Marble Maze/Tilt Table

One of the significant students pieces of project work this year is a high level marble maze - this is being produced with two themes one a 'Star Wars' themed Maze which is subtitled 'Escape from the Death Star'.  The second is produced around the "Avatar Movie' with the theme and game play being produced around the setting of the movie.  

A cabinet is being made for this item so that the two tables will be inter changeable and table to be taken and removed (having one replace the other).   In the example on the left of the Star Wars Maze you can see the centre piece of the 'Death Star' which was produced with the 3D Printer and the various Storm Trooper Helmets that can be seen in the photograph are purple, they are having a light placed within them to light up when the ball rolls past them.  There are additional switches which are placed and designed to cause movement and sound to occur when the ball rolls over them.  The school laser cutter has also been involved in this project and used to produce the material to guide the ball around the maze (in the form of the barriers or sides)

The Avatar themed table (shown left) has two distinct sections with a bridge the connector between the two.  The bridge design was something that ideally a student would have designed however given time constraints and the need for this to be exact and work in conjunction with the table this was an 'elite' level project (one that was completed by a staff member and not the students concerned in this incident.  The dimensions of the table and the construction of the table is where the 3D Printer came into its element as it was ideally suited to produce this piece of the table and ensure that it worked perfectly.

The bridge (shown left) was designed in Tinkercad and printed using a Snapmaker Printer.   The bridge measured 160mm wide and had a length of 200mm for the ramp at it longest part, where the ball begins to exit and make its way down the ramp.   The print was also made to include details such as the screw holes (which can be seen in the photo with which it is being secured to the base).   It goes without saying that producing this piece of 3D Printing to work in conjunction with the table makes it a feature (as does the 'Death Star' part of the main Star Wars table).   

The print took eight hours on a fast print setting.   The print was made 'from scratch' by the adult concerned to create a part that fitted perfectly with the table.   This is a significant ongoing process and project for a group of students at our school and this will be continue to be updated as it moves towards completion before the end of the school year.

This view of the 'Death Star' table shows the various components near their final stage of completion.  It includes an external section formed by tubing on the left hand side, the centre piece being the Death Star itself and the Storm Trooper helmets in purple.   The laser cut sections are clearly visible (the MDF has been spray painted white).  

The students concerned are fans of the original Star Wars movies and have followed an process where they have designed the table based around ideas.

The have created a maze with switches, programmed the switches (using scratch), an extensive design and creation process followed by prototyping and creation.   Extensive game creation and testing with peers and critical thinking about themselves.

Note - the brown section on the front left I am reliably informed represents the planet of Tatooine from Star Wars which is the first part of Episode Four/Star Wars/A New Hope where Luke Skywalker lives and then meets Obi Wan Kenobi.