Toy Factory Project
Project Description:
In this project, you’re going to create something that will actually bring joy to another human being. You’re making toys!!!! In order to do that, you’ll need to learn all about simple machines, mechanical advantage, and basic engineering. You’ll also need to learn about magnetic, electric charge, electric circuit, and electro-magnetic interactions. You’ll even build your own electric motor and battery. But that’s not all. In this project, you’re going to invent something. It doesn’t have to save the world. It doesn’t even have to be original. But it does have to involve electricity. Specifically, you will create a toy that uses an electric motor, is turned on by a switch and is powered by a battery.
Our toy is a Snow Cone machine that uses a closed series circuit to power a conveyor belt. We have an ice grinder that makes the “snow”, then you put the cup onto the conveyor belt under the syrups. You then press the button on the side to motion the belt. This moves your cup to your desired syrup.
Material List:
In this project, you’re going to create something that will actually bring joy to another human being. You’re making toys!!!! In order to do that, you’ll need to learn all about simple machines, mechanical advantage, and basic engineering. You’ll also need to learn about magnetic, electric charge, electric circuit, and electro-magnetic interactions. You’ll even build your own electric motor and battery. But that’s not all. In this project, you’re going to invent something. It doesn’t have to save the world. It doesn’t even have to be original. But it does have to involve electricity. Specifically, you will create a toy that uses an electric motor, is turned on by a switch and is powered by a battery.
Our toy is a Snow Cone machine that uses a closed series circuit to power a conveyor belt. We have an ice grinder that makes the “snow”, then you put the cup onto the conveyor belt under the syrups. You then press the button on the side to motion the belt. This moves your cup to your desired syrup.
Material List:
- Old Snow Cone machine grinder and syrup cup (spotted bowl, blue handle)
- Plastic pipe (orange handle)
- Old Snow Cone machine cup holder (blue holder at bottom)
- Soap dispenser (white box; for syrups)
- Wooden Box
- Conveyor Belt
- Wood panels (purple background)
Here on the right we have a closed circuit. Instead of the lightbulb, we used a motor. The source is a battery, and we used a basic hold switch/button. This is all hidden inside of the wood box we used in our snow cone machine.
Some things that I think we did well are the final results. I feel that we had a certain vision, and we made it come to life. I also think that my partner and I worked very well together. We both shared the work equally, and put both of our personalities into this toy. Some things that I think we could have done better were not just jumping straight into something; more like taking time to think the whole process through. An example would be when we had to put the conveyer belt holders together (little black wheels in between conveyer belt). We first put them all together, not realizing we had done it wrong. Then we came upon the whole installation, we had some problems. So, it just took a little longer to get to our final product. For next time, that is what I would like to do differently.
I think my partner and I used almost all of our time wisely. We really tired to use all of our school time to the max, so we wouldn't have to stay in for longer periods of time. I feel that we both challenged ourselves, me personally, not really knowing how to do circuits at first. Over the span of this project, I most defiantly understand how they work now. I feel very proud of myself for this project. I feel proud because we both accomplished something that was pretty difficult. I think I got as much as I could out of this project. I think this because I learned about electrical components, as well as simple machines. Although we didn't really use any simple machines, I feel like I have grasped the concept of all of them. My partner and I paced ourselves well, to where we came into class and figured out what we needed to get done for that day. Then we would execute it. I wasn't nervous about the exhibition. I felt confident that our project would work. We did run into one problem however. Our handle broke after the first exhibition, so what we could have done better was have glued it stronger. That is one other thing that I would've changed, although we fixed it and everything was good and working again.
I think my partner and I used almost all of our time wisely. We really tired to use all of our school time to the max, so we wouldn't have to stay in for longer periods of time. I feel that we both challenged ourselves, me personally, not really knowing how to do circuits at first. Over the span of this project, I most defiantly understand how they work now. I feel very proud of myself for this project. I feel proud because we both accomplished something that was pretty difficult. I think I got as much as I could out of this project. I think this because I learned about electrical components, as well as simple machines. Although we didn't really use any simple machines, I feel like I have grasped the concept of all of them. My partner and I paced ourselves well, to where we came into class and figured out what we needed to get done for that day. Then we would execute it. I wasn't nervous about the exhibition. I felt confident that our project would work. We did run into one problem however. Our handle broke after the first exhibition, so what we could have done better was have glued it stronger. That is one other thing that I would've changed, although we fixed it and everything was good and working again.