Project 4.1 Puzzle Design Challenge
Introduction
Have you ever looked at a product that has been
well-designed? Do you find yourself asking questions such as, “How did the designer
think of that idea?” or “What is involved in the creation of that product?” The
more you study and learn about design and how designers create items, you begin
to learn certain skills and knowledge that you can only acquire through
experience. Design challenges provide opportunities to apply skills and
knowledge in unique and creative ways.
Taking an idea you have and transferring it from a
concept to a sketch, to working drawings, to models, and then to a working
prototype is exciting and fun. It also entails several steps. When you are a
one-person design and build team, the task of effective communication is rather
simple. However, what happens when you must communicate your ideas to others,
or when the responsibility for building a team’s solution falls on someone
else’s shoulders? This increases the level of responsibility significantly and
requires the development of a complete set of design documentation in order to
communicate effectively.
This project will provide you the opportunity to exercise
your creativity and develop your sketching and modeling skills, as well as your
ability to use the computer as an efficient communication tool.
Equipment
·
Engineering notebook
·
Pencil
·
27 – ¾ in. hardwood cubes
·
27 – interlocking plastic centimeter cubes
(optional)
·
Paper towels
·
Isometric grid paper
·
Orthographic grid paper
·
Markers (colored pencils or paint are optional)
·
Wood glue
·
Sandwich-sized Ziploc® bag for storage
·
220 abrasive paper
·
Computer with 3D CAD solid modeling software
Procedure
1. The
entire project procedure is included below as an overview. Your teacher will
guide you as to when you will complete each step.
2. Study
the Puzzle Cube Design Brief located below.
3. Brainstorm
and sketch on isometric grid paper possible puzzle part cube combinations for
your cube using Activity 4.1a Puzzle Cube Combinations.
4. Create
two different Puzzle Cube designs from your possible parts using Activity 4.1b
Graphical Modeling. Note that the design brief that follows requires that each
puzzle partcontain at least four and no more than six hardwood cubes.
For each design, neatly sketch and color code an isometric view of each of the
five component parts and show how they fit together in the isometric view of
the cube on isometric grid paper. See your teacher for an example. You will
need a total of two solutions with ten unique parts.
5. Choose
your best option from the two solutions.
6. Hand
sketch a multi-view drawing for each of the five puzzle partsof your solution
using Activity 4.1b Graphical Modeling. Exchange your sketches with a
classmate, virtually build your partner’s partsaccording to the activity, and
provide feedback.
7. Select
one of your partner’s six cube puzzleparts. Neatly fabricate the partfrom the
multi-view sketch. Give appropriate feedback using Activity 4.1b Graphical
Modeling.
8. Complete
Activity 4.1d or Activity 4.1e Software Modeling Introduction.
9. Create
the five parts to your cube using 3-D modeling software. Color the parts within
the CAD environment using the same color combination used in the sketching
phase of your project.
10. Assemble
your cube using 3-D modeling software.
11. Fabricate
your five puzzle parts. Color your partsusing markers (colored pencils or
paint) to match the colors of your CAD model and assemble your cube.
12. Test the
solution time of your puzzle cube. Identify at least ten test subjects. Each test subject will solve your puzzle
three times. You will measure and record the time to solve the puzzle each
time. Also, collect demographic information that might be important to determine
how well you have addressed the needs of your target market.
13. Find
statistics related to your test data (using technology as appropriate) to
include the following:
·
Mean, median, mode, range, and standard
deviation of the solution time for the first attempt for all test subjects.
·
The mean of the solution times for the second
attempt for all test subjects.
·
The mean of the solution times for the third
attempt for all test subjects.
14. View the Assembly Constraints presentation.
Using 3D solid modeling software, create an assembly model of your puzzle.
15. View the Creating Drawings in CAD presentation. Create
a drawing using 3-D modeling software to display a fully dimensioned multi-view
for each of the five parts and two different isometric views of the assembled puzzle.
The isometric views should provide enough information so that another classmate
can solve the puzzle using only those two views.
16. Exchange
your drawing with a classmate and provide feedback on errors, omissions, and
recommendations to improve your classmate’s drawing.
17. Using
Excel, create a scatterplot and find a trend line for the relationship between number of attempts (independent
variable) and the average solution time
(dependent variable). You will have three data points: (1- average solution
time for first attempt), (2 - average solution time for second attempt), and (3
- average solution time for third attempt). Properly label the axes of the
scatterplot and include units. Write the relationship between the two variables
in function notation and define your variables. (You should complete Activity
4.1c Mathematical Modeling prior to completing this requirement.)
18. Using your
trend line, address the following:
·
Interpret the slope and the y-intercept of the trend
line and explain their meaning in words.
·
Estimate the average solution time on the fifth
attempt. Indicate the solution both graphically (by showing how to use the
input of 5 to find the time output on the graph) and numerically (using the
equation of the trend line).
·
Estimate the number of attempts a person has
made at solution if they solve the puzzle in 23 seconds. Indicate the solution
both graphically and numerically.
Consider changes to your puzzle cube that might
improve your design.
