Heather Mello
Heather Mello
Computer-Aided Design and Prototyping | 2024
Toy Design
For this class, my team and I were tasked with creating a small (1'x1'x1'), fully functioning prototype of a toy or action figure. My team decided to create a mechanically functioning diorama of the Purdue University “All-American” Marching Band during a concert known as “Thrill on the Hill”. Most parts were 3D printed and painted, with the stage walls and front panels being laser cut out of wood and clear acrylic, respectively. A video of our creo model can be seen below, and our final design report can be found here. While the project was completed by all of us, I focused on the design of the synchronized movement of the band members and the electronics.
The two main mechanical functions are the rotations of the band members, known as “swaggering,” and the conducting motion of the drum major. The swaggering is achieved through a modified four-link system, where one link completes rotations, and one link is constrained to move through a 60-degree angle. The conducting motion is achieved through a rod moving in a track, which moves back and forth under the stage. For electronics, there was a brushed DC motor connected to a motor controller, connected to an ESP32 Arduino board to control the speed of the motor, along with a 9V battery and a toggle switch.
In addition to this major project, the same team was tasked with creating a remote control car that could complete two laps around the rally race track. It had to be able to move forward and backward, stop, and turn left and right. The vehicle had to be remote-controlled using the provided microprocessor, and be driven using the wheels and motors distributed to each team. The final report, including images of the work produced in creo, can be found here.