Skip to Main Content
Help ship salty snacks over the Rocky Mountains
See more like this check out our active challenges
$1,000
top 10
39
submissions
39
solutions max

When a billion dollar multi-national food company ships bagged products over the Rocky Mountains (via truck or rail container) there is a 7,000 to 10,000 ft altitude change which causes these bags (ex. salty snacks) to expand. Because of this expansion, a smaller number of individual bags must be put into each shipping case, which is an inefficient use of space.

The following is a product example and dimensions of shipping case:

# of bags/case: 8 (2 rows of 4)

Inside depth of shipping case: 10”

Thickness/depth of bag at sea level: 1.9”

Thickness/depth of bag at 10000ft elevation: 2.5”

Amount of ‘slack’ built into case: 10-(1.9*4)= 2.4” = 24%

Deliverables

Propose a solution which will eliminate or reduce bag expansion so that more bags can be shipped per case. Submit a written description of your solution and include any diagrams, schematics, and any mathematical proof of concept as supporting material. Stick to common file formats (ppt, doc, pdf, CAD - dxf, etc).

Winning solutions will be cost-effective and easily implemented.

AVOID THE FOLLOWING:

1) Changing the bag to another package type

2) Adjusting transportation methods to something other than truck or rail

3) Any solution that allows for two-way gaseous movement (e.g. creating micro-leaks which allow oxygen back into package/bag)

4) Shipping bulk product to avoid shipping bag

5) Pressurizing the shipping container

    Submissions will be graded on the following criteria:
  • Meets Deliverables
  • Creativity
  • Clarity
Reward Tiers
5 Winners
will receive $150 each
5 Honorable Mentions
will receive $50 each
Leaderboard
$150.00 Ian Cao Indiana University
$150.00 Alexander Hilser Rice University
$150.00 Claire McWhite Rice University
$150.00 Andrew Andbberger@Berkeley.Edu University of California at Berkeley
$150.00 Samuel Heinz University of California, Santa Barbara
$50.00 Christopher Samouce University of Florida
$50.00 Carly Li University of Michigan
$50.00 Natalia Tan University of Washington
$50.00 Ben Frank Massachusetts Institute of Technology
$50.00 cathy wu Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Submission questions


0 characters Average: 1691 characters
Your solution must be at least 200 characters long
Contact Us