Magnet Maze

The Product

Our team is creating a maze that uses magnets to navigate the maze. This toy will teach children about magnetism.

Process

Planning

Initially we were planning to etch the maze out of a sheet of acrylic; however, we agreed that it would be easier and faster to laser cut the maze out of a sheet of MDF and create a table for the maze to sit on top of. We also decided for this first prototype to scale down the table so it can sit on top of any table since we first wanted to see if our magnet concept was engaging and if it actually could work. 

Manufacturing

To manufacture our toy, we will utilize illustrator, SolidWorks, a laser cutter, a 3D printer, various machining tools, and hand assembly.

Maze

The maze will be laser cut from 24" x 24" 1/8" thick medium-density fiberboard.

Table

We will create a table with a 24" x 24" 1/8" thick acrylic table top and a wooden base.

Challenges

The main challenge in creating this toy was figuring out exactly what would work and what wouldn't work. Coordinating a time to meet was also very difficult, since we all had different schedules and available times. 

Reflection

We learned about the possibilities and limitations of laser cutting as a manufacturing process. We also learned which materials are best to use or manipulate for laser cutting. We also learned that getting external opinions, from outside of the group, is very important to the design process. If we had the means, we would have more prototypes of the game pieces so that we could fully explore our options and what works best.