Holloway Toy WorksProduct Development
TO Contract design teams
RE Non-electric vehicle, "No Batteries" line
DUE
The ask
We're building a toy line with no batteries in it. Every vehicle stores its energy mechanically and spends it in one release — set it, let it go. We've standardized on an ordinary mousetrap as the power unit: it's cheap, it's consistent unit to unit, and a kid can see exactly how it works.
Build us a working prototype vehicle driven by a single unmodified mousetrap. The whole line is being sold on one promise, so that is the only thing we are measuring.
The hook
Maximum distance travelled on a single release of the spring. Nothing else on the package.
Requirements
The mousetrap is the only thing moving the vehicle. It may be hot-glued in place, but not otherwise altered. Maximum 24 inches long excluding the lever arm, and 16 inches tall — it has to fit standard shelf packaging. No more than 200 grams of 3D-printed material per unit; that's a direct line item on our cost sheet. Wheels stay on the ground. No pinch points, projectiles, or edges that could injure a user or a bystander. Materials from the approved list only — anything else needs written approval. All performance claims get verified on our test track.
On cost
Wasted material is wasted margin. Parts cut and thrown away, oversized prints, and scrapped builds all count against you. We'd rather see three careful prototypes than ten sloppy ones.
Deliver to us
- A working prototype vehicle
- Design documentation — research, sketches, and a formal design representation
- Test data from at least three trials, plus your iteration log
- A presentation to our product team on
Everything you need to build this — formulas, diagrams, and how you'll be scored — is on the project page.
