STIIX Hydraulic Lift Project: Engineering Fluid Power
In the STIIX Hydraulic Lift Project, students become fluid-power engineers in STIIX-Ville, working for a construction company that needs an efficient lift system for heavy materials. Their task: design and build a hydraulic lift that raises and lowers loads using fluid pressure, exploring real-world engineering principles along the way.
Through a 2–3 hour project cycle, learners engage with a full engineering workflow: five scaffolded video lessons introduce the fundamentals (Intro, Academic Concepts, How-To Build, Testing & Evaluation, and a Career Spotlight). Then, students sketch their lift mechanism designs, prototype using STIIX modular components, and build systems that use syringes / fluid to generate pressure, move pistons, and lift loads.
In the testing phase, teams collect data on lift height, lift speed, load capacity, and system stability. Students use this feedback to iterate designs — adjusting fluid volume, piston size, tube length, or frame structure to optimize performance. They confront real engineering trade-offs: more fluid may lift more weight but slow the system; a bigger piston can generate force but requires more input.
Educators are fully supported: this kit includes a teacher guide, student build logs, evaluation worksheets, reflection prompts, and slide decks aligned to NGSS engineering practices. The hydraulic lift challenge gives students meaningful exposure to systems thinking, mechanical advantage, and fluid dynamics in a safe, hands-on way.
Bring structure and excitement to hands-on learning with STIIX-Ville — your digital hub for project guides, assessments, and student progress tracking.
What’s Included in the Box:
- STIIX structural sticks & connectors
- Syringes or piston components (to act as hydraulic cylinders)
- Tubing / hoses for fluid transfer
- Fluid reservoir / container
- Load-platform components (to hold objects to be lifted)
- Build-log & design sketch worksheets
- Testing & evaluation guide (for measuring lift height, speed, load)
- Reflection & iteration prompts
- Teacher slide deck & lesson plan
- Instructional video series (5 modules)
