About the Amazing Spaghetti Machine Contest

Year 10 students from across Australia are invited to participate in our annual Amazing Spaghetti Machine Contest. Students work in teams and put their maths, science, engineering and project management skills to the test in the creation of a ‘spaghetti machine’ — an overly complex device that achieves a simple task.

In previous years, teams worked on designing, planning and building their machines over five months before demonstrating their creations on-campus at the University of Melbourne or via video on 'Competition day'.

In 2023, the Amazing Spaghetti Machine Contest has been reformatted and participants will attend a full-day immersive session at the Telstra Creator Space where they will be provided with guidance, materials and tools to build their machines prior to returning for 'Competition day'.

To see some example spaghetti machines in action, view our Spaghetti workshop videos.

Engineering and spaghetti

So if you’re building a machine that’s overly complex and therefore somewhat inefficient, what does it have to do with engineering? After all, isn't it supposed to be all about finding the most practical and efficient way to solve a problem?

The answer is that the machine is really designed to entertain and amaze, as well as perform the set task.

There are still plenty of ways to demonstrate the basic principles of engineering, including the methods of approaching design, testing, construction, and the project management and teamwork that make a successful machine. Of course, there’s also the chance to incorporate some pretty cool elements from engineering disciplines including structural, electrical and electronic, mechanical, and chemical engineering.

For more spaghetti machine inspiration, check out US inventor and cartoonist Rube Goldberg’s ideas.

Rube Goldberg and ‘The Self-Operating Napkin’…

One such concept by Goldberg was ’The Self-Operating Napkin’ — activated when the soup spoon (A) is raised to mouth, pulling string (B) and thereby jerking ladle (C) which throws cracker (D) past parrot (E). Parrot jumps after cracker and perch (F) tilts, upsetting seeds (G) into pail (H). Extra weight in pail pulls cord (I), which opens and lights automatic cigar lighter (J), setting off skyrocket (K) which causes sickle (L) to cut string (M) and allow pendulum with attached napkin to swing back and forth, thereby wiping chin.

The US inventor and cartoonist Rube Goldberg was a master of Spaghetti Machine ideas, so much so that they are sometimes also known as ‘Rube Goldberg machines’.