Puzzle Cube Design Project

Natalie Nickerson
Introduction to Engineering and Design
January 2nd, 2016

Overview:
The purpose of this project was to design an interlocking puzzle cube. The process would
require us to use various steps of the design process and challenge our knowledge in the
areas of brainstorming, sketching, determining a final design, using three-dimensional
modeling software, and finally creating a physical model of our cube.
This project was done individually in order for each student to make an original cube and
discover his or her strengths and weaknesses in using the design process.
The design brief we were tasked with is as follows:

Puzzle Design Challenge Brief

Client: Fine Office Furniture, Inc.

Target Consumer Ages: High school aged
Designer: Natalie Nickerson

Problem Statement
A local office furniture manufacturing company throws away tens of thousands of
scrap 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 high school students.

Criteria
1. The puzzle must be fabricated from 27 hardwood cubes.
2. The puzzle system must contain exactly five puzzle parts.
3. Each individual puzzle part must consist of at least four, but no more than six
hardwood cubes that are permanently attached to each other.
4. No two puzzle parts can be the same.
5. The five puzzle parts must assemble to form a 2 cube.
6. Some puzzle parts should interlock.
7. The puzzle should require high school students an average of 2 minutes to solve.

In total, from the brainstorming process to the final cube presentation, around three
weeks were spent in and out of class on this project.

Materials List:

Isometric Graph Paper

Graph Paper
Pencil
Decision Matrix
27 - .75 x .75 cubes
Glue
Sandpaper
Colored Markers
Three-Dimensional modeling software (Autodesk Inventor)

Procedure:

After reading and discussing the Puzzle Design Challenge Brief, we began the Design
Process with brainstorming. We used isometric graph paper and six wooden cubes to
visualize and sketch as many different combinations of four, five, and six wooden cubes
as possible.
After brainstorming different puzzle piece combinations, we had to create two unique
puzzle cube designs from which we would use a custom decision matrix to pick our final

cube design. We sketched our two ideas on isometric graph paper. We drew each puzzle
piece individually and then a sketch of the assembled cube. We also drew a map of the
three levels of each cube to show in an alternate manner how the puzzle cube is
assembled.
After selecting a final cube design based on the results of the decision matrix template,
we created dimensioned multi view sketches on graph paper for each puzzle piece and the
assembled cube.

Then, we used three dimensional modeling software, Autodesk Inventor, to create threedimensional models of each puzzle cube piece, as well as assembled and exploded views

of the entire puzzle cube. We then made a drawing file where we created dimensioned
multi-view drawings of each puzzle piece and the assembled cube.

After creating three-dimensional renderings of each puzzle piece, we created a real-life

puzzle cube using 27 .75 inch by .75 inch wooden cubes. We used wood glue to attach the
cubes to each other. We then sanded them down using 80 and 100 grit sandpaper to
remove any excess glue, and used dry erase markers to color the pieces in their
corresponding colors.

We then had the option to create a packaging design if desired. I, however, chose not to.

Concepts Covered:

We can refer to the design process to show

which concepts we covered.
By going over the design brief we defined the
problem of the need for a puzzle cube to
utilize the waste wood cubes from making
furniture.
We brainstormed when we sketched different
combinations of cubes.
We researched and generated ideas when we
came up with two different puzzle cube
designs.
By using the decision matrix, we selected an approach.
We made a three-dimensional model of the puzzle cube on Autodesk Inventor.
Finally, we created the final puzzle cube that we could test on our peers.

Summary:
From this project, I learned how to follow most of the design process from start to finish.
We completed a variety of tasks including the aforementioned brainstorming, selecting a
final design, using three-dimensional modeling software, and creating the final model.
Difficulties were encountered in creating two different puzzle cube designs. It was
difficult to visualize in my head how the pieces would fit together. The map of each level
of the puzzle cube really helped to visualize where blocks already were and still needed
to go. At first it was difficult to use the modeling software, but the more I used it, the
easier it was to create the models. My project solved the problem well. It met all the
requirements and did well in the areas of interlocking pieces and posed a challenge when
actually trying to complete the puzzle. I think I did well creating a puzzle cube design
that was both challenging and aesthetically pleasing. I should have followed the order of
the design process more closely because I did the three-dimensional modeling before I
brainstormed a puzzle cube design. Overall, the puzzle cube design project was a very
informative project, and it helped me to understand the design process.