Component Design

The box was designed to have a pentagonal shape to accommodate for the 72° turn needed to raise the bowl. The box was designed in SolidWorks and features 6 unique components. 

INTERIOR

The bottom piece is a pentagonal shape with a center pocket that allows for the iris mechanism to sit in. This pocket allows for a mechanism to stay centered at all times. In the middle of the box, there is an alignment piece with bearings to make the turning smoother. Both these pieces were machined using the ShotBot. 

The mechanism that holds the bearings in place was 3D printed. This design allowed for the bearings to spin freely while still being attached to the box. The screws are tightened so that they act as clamps for the wood and bearing. 

The interior of the design also features supports for the alignment piece to rest on. 

EXTERIOR
The exterior piece is composed of the panels and the table top. There is one removable panel that allows for the internal iris mechanism to be visible. This was achieved by flushing magnets into the wood. The top panel is the piece the user rotates to hide the petals and reveal the bowl. 

Material Selection

The box was made exclusively of wood. Poplar wood was used to create the panels with 2x4 to make the supports. MDF was used for the ShopBot pieces. This design choice was driven by the availability of pieces in the desired size. We found it valuable to have all continuous pieces to ensure edges would not interfere with rotation. 

Assembly & Integration

To assemble the box, all the panels except the removable panel were glued to the bottom base, which served to also align the pieces with each other. Once that was done, the alignment blocks were glued on the edges. The blocks with pockets for the magnets were both placed facing outward were the removable panel was attached. 

The mechanism fit into the center slot, and the bearing alignment piece was placed on top of the alignment blocks. Finally, the table top was placed so the alignment holes fit over the tabs on the top ring. The track was aligned so the base and the top were face-to-face. 

To finish off the piece, the top, petals, and bowl were sanded down and topped with wood oil.