Raegan DuBose 12/02/13 2A

Puzzle Cube Design Process

At the beginning of the school year, my engineering class was given an example design process to use throughout the year. The following is a breakdown of that process in the manner that it applied to the puzzle cube project assigned. 1) Define a Problem The assignment was to create two puzzle cube designs and pick the best design and turn that design into a physical cube. We had to use many different ways of creating the cube. 2) Brainstorm We were given the basic layout of how the project would happen and then thought about the cube designs and what we would like them to look like. Each piece had to be different and still fit together. 3) Research and Generate Ideas The class was given as set of plastic cubes and told to make two separate puzzle cube designs. We were simply supposed to connect the cubes together in random shapes to create cube designs. 4) Identify Criteria and Specify Constraints In addition to the assignment, we were given a specific rubric that gave all the criteria and constraints to be used throughout the project. We also created our own criteria to judge the cube by. 5) Explore Possibilities After the plastic cubes had been created, they were put through a decision matrix to choose the best design. Some criteria were weighted higher than others and a design was chosen. 6) Select an Approach Following that, we were to sketch the cube in isometric layers and oblique cabinet. This helped to remember the cube in its exactitude. 7) Develop a Design Proposal Each piece had to be sketched in multiview, which consisted of the top, front, and right side view in addition to the isometric sketch. All line conventions, including object and hidden lines, had to be present in the multiviews 8) Make a Model or Prototype Immediately following, we designed each piece of the chosen puzzle cube in Autodesk Inventor. Each piece was designed to scale in the program. 9) Test and Evaluate the Design using Specifications The pieces were made into an electronic multiview using Autodesk Inventor to evaluate the correct measurements. Then the multiviews were printed half size and glued into my journal in addition to being posted on our online portfolio. 10) Refine the Design Using an assembly file, the 5 separate pieces of the cube were assembled into a cube and constrained into a cube that was impossible to pull apart. After, we made an animation of all 5 pieces coming together into said cube. 11) Create or Make Solution Nearly finished, a physical cube was created using wooden blocks. Each piece was colored and glued together then sanded down. 12) Communicate Processes and Result A brief summary of the project and a few pictures were uploaded to my online portfolio (raegandubose.weebly.com). Finally, I composed this paper to explain each step of the process.