Debut: Stacked Ball-in-the-Maze Puzzles

I would like to declare oneself with this article the twist of a special, punk toy, precise easy to make and, in my opinion, very attractive and for children all over three long time aged (because of the choking hazard!). In essence, the toy is composed of some overlapping labyrinths, separated from each other by a more surgery less transparent plexiglas(acrylic paint) plates, apiece plate having in matchless turning point a hole through which a ball can be inserted. If these holes are placed alternately in opposite corners, the ball can get across the mazes systematic from top to bottom. The destination is to inclose the lump into the top hole and in time fall through the bottom hole, thus "resolution" the overlapping mazes. The (unconnected) assembly would look back a bit like the one below.

Yes, I know, the melodic theme of three-dimensional labyrinths is not new. I've seen a lot of projects present happening instructables or thingiverse like this:

  • Serious Maple "Unseen Maze" Endue
  • amaze - multi-bed internal ear
  • Mazecube 1 / 3D-Maze 5 layers / Ø5 marble
  • 3D Hidden Maze
  • 3D Maze

etcetera...

But they all have one thing in shared: the mazes are hidden, and to clear the puzzles you have to swear on sharp-eared, vibration, memory, circumstances, I don't even know what! God, but the sweetheart of this puzzles lies in the visual twist of the road ahead. You have to see the maze, not hide IT! What I treat overlapping the mazes is to bedevil the eye a little and solving the game is non really easy but you cannot not find out the tangle, sorry! So wear't consider that having visible mazes wish make it easier to lick the puzzle. To the contrary, it can be precise defiant.

Also, the twist I propose is same flexible, many variants of the game can be made: the plexiglas boards can rich person different degrees of transparency, the mazes can have different colors (they can even be translucent), etc., I will present different variants in the content of the article.

In addition, I bequeath show you in the last ill-trea how I highlighted, visually, this construction :)

So keep a close eye on the side by side stairs!

Ill-trea 1: Materials, Components...

Materials, components I used:

  • 3D written mazes from different colouring, PLA or PET-G filaments;
  • 110mmx110mm with 7mm hole plexiglas(acrylic) sheets;
  • 3D printed assembly pieces;
  • 5 and 6 mm diameter steel bearing balls. (take care: choking hazard!)

Optional:

  • 3D written simple support;
  • 3D printed support for LEDs (2 pieces);
  • 36 LEDs from a 60 led/m WS2812 ledstrip;
  • 110mmx110mm Plexiglas(acrylic) sail;
  • semitransparent white and opaque diluted window foils;
  • a Digispark dead ringer module;
  • a mini labour button;
  • a microUSB cable;
  • a phone charger with USB output.

All 3D printed pieces files are on Tinkercad and the STL (or SVG) files are attached, look at the next steps.

Step 2: Generating the Mazes

IT is difficult and clip intense to excogitation, to manually draw a maze. That's why I used a computer software solution to generate them. I'm gaining meter in this way of life, I can set different values for the maze generation and the result is an STL register that can be printed directly on the 3D printer. For this I use a hand that can be run in OpenSCAD.

OpenSCAD is a software for creating 3D CAD models, it is free and is available for Windows, Linux and Mac. OpenSCAD is not an interactive design software but a encyclopaedist that reads the contents of a playscript charge that describes the object so OpenSCAD renders the 3D model every bit described in the script file away. This gives the user complete control over the 3D modeling and allows ever-changing whatever interfere the mental process. Also, it is possible to carry out projects that are characterized by configurable parameters.

The playscript I old is a slightly modified interlingual rendition of JustinSDK's maze generator which you send away find on Thingiverse. He also has a large collection of real interesting maze generators, that you can find on github. Worth a appear.

So, I downloaded the OpenSCAD installation kit, I installed it, I unsealed the maze_generator_mod.scad playscript (it is attached below fair-and-square switch extension to *.scad).

Clicking connected the render button I tin can engender dissimilar mazes

that I can save by pressing the STL button .

A few remarks on the script.

The only change I made to the underived hand was to add an out-of-door wall that has ii purposes: to strengthen and close the printed structure of the maze and to skin the captivate and outlet of the maze. If you dedicate up the outmost wall (outside_wall = "NO" or outside_wall_thickness = 0) then the generated maze is the one in Justin's original hand.

With the initial values in the intended script, the size of the maze is 110mm x 110mm and the thickness is 7mm.

Step 3: Impression

The STL files saved after their generation in the OpenSCAD hand can be uploaded to your favorite program and printed on your 3D printer. You can also use a 3D printing avail naturally.

I written with Repetier-Host on my super sleazy Anet A2 printer. I tested PLA and PET-G of different colours, straight-grained with transparent filum and it was best when I also utilised a brim soh that the adhesion of the internal ear (which has many right angles) at the wrong of the photographic print to be very good. It was also necessary to ask into account the contracting of the material and to accommodate the dimensions consequently, i.e. to increase them a little.

I have obtained the best results with Best-loved-G filament. It is actual that it is a little more expensive than the PLA filament and needs a heated bed for printing process, but because it has a better physical ohmic resistanc, it is preferable for printing labyrinths. Also, because it is more elastic than PLA, it is rattling suitable for the root pieces that tighten the assembly of labyrinths and plexiglas plates. I have been using a carbon paper printing home plate as a printing process base for a prospicient time, with this photographic plate I get into't motive Kapton or other tapes operating room glue surgery adherent, the number 1 layer adheres OK. Nonetheless, IT needs a bed heated to a temperature of all over 50 degrees, but in one case the impression is finished, the written object pot easily semen off the aboveground of the plate when the plate cools behind. It's a trifle expensive but it's worth it.

You bathroom see in the photos above images from the printing process.

Step 4: Construction

A I said in the introduction, this project planned aside me allows a wide-screen mixture of expression types, for example:

- deuce Beaver State more than related to labyrinths, the more nasty the resolution, but about pentad labyrinths I think would be enough;

- mazes of the same color (harder to solve), mazes of different colors (slightly more accessible), labyrinths made of transparent or translucent material (they look unemotional 😊);

- plexiglas boards (SVG data file attached under) can be completely transparent or less transparent (smoked);

- the construction can comprise glued, so it can comprise non-extractable or removable, with the help of some side pieces also printed on a 3D printer. I attached the STL files but they are also on Tinkercad,

You can edit out them as you wish. Information technology is nice to print these sidelong pieces after printing the labyrinths so that you know the net thickness of the labyrinths;

- respective non-removable (glued) structures can be made with different labyrinths or with the removable version, the labyrinths give notice live replaced, they toilet be turned, reversed and of course metamorphic with brand-new ones;

- last but not least, different sizes, shapes of mazes can beryllium generated, I loving some mazes that I have printed for this project;

And all these variants can be combined as you wish … So virtually myriad variants :)

In the photos above you can assure some finished constructions completely with dismissible structure:

- one with two mazes made of transparent filament, two smoked plexiglas plates one in front second in back and transparent plexiglas betwixt mazes;

- a construction with three labyrinths successful of transparent filament and transparent plexiglas plates between them only the stopping point existence a smoked plexiglas plateful;

- a twist with four labyrinths of different colors and transparent Plexiglas plates 'tween the plates.

The balls I used for the puzzles are some load-bearing balls of 5mm and 6mm diameter.

Stair 5: Exteroception Vulnerability

As I same at the beginning, mazes are non only very attractive puzzles only they are likewise estimable superficial toys. That's why I thought of exposing them in two formats:

- a support for the structure that can be written in 3D;

- also a bear with addressable digital LEDs (WS2812) that can clear up the built labyrinths below during solving or simply put the puzzle on the coat of the stand and you backside enjoy an interesting game of light and color;

The STL files for this supports are on Tinkercad:

For lighting I utilized 36 LEDs from a led strip of 60 led/m, and atomic number 3 a micro-comptroller I used a Digispark clone. For the light diffuser I used a 110mmx110mm plexiglass plate which I beaded with 2 'coats' of translucent E. B. White and 2 'coats' of frosted white window hydrofoil.

The uploaded course of study is an adaptation of the DemoReel100 model from FastLED's library github page. With a push push button I can switch between several lighting effects until the lighting modality. I committed the very elliptic schematic, you can see information technology above. Of course you can imagine other personal effects just for a demonstration I think it's very all right. I attached the cipher down the stairs. For programming the Digispark clone there are many instruction on the lucre for example you can read the 'How to Function ATtiny85 with Arduino' instructable.

You stool see these exposures in the video infra.

You can also see how 'easy' is to solve the puzzles.😊

I hope you will like my protrude and you will endeavour to regurgitate it. I am at your disposal if you have any questions.
I wish you good health!

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