PUZZLE CUBE
Define the Problem
Generate Concepts
In order to measure the 27 wooden blocks I used a dial caliber and measured from two parallel sides, the wood grain sides. The caliber gives a very precise dimension for each cube, which is key because you want a cube where all of the pieces are cohesive and fit together nicely.
The acceptable range was within 2 standard deviations, the standard deviation of my data was 0.0045. In order to find it within 1, 2, or 3 deviations, you multiply the number of deviations by 0.0045 and subtract it from the mean, 0.79, and add it to the mean. In the case of 1 SD, only 85% of my data was in range, within 2 SD 93% of my cubes were acceptable, therefore I had to replace the 3 outliers with 3 new cubes.
The acceptable range was within 2 standard deviations, the standard deviation of my data was 0.0045. In order to find it within 1, 2, or 3 deviations, you multiply the number of deviations by 0.0045 and subtract it from the mean, 0.79, and add it to the mean. In the case of 1 SD, only 85% of my data was in range, within 2 SD 93% of my cubes were acceptable, therefore I had to replace the 3 outliers with 3 new cubes.
Develop a Solution
While constructing my cube and joining my parts together, I used the Mate and Flush constraints. When constraining two pieces together you want to use the Mate and Flush components to limit the degrees of freedom each piece has. Every piece of my cube as well as every creation on Inventor has six degrees of freedom, 3 transnational and 3 which are rotational. By mating the pieces together, your many individual pieces become one, letting you move the unit as one, fusing them together. Flushing two items together limits the movement of the pieces going up an down, as well as side to side.
Evaluate the Solution
Mom- 15 minutes
Dad - 14 minutes Hayden - 16 minutes Mr. Pylypczuk - 7 minutes Izzy - 20 minutes Stephanie - 17 minutes 30 seconds |
The average amount of time to complete my puzzle cube was 15 minutes. It took my teacher, Mr. Pylypczuk, only 7 minutes while it took my 18 year old sister 17 and a half minutes, this shows that the older you are the faster you can solve the puzzle cube. I asked my friend Izzy to try to solve my cube and while she was successful, it took her 20 minutes, as the age increases the amount of time it takes you to solve the cube decreases. I think the amount of time it took people to complete my cube reflects the complexity of my cube. I feel that my design is challenging but not impossible, it just takes perseverance. Therefore I would not want to change my design, but if I were to try to target a younger age group like my peers or even younger I might want to make it a little less difficult. |
Present the Solution
Creating my Puzzle Cube was a very engaging experience, using the design process to go step by step into creating our cube made it interesting being able to see the different layers, and how it all comes together. From sketching to building to programing, I was intrigued throughout the whole process. Using Inventor gives me mixed feelings because when you do something wrong, especially when you thought you did it right, you become very upset and frustrated. But by reworking what you have done you see your mistakes and how you can fix them, so when you finally do something right you are overjoyed! I also really do enjoy making and designing my Weebly, figuring out all of the bells and whistles of the program, and by documenting all of your steps you can see how our cubes were built from nothing something! My cube in particular was difficult for most to solve and it intrigued me how there was only one way to solve mine, but others cubes had multiple solutions. Also, I wonder if they had planned it that way or if they were just as surprised to find out there was more them one solution!