Inspiration:
Max and my idea was to make a set of dueling knights that would both translate and have arm rotation simultaneously from a single crank. To do this, we used mechanism 114 from 507 mechanical movements alongside a few other mechanisms. Below are our initial design sketches and mechanism.
Low Fidelity Prototyping:
For our low fidelity prototypes, we dialed in the core mechanism by making dozens of different variations with different teeth sizes, tooth spacing, and more. A few examples are pictured below. We eventually decided small teeth were the most smooth. We also designed the inner and outer boxes and cut them from cardboard to ensure the fit was reasonable and all parts were properly designed.
Medium Fidelity Prototyping:
After we has a general idea dialed in from our low-fidelity prototyping, we moved on to further streamlining the design and starting to think about non core components of our design like the arm motion and armor. All parts were cut from wood at full scale. We used tape to attach all parts and made fine adjustments to perfect tolerances. We designed the mechanisms that move the arms back and forth and also made paper templates to design the armor and helmets we would later cut out of metal. We landed on making the gears that move the inner box out of acrylic because they looked really cool clear.
High-Fidelity Production:
For our final prototype, we sought a weathered, middle age wartorn look. We cut metal swords, helmets, and chest plates on the water jet cutter. These were prepared with various techniques including polishing, filing, painting, and sandblasting. We treated all wood parts with black stain and weathered all wood and metal parts with additional finishes, sanding, and impact. We painted accent parts with gold and added vinyl stickers on the chest plates. We assembled the final prototype making judicious use of epoxy resin and wood glue. Overall I am rather pleased with both the finish and action of our final prototype.
Cost Breakdown:
- 1 Sheet 1/4 inch plywood 48x96in – $30
- 1sqft 1/16 inch aluminum sheet – $8
- 14 assorted bearings – $7
- Linear rail and carriage – $30
- Paint, stain, vinyl, and assorted finishes – $10
- 80 Hours labor @$15/hr – $1200
Total Cost:
$1285
Yikes, that is expensive, but at least it was fun.
