The Cyclone: triple lift, triple track marble machine

thingiverse

This is a precision-crafted marble machine featuring an advanced lift system capable of lifting multiple marbles simultaneously. The machine releases these marbles onto three separate tracks, with two of them connected in series, causing alternating movement between those tracks. Meanwhile, the third track forms a loop, requiring at least two marbles to ensure continuous traffic on all three paths. The machine is specifically designed for 8 mm balls as marbles and can be printed completely without supports using a well-tuned printer. Steel balls of the same size will work just fine, but I have also included a printed marble design that can be used instead. Printed marbles offer the advantage of being able to print several in different colors, creating a visually appealing effect when running the machine. Additionally, they run slower than steel balls due to slightly more friction against the tracks. The total amount of plastic needed for this project is approximately 300 grams.