Week 6: Mechanism Design (CAM Toy)

In this project, I aim to explore the design, fabrication, and assembly of mechanisms by creating my own mechanical cam toy. Using Fusion 360, I started with a provided example and customized it to experiment with different types of motion, geometries, and joints. By the end, I gained a deeper understanding of how to digitally design and assemble mechanisms, while also fabricating and assembling my own unique cam toy.

• Fusion 360 (or any CAD software)
• Laser cutter
• Cardboard (for initial testing)
• Wood (for the final version)

We were provided with an example in Fusion 360 that demonstrates how rotational input can be transformed into linear output. I had the freedom to modify or build upon this example to investigate different types of motion, geometries, and joints.

Ultimately I wanted to use Fusion 360 to design custom pieces that were inspired by the example we were given. The photo above depicts a raw idea of how I wanted to design my CAM toy.

The structure of this toy is dependent on a box-like exterior that holds each part of the CAM toy assembly. In a prior project, I experiment with press-fit joints to create a box with structural integrity (https://www.instructables.com/Week-2-Press-Fit-Box/) Because I know this box can be assembled, I edited pieces to contain the elements necessary for the construction of a CAM toy.

The first image shows two walls of my original press-fit box. The second image shows some of the modifications I made for the adoption of cam toy components.

I prototyped with cardboard to get the correct kerf and measurements for optimal functionality of my CAM toy. After about 3 iterations on cardboard I was ready to move to the final product using wood.

I found that .17mm of kerf was the perfect amount for the box and about .2mm was a good amount for the sticks that protrude from the top to allow for vertical movement.

One mistake I made was assuming that I would need more kerf as I moved from cardboard to wood, since cardboard is not as rigid. For my toy, I realized that they kerf settings I used on cardboard was a perfect match for wood as well.

The above image shows my final CAM toy assembled with wood.

Future iterations of this project would include customizing pieces to attach to the top and experimenting with other kinds of motion within the CAM toy.