Puzzle Cube Project
Define A Problem
Generate Concepts
I did all of these measurements by using a dial caliper and individually measuring them. I did all these measurements so that I could find out if there was any outliers in the cubes so when constructing the individual pieces there was minimal room for the parts to not fit together because of being too big or small. The acceptable range for the data was the measurements that fit inside 2 standard deviation's. Standard Deviation is calculated by subtracting the standard deviation of the data and adding it to the mean of the data one time then two times. If the any data is outside 2 standard deviation's and is in the 3rd then it is an outlier. In my original 27 cubes there was 1 outlier which was replaced with a better sized cube.
I did my sketches by making two sets of 5 pieces that made a cube then making other pieces that could be substituted into the cube instead of the original pieces. I ended up picking one of the two original sets but that is only because it was difficult already so I had no reason to change it.
Develop A Solution
Construct and Test Prototype
I used the mate and flush tool to connect the pieces together. First I mated two sides that went together. Then I used the flush tool on one side of that piece to a side of the other piece, those two constraints would take away 5 degree's of freedom. Then I flushed another pair of sides and that got rid of the last degree of freedom. I did this to all the pieces until all degree's of freedom were eliminated from the object.
Evaluate the Solution
I tested my cube with 8 people. The quickest time to solve it was 6 minutes and 25 seconds by a sophomore. Out of the 8 people that attempted to solve my cube 4 people quit. Even though the quickest time was by a 10th grader, my government teacher Mr.Kurtz solved it in 7 minutes and 11 seconds. So I don't think there is a good correlation of age to puzzle solving ability because some younger people solved it quickly but others slowly and the same for older people. So I think I do not have enough data to say if there is a correlation. If I was to change anything about my cube all I would do is try to make it more difficult. I would do that because I like to give people a challenge and I would want to see how difficult I could make it.
Present the Solution
The puzzle cube project provided some challenges but through hard work I overcame them and had fun creating my puzzle. The most repetitive and boring part was measuring every single cube with the dial caliper but in the end it proved necessary in making the best cube I could by eliminating all outlier cubes. The construction was easy except for the markers bleeding all over my hands. The brainstorming sketches and multi-view drawings were easy but important in finding the best possible solution to the project for me. My sketches for brainstorming were set up in two groups of five pieces, then ten individual interchangeable parts. The hardest part though in the whole project was definitely inventor since I haven't used it in two years, but after being refreshed on how to use it I breezed through it. When someone says, " I used a design process to solve the problem at hand," I interpret that as someone using a step by step process that makes sure an effective solution is found. After doing the project I know that doing all the steps is important and that if I didn't show work like brainstorming and sketches I don't think I would of came up with such a great answer. So anyone that says that is saying that they put work in to come up with a great solution to the problem at hand.