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Cardboard Automation Factory

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Grades 6-890-120 minSource: Creative Dad Company

Teams design a small cardboard factory line with simple sensors and mechanisms that sorts or moves objects automatically, then work to speed up its throughput.

Budget levels

Amazon prices checked Oct 9-10, 2026 and may change

Materials links go to Amazon. Prices are estimates and may change. As an Amazon Associate, Creative Dad Company earns from qualifying purchases.

Quick Start

Digital downloads only.

$0 to buy. Printing noted separately.

Student time: one class period, one day.

Teacher prep / build-ahead: separate from student time.

Scale it

The default plan is one class period on a single day.

Scale back: Fit it into a shorter period, use fewer effects, or run a demo instead of a build.

Scale up: Add one extra effect, or spread the share-out across another day.

Ambiance video

Ambiance video coming soon from Creative Dad Studio

  • StopwatchBorrow or school hasuse what you have
  • data sheetPrintinguse what you have

Full Experience

Required materials for the class.

$34.90 per class (class of about 30, 6 groups). Exceeds $25 per class.

Classroom cardboard or boxes can lower the cost.

Student time: one day.

Teacher prep / build-ahead: separate from student time.

Scale it

The default plan is one school day.

Scale back: Fit the build into one period with fewer effects.

Scale up: Spread the work across days, or add more effects.

  • 20 small objects such as bottle capsRequired2100 metal crown caps$17.45Amazon

Total Transformation

The bigger kit, with every optional item included.

$34.90 per class (class of about 30, 6 groups).

Student time: one day (one session, one-day event).

Teacher prep / build-ahead: separate from student time.

Scale it

The default plan is one session, a one-day event.

Scale back: Shorten the event, or run a demo for a smaller audience.

Scale up: Spread the build and the event across days, or invite a bigger audience.

Choose your version

Every level teaches the same core idea — pick the one that fits your time, budget, and energy today.

Student time: 30 min, one class periodTeacher prep / build-ahead: 20 min$0 to buy. Printing noted separately.One table or a clear section of floorBeginner-friendly

Setup

Print or hand-copy the essential prompt for Cardboard Automation Factory, then set out only paper, pencils, and the common or recycled items needed for one test. Use a tabletop representation whenever the original version mentions a room, specialized device, or digital tool; the learning comes from the decisions and evidence, not elaborate scenery.

Activity

  1. Define the central success test in Cardboard Automation Factory and make a paper planning sheet for the inputs, actions, and expected result.
  2. Represent the system without electronics by using labeled cards, paper controls, tokens, a ruler, or a student acting as the device; follow the same cause-and-effect rules described in the project.
  3. Run at least three cases, including one difficult or unexpected case, and record starting conditions, design choices, observations, and measured results.
  4. Revise one rule, layout, mechanism, or decision after the failed case, repeat it, and explain with the recorded evidence whether the change worked.

Ambiance video

Ambiance video coming soon from Creative Dad Studio

Done when: The group has completed Cardboard Automation Factory when it can run the finished line for an audience, reporting the improved throughput rate and point to the observation, measurement, comparison, or trial that supports its conclusion.

Materials

cardboard boxes, small motors or servo kit, marbles or small balls, tape, craft sticks, timer; Stopwatch; 20 small objects such as bottle caps; data sheet

Shown for the Quick Start version — switch tabs above to see what changes.

Materials links go to Amazon. Prices are estimates and may change.

As an Amazon Associate, Creative Dad Company earns from qualifying purchases.

Steps

  1. Sketch a factory line layout and predict how many objects per minute it should be able to sort or move.
  2. Write criteria and constraints: sort at least 10 objects per minute with no more than 1 jam or missort per 20 objects. Constraints: only cardboard, tape, rubber bands and one motor or hand crank, fits on one table, and stays under a set budget. Note the science that ramp angle and friction change how fast objects move.
  3. Build the cardboard line with a motorized or mechanical sorting stage as your test model.
  4. Test round 1: run 20 objects through the line 3 times. Record objects per minute, jams and missorts at each stage in a data table.
  5. Use the data to pick the worst stage and change ONE thing (ramp angle, gate width or sensor position). Predict the new numbers, then retest with 20 objects 3 times and record.
  6. Repeat the one-change, predict and retest cycle for at least two more rounds (at least three rounds of changes in all). Keep changes that improve the data and undo changes that do not.
  7. Graph objects per minute and jams by round, choose the version that best meets the criteria and constraints, and run the final line for an audience, showing the data and explaining which changes made it best.

Standards mapped

  • NGSS · MS-ETS1-4

    Develop a model to generate data for iterative testing and modification of a proposed object, tool, or process such that an optimal design can be achieved.