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.

• Basic Build Guide: PDF or MS Word --Use this Guide if you’ve purchased the Basic Hydraulic Arm.

     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.

•  STEAM Market-It Challenge: PDF or MS Word

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.

• Basic Build Guide: PDF or MS Word --Use this Guide if you’ve purchased the Basic Hydraulic Arm.

     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)

What tools will you need to do this activity?

Sets of tools can be found here.
 

Make your Hydraulic Arm even better by incorporating recycling bin material.

What's in the Hydraulic Arm Activity?

This is an educational product and not a toy. It is intended for use by ages 9 and above with adult supervision.