Project Overview

The goal of this Engineering 103 project is to create a toy called the Inside-Out Maze. This toy is designed to be handheld while the user completes a maze within a cylinder. To complete the maze, a rod must be moved and pulled throughout the course of the puzzle. The maze is not visible to the user and must be completed by the “guess and check” method to figure out which pathway will lead out of the puzzle.

The learning objectives of this project include being able to manage a small design project, getting a better look at 3D modeling and 3D printing, as well as working as a group to develop a working toy design. The major tasks of this project are the design, the CAD work, the 3D printing of the model, the fabrication of the inside rod in the machine shop, and assembling the toy in its entirety. The biggest challenges will be designing the Inside-Out Maze on Inventor and making sure the measurements are correct, as well as fabricating the rod to fit within the grooves of the maze engraved in the cylinder. Overall, the desired outcome of this project is to design and fabricate a working prototype of the Inside-Out Maze. 

Below is the 3-D model of the Inside-Out Maze without the middle rod included.