STEM Education Series
Hydraulic Arm Kit
Power a robotic arm with nothing but water! This wooden arm swings, lifts, and grips using four pairs of syringes connected by hoses. Push a plunger, and water travels through the hose to move a joint at the other end. No motors, batteries, or electronics are needed. Mastering all four controls to pick up an object takes skill and practice, turning engineering into a challenge that keeps hands busy and minds working.
Hydraulic Arm Kit
The Big Idea
Hydraulic machines use liquid pressure to move and lift.
- Ages
- 10+Adult supervision required.
- Engineering
- Physics
- Mechanical Design
- Problem Solving
Safety
- Contains small parts. Not suitable for children under 3. Adult supervision required.
- The kit runs on water. Fill and test it over a tray or wipeable surface.
What’s in the Kit
- All materials to build one Hydraulic Arm
- Full color, step-by-step instructions
What you add
- Water
Real-world connection
How Do Heavy Machines Lift So Much?
Excavators, dump trucks, and even the brakes on a car rely on hydraulics. Because liquid barely compresses, pushing on it in one spot sends that force through a hose to another spot. Hydraulic systems use this idea to lift and move enormous loads with precision. Every press of a plunger on this arm shows the same principle at work, as water carries the force that swings, lifts, and grips.
For classrooms
The Hydraulic Arm Kit is a great fit for classrooms, after-school programs, and camps. Each kit builds one hydraulic arm and arrives individually packaged with all materials and instructions included.
Purchasing for your school or program? Request a quote.