
- Fluid Power Lab (Metric Units): PDF
- Fluid Power Lab Answer Key (Metric Units): PDF --Password protected.
Engineering Challenge
- Design & Engineering Challenge: : PDF or MS Word -- Engineer your End Effector to dig, stack, and play games. Are you ready?.
Optional Resources
- Hydraulic Arm Build 1.0: PDF -- (No longer sold)
On the Web...
TeacherGeek Tools You'll Need
What tools will you need to do this activity?
Process |
Recommended Tool |
Alternate Tool |
Cutting dowels, strips, recycling bin items, etc. |
Saw, Pruning Shears |
|
Change splined holes in components from press fit (dowels press and stay) to loose fit (dowels are able to slide and rotate). |
|
#3 Drill Bit and Drill |
Tighten and loosen screws |
Nope |
Sets of tools can be found here.
Make your Hydraulic Arm even better by incorporating recycling bin material.
Hydraulic Arm Components
What's in the Hydraulic Arm Activity?
Component: |
10pk Quantity: |
Single Quantity: |
Connector Strips |
100 |
6 |
Perpendicular Blocks |
100 |
7 |
14ml Cylinder Assembly |
50 |
5 |
4.5ml Cylinder Assembly |
10 |
1 |
Cylinder Screws |
180 |
20 |
Slide Stop, 300mm |
3 |
1/4 (75mm) |
Hex Nuts |
80 |
8 |
1” Screws |
80 |
6 |
Dowels |
80 |
5 |
Vinyl Tubing 100ft. |
1 |
1/10 (10ft.) |
Cable Ties |
20 |
4 |
This is an educational product and not a toy. It is intended for use by ages 9 and above with adult supervision.
Science, Math & Engineering Standards
TeacherGeek products fit proposals, grants or lesson plans with ease! Explore more resources below:
Next Generation Science StandardsNGSS Standards Download - PDF
NGSS Standards Spreadsheet - Editable /Searchable Excel Sheet
International Technology & Engineering Educators' Association Standards
ITEEA Standards Download - PDF
ITEEA Standards Spreadsheet - Editable/Searchable Excel Sheet