PAPLANE-II Workshop - Information Worksheet

The University of the West Indies

Faculty of Engineering
PAPLANE-II Workshop 2010
The Workshop Brief:

Introduction
Descriptions
Phases of the Paplane Game
Workshop Submissions

Introduction
This workshop stresses teamwork and experiential learning principles to accomplish common
goals. It incorporates process- and results-oriented evaluation and encourages creativity.
Participating teams will compete with one another on the design and manufacture of paper
planes with respect to given specifications and constraints. The game is to design three types of
paper planes and produce and deliver them as many as possible to maximise profits. The game
involves product and process design, production planning and control, costing and budgeting,
operations decision-making, and group interaction activities. Participants need to apply the
concepts and practices of engineering management in a competitive environment.

Descriptions
Participating teams set up and operate a production line to produce paper planes. They need to
formulate production plan and determine the production capability to produce as many planes as
possible by four team members in 15 minutes.
Three different types of paper planes are to be designed and these planes must meet three
criteria, namely 1) able to fly for at least a linear distance of 10 metres, 2) meet the minimum
length of 20 cm, and 3) have correct size and position of team logos. Basic designs of paper
planes with 7 folds and 9 folds are to be considered, and their selling prices vary.
Each participating team would have been given a line of cash credit of $500 to buy raw
materials. They need to plan strategically on 1) determining selling quantities of different types of
planes, and 2) managing production process to meet the plan and deal with contingencies (e.g.
materials shortage and losing bid contracts).
Facilitators operate two companies. One of which is material supplier who sells raw materials to
teams and another is a buyer who buys planes from participating team companies. There is no
upper limit on any contracted quantities, but the buyer will not buy any excessive produced planes
over the contracted quantities. A minimum contractual requirement is 10 units for each type of
planes.
A contract-binding penalty is applied to teams that fail to deliver their planes. An extra 50% of
price will be charged as penalty on the planes that fail to meet product specifications and/or fail in
the flying test. For the bidding contract, a 100% of the contacted price will be imposed.
Only one chance would be given to each finished plane to pass the flying test. Participating
teams can assign one or two pilots to examine their planes i.e. to fly for at least a straight distance
of 10 metres.
A self-monitoring and cross-auditing mechanism is used. Each team will delegate two members
to one competing team. One of these members serves financial auditor who is responsible for
checking and signing off financial statements. Another serves as quality auditor who will check the
conformance of finished products to design specifications and the difference between planned
versus actual production quantities.
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PAPLANE-II Workshop - Information Worksheet

Each team also appoints an observer to record the team processes in different stages of the
game. He/she must produce an observer report at the end of the game. Facilitators will only
involve and act as an arbitrator if any disputes happen during and after the workshop.

Phases of the Paplane Game

The Design and Prototyping Phase

Participating teams need to design three types of planes according to the product specifications
as given in Table 1. Their selling prices vary depending upon complexity and aesthetic quality of
planes. Facilitators will provide teams with limited testing materials to make prototypes. Each team
is required to keep one set of prototypes as production and inspection references.
Table 1. Product mix and selling prices
Product types
Descriptions
Type of materials used
One Sheet:
1 White paper
1 Coloured paper
1 Flimsy paper
Two Sheets:
2 White papers only
2 Coloured papers only
2 Flimsy papers only
1 Flimsy paper and 1 White paper
1 Flimsy paper and 1 Coloured paper
One Sheet Plus:
1 White paper plus 1 Flimsy paper,
1 Paper clip and 1 Straw

Selling prices
Min. 7 folds
Min. 9 folds
$12
$13
$14
$15
$22
$26
$20
$24
$24
$28
$27
$30
$24
$28
$26
$28
Bid*
Bid*

Note: * Participating teams may offer different prices for competing in the open and/or closed bids.

The designed planes should have at least 20 cm in length, and emblazon with teams logos. The
logos will be appear on the top face of both wings 3 cm from the trailing edge. These logos must
be equidistant from the centre fold of the plane as shown in Figure 1.
Figure 1. Specifications of paper planes
Top View

Logos
Logos on both sides

Side View

Front View

20 cm

Note: A lot of arguments on quality (e.g. size and location of logos) and financial matters (e.g. cost calculations) would
exist between auditors and teams. Individual teams must make all possible efforts to specify their product design
and keep records of transactions.

The Bidding and Contracting Phase

Each participating team must submit a set of bidding documents for open bid and closed bid on
selling their planes. The documents should state clearly the bid price per plane and the bid
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PAPLANE-II Workshop - Information Worksheet

quantity, and accompany with an explanation of teams bidding strategy and the justification basis
for the strategy. The facilitators will inform each team the exact contract quantities during this
phase.
Any team that successfully won a bidding contract can produce planes on the quantities and
sell them at the selling price as stated. This may help the team to attain better competitive financial
performance than other teams.
To avoid any team that may win selling contracts from both open and closed bids at the same
time, the winner of open bid contract is not eligible for participating the closed bid, and vice versa.
In other words, only two teams can win their bidding contracts. Other teams can only sign normal
selling contracts with the buyer and produce planes at given standard prices according to the
product specifications in Table 1.
Participating teams must specify their production and selling particulars (such as prices,
quantity and quality) in respective contractual document. They must assure that the planes can
meet the three specified criteria. Facilitators will guarantee the supply of materials for the winners of
bidding contracts, but there is no guarantee for others through normal selling contracts.

The Purchasing Phase

Each participating team places its purchase orders of materials using the $500 line of cash credit. All
financial transactions must be processed with formal documentation. A list of materials and their
prices is given in Table 2.
Table 2. List of materials and prices
Types of Materials
Prices
Flimsy Paper
$1 per sheet
White Paper
$2 per sheet
Coloured Paper
$3 per sheet
Paper Clips
$3 per clip
Straws
$5 per straw

The supplier will issue the materials acquisition documents to individual teams. Formal receipts
will also be given to teams at the time they collect materials. If the aggregate demands for certain
materials exceed the suppliers stock, shortage of required materials may occur. Therefore, it is the
liability of individual teams to plan for substitute materials and/or other contingencies.

The Production Phase

Participating teams must set up their own production line with preferred equipments and tools that
must be approved by facilitators. Production equipments (such as scissors, tapes, glues, rulers and
markers) may be hired from the facilitators upon request.
Each team can assign four production personnel to produce their planes, but no replacement
is allowed once the production process starts. Other team members may help remove any worksin-process or other obstacles that may cause blockages in the production line. However, they
cannot be involved in any part of actual production process. Otherwise, a strict penalty will be
imposed.
The production phase will last for 15 minutes. The auditors have the authority to monitor the
entire process, but cannot make have any disturbances to teams during the process.

Testing and Contract Fulfilment Phase

Quality auditors will use teams prototypes as reference standards to perform their inspection
tasks, i.e. to examine whether finished planes meet the design specifications. Upon the completion
of inspection, appointed pilot(s) of participating teams will have up to 5 minutes to test the flying
function of planes. The auditors will count the planes that can fly over a distance of 10 metres.
Any failure on producing the contracted quantities will be subject to contract-binding
penalties. For example, if the team loses one $30 plane from a normal contract, the profits will be
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PAPLANE-II Workshop - Information Worksheet

reduced by $15. For a missing plane in the bidding contracts, the penalty is 100% on its bidding
price.

Profit Calculation Phase

Production of excess planes will not contribute to the teams profits. Only the planes that can meet
the design specification and pass the flying test will be counted as acceptable. Those planes failed
in the inspection or the flying test will be treated as scraps with no value. Any works-in-process and
finished planes awaiting their flying test can be valuated as unused materials.
Participating teams need to prepare financial statements on their profits (or losses). Financial
auditors will validate the information presented. These statements together with the prototypes,
contracts, quality audit summaries, and other relevant documents must be produced and/or
posted on the scoreboard for the judges assessment.
A judging panel will determine the final winner based upon several criteria. These include: 1) the
profits earned, 2) the contents and presentation of documents, 3) teamwork, and 4) overall team
performance. There is a special prize for the team with the highest profit.

Workshop Submissions
Before the Workshop

Each participating team needs to submit several documents to facilitators. These documents will be
posted on the score board, including:
1) A set of selling contract(s);
2) A statement of bidding strategy;
3) An organisational structure and production system;
4) A set of purchase order(s);
5) Financial analysis sheets with a projected financial plan (to be signed by assigned auditors);
6) Detailed design specifications together with plane prototypes;
7) An agreed-upon system or set of procedures for performing a) quality audit and b) financial
audit; and
8) If necessary, a contingency financial analysis sheet (to be signed by assigned auditors).

After the Profit Calculation Phase

Each participating team needs to submit supporting financial documents to the judge panel via
facilitators. These documents must be less than 3 pages each, including:
1) An actual financial statement (to be signed by assigned auditors);
2) An actual quality statement giving the number of accepted planes by type (to be signed
by assigned auditors); and
3) A summary of variance analysis on costs and profits.

After the Workshop

Each participating team needs to submit a group report within 3 days after the workshop. It should:
1) Compile all project-specific and other relevant documents (including the project log,
meeting minutes, design of production systems, drawings, materials and work plans, team
strategies (including the bidding strategy), and quality and financial analysis etc); and
2) Address the effectiveness of team processes, the group structure, communication,
leadership style, people participation and coordination.
Each team member should prepare an individual file that could be incorporated into the group
report (or could be submitted separately). The file would include:
1) Ones own experience and accomplishment from the project,
2) Comments on the performance of other team members, and
3) Any other relevant information.

K F Pun, 2010