Marble Machine - Automaton Project

thingiverse

For our Thingiverse Project, my partner, Daniel, and I created a marble machine with a working wheel, camshaft stairs, and a long marble track to loop it together. The wheel and the camshaft rotate simultaneously due to a thick rubber band attached to both axles, making a belt-pulley system. This way, when the crankshaft operating the stairs is turned by the user of the machine, a rubber band attached to a pulley on the crankshaft spins another pulley that is attached to the shaft that the Ferris wheel rotates on. By doing this, multiple balls can be used on the machine at once since both pieces will be working at the same time. The dimensions for this machine are 15 cm wide and 15 cm long, with a height of 11 cm, allowing it to fit comfortably on any desk or table. This machine is great for use as a toy for children, or as a desk piece for people of any age to use when you need a second of relaxation. In addition to the 3D parts that were printed, my partner and I also used galvanized steel wire in order to make the track, which can be purchased at any hardware store. We used 14 gauge steel wire, which worked well because it was easy to bend while remaining rigid once it was in place. A link for this product can be found here: https://www.acehardware.com/departments/hardware/chain-and-rope/wire/5061031 In addition to the wire for the track, we used 10 mm diameter balls to use on the track. I recommend using 5-6 balls at a time on this track. A link for this track can be found here: https://www.amazon.com/Bolsen-Threaded-Kossel-3D-Printer-Magnetic/dp/B07HQ72H1R/ref=sr_1_2_sspa?crid=UE6YL3P8PT21&keywords=10mm+ball&qid=1642631189&s=industrial&sprefix=10mm+ball%2Cindustrial%2C233&sr=1-2-spons&psc=1&smid=A2YPMGYKJIIDP8&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUEyU1YxSzUyRjdGOTUyJmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUExMDE1ODIxMVc2QjRUNzlHUVhSRyZlbmNyeXB0ZWRBZElkPUEwMTUyODQ1M0pIRDNWMDFJUVlaTiZ3aWRnZXROYW1lPXNwX2F0ZiZhY3Rpb249Y2xpY2tSZWRpcmVjdCZkb05vdExvZ0NsaWNrPXRydWU=. Post-processing is required, however, once we assembled the final product, it worked smoothly and it is a fun machine to use. A link to my partner's project page can be found here: https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:5207584