Overview

Crane-O-Mania is a prestigious engineering design competition organized by Techfest, IIT Bombay - Asia's largest science and technology festival. Our team won this competition by designing and constructing a miniature tower crane using popsicle sticks, cotton strings, and Fevicol adhesive.

The challenge was to create a stationary tower crane that could sustain maximum load while maintaining structural integrity, with a base area not exceeding 20cm × 20cm, without any ground anchoring.

Design Constraints

  • Base Area Limitation: Maximum base area of 20cm × 20cm without ground anchoring. The crane must be self-standing and stationary.
  • Material Restrictions: Only popsicle sticks, cotton strings, and Fevicol adhesive allowed. No strengthening coating permitted.
  • Pulley Mechanism: Required pulley arrangement with thread for load application and lifting mechanism.
  • Flexible Design Options: Variable boom height and operating radius allowed. Optional 360-degree rotation mechanism for better performance rating.

Achievement & Recognition

Our crane design successfully competed against teams from across Asia and won the Crane Design Competition at Techfest IIT Bombay. The project demonstrated excellence in structural engineering, material optimization, and mechanical design.

  • Competition: Techfest IIT Bombay Crane-O-Mania
  • Achievement: Winner - 8th Place in 57 Teams
  • Recognition: Featured in competition segment banner from last year crane design
  • Performance: Optimal load-to-weight ratio with extended operating radius