3D Printing and Laser Cutting Sphero Resources

 

Not only do we have a range of 3D Printing and other machines available for our students to use we also have other technology that can be used and created.

Sphero Robots are a coding robot that we have had at our school for a number of years.   We find these robots work very well with our junior and middle school students and overtime we have created a number of resources with the technology to use in conjunction with the robots.

An obvious example is the town and the garage designed to work with a Sphero Robot.  We have students when they feel confident in using the 'drive' option with the robot and have used the coding maps that we look to include challenges and tasks involving the building.

Although its showing its age this building and garage was built using the school laser cutter.   With dimensions of 300mm across, 220mm deep or long and 150mm high - this is too large to 3D Print.   This size  allows the robot the ability to choose either entrance to go into.

The design was cut with MDF and then had a layer of regular cardboard applied to provide the texture that can be seen in the photograph.    We also use blocks or rods combined with the building to increase the level of difficulty.

We have also created a range of other resources that combine with the technology.    In 2024 we looked at creating paddles to work in conjunction with the robots which are waterproof.   You can view this post here.   This was also detailed when we experimented with creation boats and using Pixton Comic Creator to create a series of posters to explain the students work - you can view examples of this by clicking on this link here.

While Tinkercad is a free web based software for the year that we used Pixton in 2024 we paid a subscription for the students to have access to the full range of Pixton creation, allowing us to create a range of student generated media that relate to both Tinkercad, 3D Printing and Sphero robots - as shown left.

We also used Pixton to publish the 3D Printed designs of the students to present and explain what they have made and created for their designs.    This might be an option for schools concerned with the privacy of the students (as their images in these presentations are represented by avatar figure of the students).

This year we are looking at the students creating additional resources that are 3D Printed to use in combination with the Sphero Robots.     The students are currently thinking about ideas about what they can use to create to them move forward to the prototyping stage.

3D Printed Boats (Exemplar) Oars

Challenge: For a students to create a unique design for a boat.

Background: One of our classroom challenges for our students this term has been to design, create and then print a boat.   These have featured in combination with our Tinkercad/Pixton/Pic Collage combinations and we have started the process of printing selected boat designs - one that look correct.

The idea ultimately is for the students to design a boat that is feasible, that can be powered and have a Sphero Robot controlled in the boat to turn the oars.   There are a number of elements that need to work in conjunction with this.   Due to the time constraints and the feasibility of printing so many large designs we are selecting only certain students who designs show the most potential to go through the printing process.   We are AR/VR/Photo Filtering each of the designs, and intending to print multiple paddles and oars and printing a number of the accessories.  A detailed catamaran has already come out of this project.

The student concerned with creating and overseeing this project is a Y4 junior school student, that is a student who has just turned eight.  She has been designing in Tinkercad since the start of the year.

The inspiration for the boat came from the students use of technology to find what was likely to work.  When she applied her ideas to her design she also investigated the use of oars and paddles on a boat to ensure that the mechanism would be potentially powering the boat forward.

The hull design was used from the main Tinkercad interface.  She added bars on the boat for stability and then included robust rings for the potential of up to four oars or a double bar to have a paddle moving.   Again she used actual examples of these to increase the likelihood of success.  

Level of Difficulty: Overall this is a challenging project, although this mainly coming in the form of ensuring that the boat is powered successfully.   The boat itself is a medium level project - the ability of the 3D Print to float is something that we have recognised in several projects featured on this blog from a standard bath toy to a more complicated boat design.

Size: The boat measures 150mm long and is 90mm wide.  It is 30mm high.   These dimensions are perfect for a working boat, however there is a small issue with this size, which came as a result of testing.

The first major test that the boat passed with flying colours was the ability to float.  This was completed easily with the boat showing no intake of water what-so-ever despite an extended time in the water.  

The boat balanced perfectly and was quite happy inside its container.  This was in contrast to the initial designs of the catamaran that listed due to small holes underneath the hull where it joined.

The challenge came when the Sphero Robot was placed on top of the design.  As soon as this was done the boat sank, due to the weight of the robot.

The student brainstormed potential solutions for this but found the issue very challenging.   The teacher has assisted and has directed the students to look for additional ways to power the boat, and we are currently investigating some of the options with Strawbee Robots.  There are some simple robotic movements that could potentially complete a rowing type motion, the weight of which would certainly not cause the collapse of the boat by excessive weight.

Timeframe: Five hours to print on the regular (default) settings.  If the intention is to move forward with a Sphero boat this would need to big significantly increased.

What we would do differently/next steps for the students: This is an ongoing project that the students is developing, working on and improving.  The key ongoing issue is resolving the powering of the boat - it floats at present without any effort but some form of power to move it, perhaps even a sail would finish the project nicely.

Sphero Robot: 3D Printing the Paddle

We have started recently a 'boat building challenge' which came about as a result of a class wide design process for our students to start the new term.

We have a set of Sphero Robots in the School and we use these for a variety of coding relating tasks.   For this challenge we are looking at creating the ability for the Sphero Robot to power a boat.

The students have worked on a range of designs, with these designs the emphasis has been on the students considering shape and design and how the Sphero Robots power function (which is a spinning ball) will then allow the motion to be transferred to the boat to allow it to move.

Once again in terms of our design we have allowed our students to use Tinkercad to help with the process.  While we are wanting the students to complete the build process (or as much of it as possible) themselves we once again had students locate some of the pre-made material to help.  In this instance a key elements of the build is going to be the paddles.   These were located online.

We had a discussion in class about their format, while the shape looks like it will be suitable it was also determined that it could be broken down into a number of key elements - a series of rectangular wedges and a circle at the base of it.

The design measures 90mm from end to end and was 15mm high.   The design was imported into Tinkercad and then can be reshaped, addressed and modified.

We are now working on an axel, a way to connect the paddles and want to test it on the basis of how much power is produced as part of the process.

Advanced Teacher Led Projects Using 3D Printers

 

This project is a significant project which students have been working on for the past six months.   A small group has designed a marble maze, which will work in conjunction with a laser cut board.   The theme of the marble maze is Star Wars based.   The 3D Printer has been used to make the stormtrooper heads shown in purple on the design.  They have been printed translucent with an LED light mounted into each of them.   The centre of the Death Star in the middle of the maze was printed by using a 3D printer to create the model.    This is a significant school project (previous projects have included a working Pinball Machine, video located here - competition finals are live streamed each year you can view the 2022 finals here).  These designs were sourced from Thingiverse and are freely available public domain.

Turbine for Hydro Project - This was designed by a teacher as a prototype for the students to use.   We are engaging in a project related to hydro flow and water flow - so this instance was a working model to encourage the students.

A twenty eight hour print the turbine was to use with an axel with the idea it could be used with additional software or material (such as Arduino Kit) to measure the rate of water flow at a particular location.  By 3D printing the model the size of the turbine can be customised for a number of locations.   In this instance the turbine has proven to be surplus to requirements.   Because of this it is going to be used in conjunction with Sphero Robots to provide an opportunity to turn the robots into the motor to run a boat.   We are going to use technical lego to connect the turbine to a boat that is powered by the robot.  We will post further about both projects as they develop.