2026–2027 · Division B · Build
Strength · mass · failure analysis
Plan for: a supervised load-testing area
2027 · Know before you build
A practical checklist for students, parents and coaches, written from the 2027 Division B manual. Each note points to its source rule.
One structure; no impound.
Rule 1; 2.a
Setup and loading share this period; the event slot is about 10 minutes.
Rule 4.c.i; 1
Wear impact-rated protection marked Z87+.
Rule 2.b
A qualifying design can add 5,000 g to its scored load.
Rule 4.c.viii; 5.b
Source: printed pages B5–B10 · PDF pages 10–15 · Checked September 13, 2026 (manual); October 25, 2026 (published corrections)
Bring a single assembled wood-and-adhesive structure. Have both partners ready to explain how it was built and how it carries force.
2027 rule 2.a,c; 3.a–b
Bring Category B protection and submit your predicted supported load at check-in. Personal measuring equipment, tools and test apparatus are not allowed at the in-person event.
2027 rule 2.b,d; 4.b.iii
The supervisor supplies the wall, mounting hardware, block, chain, bucket, sand, stabilizing sticks, scales and timer for in-person testing.
2027 rule 6.a–h
Match the official drawings: wall contact boundaries are 4 cm either side of the bolt center; the loading block is 5 × 5 cm. The mounting-bolt head has 3.0 ± 0.1 cm clearance from the wall.
2027 rule 6.b.iv–v; 6.c.i
Use wood joined with adhesive. Bamboo, plywood, particleboard, paper, tape and coatings are excluded. Glue belongs at joints, not as a wood coating. Students may laminate their own wood pieces.
2027 rule 3.b; 7.a–d
Keep the chain center 40–45 cm out from the wall and within 2.5 cm of the perpendicular centerline. Before sand loading, the bottom of the block must sit above the bolt-center horizontal plane.
2027 rule 3.e,g
Contact must stay inside the two vertical boundary lines, never on wall edges. The base option requires contact above the 20 cm depth line; the bonus option uses the shallower 15 cm line.
2027 rule 3.f,h–i
The structure rests on the mounting-bolt assembly and supports the loading block. Keep it as one structure without loose or detachable components.
2027 rule 3.a,c–d
After check-in starts, neither alterations nor outside help, supplies or communication are allowed. The supervisor checks dimensions, eyewear, mass and your load estimate.
2027 rule 4.b
Set up and load within six minutes. Once pouring begins, do not adjust the structure. Stabilize the bucket only with the supplied stick tips; never lift or push it.
2027 rule 4.c.i–v
Check the recorded structure mass and supported load with the supervisor. Leave the structure there if appealing.
2027 rule 4.c.ix–x
Higher is better: divide scored load by structure mass, using consistent mass units. Supported load is capped at 15,000 g.
2027 rule 5.a–c; 4.c.viii
The 15 cm contact option must also hold 15 kg to earn the extra 5,000 g. Falling short of 15 kg alone removes the bonus; it is not a construction violation.
2027 rule 3.i; 5.b
Compliant structures rank in Tier 1; construction or competition violations move a structure to Tier 2. Unsafe or untestable structures, absent eyewear, or failure to support the loading assembly receive participation only.
2027 rule 5.d
Before building your test wall, review every mounting and loading dimension in Figures 1–7, especially contact lines and bolt clearance. Confirm the host's event appointment.
2027 rule 3; 6
Use these preparation notes alongside the authoritative manual, its diagrams, current corrections and the host’s instructions. They are not a complete rule replacement or a certification of your device. Both partners should be able to explain their design and operate it independently.
September 22 national corrections resolve the glider flight period to six minutes and correct Water Quality organism spellings (Phaeophyta, Eucidaris, Octocorallia). October 12 Scrambler kit guidance and form are linked below. Recheck national clarifications and tournament instructions before competition.
Public seller pages checked October 25, 2026. This is a dated snapshot, not live stock. Prices are advertised USD before shipping/tax; confirm the single-kit option and delivery before paying. An add-to-cart button alone does not establish stock. Kits still need student assembly, testing and rules checks.
Catalog listing only — stock unconfirmed
2027 catalog: device kit 470365-532, assembly aide 470365-144, tool kit 470365-546 and supervisor kit 470365-096. These are separate items; a test fixture is not the student structure.
Availability / restock: No public restock date found. Ask Ward’s for a written estimate using the item numbers below.
Check seller source (opens in a new tab)Build your own
Original club build suggestions. Pair these steps with the rule checklist above; they are not an official design or a guarantee of competition compliance.
The competition structure is wood and adhesive only (rule 3.b): printed plastic joints, carbon-filled filament members and printed reinforcement are not substitutes. A printed alignment jig can help during construction at home; remove it completely from the structure and do not bring it as competition apparatus.
There is no blanket approval of all printed parts. The event’s specific material and construction restrictions take priority. Students should retain file source, license, CAD changes, print settings and test results, and build and explain their own device. Ask an official clarification when a design’s legality is uncertain.
The national general FAQ recognizes modeling a 3D-printed component as part of student design and construction. That answer does not waive an event’s material requirements. Read the national FAQ (opens in a new tab).
Official student-building and mentoring policy (opens in a new tab)Model review: October 27, 2026. Separate from the kit-stock review. File access and contents were checked; no physical print, load test or tournament approval is implied.
Printed plastic cannot remain in the competition structure. The original practice-only jig below is available as editable source; use it on the building bench and remove it before testing. Historical Division C tension jigs are not 2027 Division B geometry templates.
Download the editable OpenSCAD source, set the channel width for your wood, render and export STL in OpenSCAD, then print a small fit test. This is an unprinted prototype for bench alignment only, not a load-bearing part, an official template or a competition gauge. Remove it before weighing and testing the structure.
Download right-angle jig (.scad)Links were read directly or confirmed on the national event page. Video playback, vendor checkout and downloadable model fabrication have not been tested. Historical resources are labeled; an older video cannot set 2027 dimensions.
Suggested supplies, not a mandatory shopping list. Borrow shared equipment first; confirm every competition item against the rules before purchasing.
Your first practice
Sketch the load path and mark the current wall geometry on the plan.
Make small joint samples before committing to a complete structure.
With the coach, test one revision and record where failure begins.
Keep every trial, including failures. Record the conditions, one changed variable, what happened and the next decision.
Original club CSV template. Save it in your team’s approved workspace and share it with your coach. It does not upload or sync to student progress, and it does not replace any required official log.
Own the design decisions. Keep a revision record, learn the relevant rules and be ready to explain how your device works and why you changed it.
Help source approved stock, protect curing time and arrange safe transport. Let students select and explain their design changes.
Verify the fixture geometry and supervise loading. Ask both partners to explain the force path and the evidence behind the next revision.
Official event overview with previous-season build videos and presentations. Check their year before using dimensions or templates.
Find coaching sessions and recordings. Check each resource’s event, division and season.