My Lego compatible Interactive Castle

thingiverse

Hi everybody, my name is Giacomo, I'm 19 years old and I'm an Italian maker. I decided to join this challenge to prove myself with a project totally designed by algorithm and geometrical function study, and to have fun. Software version: SolidWorks v premium 2015, a really good technical 3D CAD software. I found very useful some tutorials shared on YouTube that show how to design a part only with algorithm and geometrical function study. With this challenge, I had the possibility to improve my knowledge about this kind of technical 3D drawing, then I want to thank the creator of the S.T.E.A.M. Summer Challenges for the opportunity they gave to all the makers all around the world. About my castle, I tried to fit it in the maker and 3D printing world too, so I designed a part simply to print and reusable in real life. I think that my castle is cool because it's made by some characteristics that make it unique in its style: - Interactive; the lift bridge is motorized by a servomotor wired to an Arduino Uno board that makes possible to lower and raise the bridge in two different types: the first type has two physical buttons located on a breadboard wired to the Arduino Uno board, and the second one allows the control of the bridge via vb.net graphical interface that can be used from your PC. I thought to integrate this funny solution not only to make the castle interactive but also to give the possibility to show all (brothers, cousins, and soon) the infinity world of OpenSource. - Multiuse; the castle is easily decomposable for giving all the possibility to build another kind of project (a warehouse, a stable, a temple, a tower, an house, etc.). - Lego platform compatible, since I was a child I have always been a Lego fan and I thought that it was very useful/funny to fit it for Lego platform and besides an educational game for younger. - I paid attention to details; I designed it in order to respect the challenge rules but drawing the castle with a particular attention for both graphic view and functional details (about functional details I mean easily printable with any kinds of 3D printer); - BIGGER !; for made it more realistic I decided to draw it in real dimension, by designing this as a true toy, a fortress where all Lego character will be at home. It's also possible scale the dimensions via your Slicer to print it as a keychain or pattern and so on. In the downloadable files, you can find the source code for the Arduino Uno board, both FIRMATA version usable via vb.net graphical interface on your computer and the analog version using the breadboard with 2 buttons. In the text file, it is also a guide for the installation of the code and its operation (in the video I show the operation of both systems and the connections to Arduino Uno). I would be really happy if I saw my castle printed by other makers and also to receive many comments and suggestions to improve the design or the originality of the product! The video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=elqLcsyjFV8&feature=youtu.be) shows only a small part of the castle, the drawbridge, because now my printer is out of working for some upgrades, so I asked a friend to print me only that part to show the operation of the bridge (once back in I will feature my printer to print the whole castle and post photos here on Thingiverse!). The pieces were printed with a RepRap Prusa i3 rework built by myself. The printing details are included in "Profilo.ini", then you can load it directly on Cura for a fast and better printing (if you use another slicer, you can open the Notepad file and extract various values). If you were interested in changing the structure of the castle and make it customized any way you like, feel free to contact me via email specifying the file name and extension, and I'll send you via email all the parts as quickly as possible! #BuildACastle Giacomo Zammarchi