Puzzle Design Challenge
Brief
Client: Fine Office
Furniture, Inc.
Target Consumer: Ages
3+
Designer: Ainsworth
Problem
Statement: A local office furniture manufacturing
company throws
away tens of thousands of scrap ¾” hardwood cubes that result from its furniture
construction processes. The material is expensive, and the scrap represents a
sizeable loss of profit.
Design Statement: Fine Office
Furniture, Inc. would like to return value to its waste product by using it as
the raw material for desktop novelty items that will be sold on the showroom
floor. Design, build, test, document, and present a three-dimensional puzzle
system that is made from the scrap hardwood cubes. The puzzle system must
provide an appropriate degree of challenge to a person who is three years of age
or older.
Criteria:
1. The
puzzle must be fabricated from 27 – ¾”hardwood cubes.
2. The
puzzle system must contain exactly five puzzle pieces.
3. Each
individual puzzle piece must consist of at least four, but no more than six
hardwood cubes that are permanently attached to each other.
4. No
two puzzle pieces can be the same.
5. The five puzzle pieces must
assemble to form a 2 ¼” cube.
6. Some puzzle parts should
interlock.
Brief
Client: Fine Office
Furniture, Inc.
Target Consumer: Ages
3+
Designer: Ainsworth
Problem
Statement: A local office furniture manufacturing
company throws
away tens of thousands of scrap ¾” hardwood cubes that result from its furniture
construction processes. The material is expensive, and the scrap represents a
sizeable loss of profit.
Design Statement: Fine Office
Furniture, Inc. would like to return value to its waste product by using it as
the raw material for desktop novelty items that will be sold on the showroom
floor. Design, build, test, document, and present a three-dimensional puzzle
system that is made from the scrap hardwood cubes. The puzzle system must
provide an appropriate degree of challenge to a person who is three years of age
or older.
Criteria:
1. The
puzzle must be fabricated from 27 – ¾”hardwood cubes.
2. The
puzzle system must contain exactly five puzzle pieces.
3. Each
individual puzzle piece must consist of at least four, but no more than six
hardwood cubes that are permanently attached to each other.
4. No
two puzzle pieces can be the same.
5. The five puzzle pieces must
assemble to form a 2 ¼” cube.
6. Some puzzle parts should
interlock.
Prezi Powerpoint Link
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Puzzle Cube Solutions
Isometric Combinations
Iso Drawings
IPT For Each Puzzle Piece
Puzzle Cube Parts IDW
Puzzle Cube Assembly IAM IDW
Puzzle Cube Assembly
Puzzle Cube and Package
Puzzle Cube Data
Reflection
The design process is the steps it takes to solve any problem that one may face. This problem solving system breaks down the idea and helps to find an efficient and effective solution. In the puzzle cube project, the design process was constantly being used to help better improve the cube. For example, we realized that the blocks to build the cube were not all the same size. To fix this, we created a plan in which we measured each cube and charted them, and finally eliminated the outliers. This example of the design process helped make the cube slide together as flawlessly as it does.
This design does meet the design criteria. The pieces of my cube all have blocks heading in three dimensions, making it ever harder. That, combined with the interlocking pieces helps make this cube a difficult, fun challenge.
Based on the attempt times that it took others to solve the cube, there are very few things that can truly make the cube more difficult. However, possibly more interlocking parts could be adder in the future.
This design does meet the design criteria. The pieces of my cube all have blocks heading in three dimensions, making it ever harder. That, combined with the interlocking pieces helps make this cube a difficult, fun challenge.
Based on the attempt times that it took others to solve the cube, there are very few things that can truly make the cube more difficult. However, possibly more interlocking parts could be adder in the future.