In Mechanics of Materials, students learn how externally applied forces create stress and strain in deformable solids. Applications include the design of structural beams which have an incredibly broad range of uses including in the constuction of buildings, heavy machinery, and bridges. Therefore, students are challenged to design a system that emulates moving a heavy object within a large facility. The heavy object is actually a five pound can. An additional challenge is the fact that the system must lift the can over a one-foot tall wall that spans the center of the facility. Designs are judged on how quickly the system can move the can from one point to another safely along with the overall weight of their design. Generally, the weight becomes the most important factor in the scoring so students quickly see the need to minimize weight by making smart material selection decisions. Over the past few years, students have designed and built a variety of systems to accomplish this task including those that resemble overhead cranes to more creative designs based on the idea of a teeter-totter.