Week Three

Fabrication of the toy was discussed and the team decided not to 3D print the entire toy. Instead, most of the casing will be made out of hardwood or plywood. The holed surface into which the metal axles go will be made out of plexiglas. The team will use Drexel's wood shop and machine shop to fabricate all of the parts. The gears will still be 3D printed.

Once materials were decided upon, research was done into which specific materials would be purchased:
Lauan Plywood
Clear Acrylic Sheet

Also this week, a very basic 3D model of the toy was generated in Creo Parametric:

Although the toy itself will largely not be 3D printed, a good 3D model is an important reference point for the process of constructing the various parts.

The dimensions shown in the second 3D model image were decided upon. The toy is as small as it can be to house all necessary components and have enough playing space. When it comes to toys for children, it was decided that smaller is better, as bigger toys are heavier and more unwieldy, which makes them difficult for children to play with.