Our PBL Project

Our driving question is "how can we create a toy that encourages the younger age to get into the engineering field?" The main purpose of our project is to create a toy that introduces the younger age of society into the engineering field by providing a source of entertainment. 

• Automata Box

• Fusion 360

• Laptop

• Notebook

• 3D Printer

• Cams

• Axle

• Axle Bushing

• Follower

• Crank

• Decoration

• Guide

• Roller

1.  Create design brief

2.  Make concept sketches of the project

3.  Use decision matrix to decide which concept is best

4.  Make a CAD model of the project

5.  Create technical drawings

6.  Get materials to start the building process (following safety protocols); make sure to take pictures and videos along the way

7.  Measure wood pieces and assemble the box

8.  Assemble cams, axle, and followers

9.  Build the toys on top of the box

10.  Paint the box and any external features

11.  After everything is assembled, test box to see of it functions properly 

12.  Create mathematical model of the cam motion

• Be aware when operating drill and put on protective clothing and equipment (protective goggles).

• Don't stick hand in the Automata Box. The box could be damaged.

• Be careful when using glue/hot glue. Can cause irritation to skin or burns.

The scientific principles included in this project are distance, displacement, speed, velocity, friction, and linear motion. Displacement is the measure of the distance and direction between an object’s starting position and its final position. Using displacement, we can find and predict the motion of the cams in the automata box by using finding the distance between the axle and the top of the follower in a graph, as shown in the mathematical models. The speed of rotation controls how fast the toys move up and down, and this could lead to the average velocity of the cams to either increase or decrease. The speed of the axle's rotation is also affected by friction. Linear motion is the motion that goes in a straight line and in this project, the cams make a linear motion for the followers depending on what type of cam it is. These scientific principles help with our driving question because the concepts of physics that applies with our project can help make an understanding of how our project works and can provide an idea for many people to create something by using the principles and laws of physics. Ways math can help people make this project is by finding certain calculations on how long and the diameter of each cam in the automata box and lengths of the supplies and this relates to our driving question because by using the measurements and dimensions given in the technical drawings, people can learn to follow directions and can lead to a better outcome when making something.

This project teaches people to improve many things in their lives. One connection is that people can learn from building a box is the importance of patience of making something. One way this benefited people in their lives is by showing people and young adults how to make a toy.  This is beneficial in some way because if some people were bored and didn't have much to around their home, they could build a toy and use it. People can apply this technique in the future by showing young adults and kids how to make toy for themselves. Another connection that can be made from making this Automata box is that people can learn the techniques for building something because the design process can help people plan out their ideas and by following a plan, people can become more organized and improve their skills in design and engineering when looking for a career that relates to those skills.

Question #1: How can an automata box benefit the skills of students who are learning the engineering process?

Answer #1: The skills that are learnt from designing, building, and modeling of an automata box can benefit students because these are skills that are essential for learning the engineering design process and it helps students get an insight on how to use these skills when designing or building something. Another skill that an automata box can help benefit is the skill of brainstorming ideas and collaborating with peers to come up with a solution. When people work together to come up with ideas for a problem, the process of actually coming up with a solution will end up going faster than a person working all by themselves, and collaboration can help people with their communication skills and make them more comfortable with working in a group.

Question #2: How do automata boxes cause students to be interested in the field of engineering?

Answer #2: An automata box provides a source of entertainment that students may enjoy despite being related to the engineering field. By providing something that students will be entertained by, they may begin to adopt the mindset that engineering is not so scary or is even exciting.

Question #3: What are joints, what do they do and how are they used in this project?

Answer #3: Joints are points where pieces of a construction are joined together. They are what hold together the box and are the reason it doesn't fall apart. Joints are also responsible for the way objects move and rotate. For example, the automata box uses rigid and revolute joints. Rigid joints are used to hold the box together and do not move; revolute joints are responsible for allowing the axle to rotate.

Question #4: How does the concepts of physics apply to this project and how are they related to the engineering field?

Answer #4: One way physics is applied to this project is that fiction is used to see how smooth the axle will rotate and how it will affect the movement of the cams and the follower. The less friction there is in the axle, the more effective the movement of the follower and roller are and the better the automata box will be. Another way physics is applied to this project is the types of movement that are made from the automata box. The movement that is being produced by the axle and cams is a linear motion that makes the follower go up in a line, and depending on what cams the automata box has, the different type of linear motion it will produce.

Question #5: What is the engineering design process and how does it apply to the creation of the project?

Answer #5: The engineering design process is a process that engineers use to plan out and create their ideas, and it helps organize how things should be done and optimizes the development of the project. There are six steps of the engineering design process: Define problem, generate concepts, develop solution, construct and test, evaluate solution, and present solution. This process applies to our project because it helps us organize our ideas and it serves as a guide to see where our project is at, and if we ever need to make any fixes or improvements, we can always go back a step to test our ideas and insure that our project properly works and doesn't have any errors.