For weeks now, 5th grader Henry has been coming to the Open Lab to print out 3D models of a LEGO piece he is designing. His goal is to model and print a working 2x4 block:
Henry is on his 5th iteration of the block. Each design revision has taken careful measurement, calculation, and positioning in Tinkercad, an online tool provided by Autodesk that students in my 7th and 8th grade 3D modeling elective use. TinkerCad provides enough initial framework for students like Henry and others who come at lunch time to the Lab to build simple models on their own and to gain confidence with the tool. Henry's focus and determination have been impressive as he comes to collect his failed pieces, learning from their errors and continually adjusting his model:
Here are the models in order from left to right:
The fourth design has been the closest to an actual LEGO piece. It fits onto and under an existing LEGO piece but isn't tight enough to remain in place well. Stay tuned... I think Henry is very close to achieving his goal!
I spoke to Henry about 3D modeling and LEGOS and this is what he had to say:
I spoke to Henry about 3D modeling and LEGOS and this is what he had to say:
Q: Why did you decide to create a LEGO as your first 3D model?
A: My brothers were missing a bunch of LEGOs and I thought that if I could make a basic design, then I could modify it to make other kinds of LEGOs.
Q: What other objects have you modeled in Tinkercad?
A: I made a birthday card for my brother and a 2x2 LEGO block.
Q: What do you like most about 3D modeling?
A: If you keep trying, you get it right and then you have something to show for your work.
Q: What is the biggest challenge related to 3D modeling?
A: The finer details [of an object] and trying to design it without a support structure* so it won't collapse.
*A support structure is an automated 3D structure that prints from the ground up under any overhangs within a model.
Q: What have you changed after seeing each print?
A: The thickness of parts of the model and the size of the top bumps. Also whether to print with supports or not and upside down or right side up.
Q: How do you feel when a print doesn't come out the way you expected?
A: A bunch of times I thought "this is definitely gonna work." And then when [I saw the print] I said, "darn! I still have to keep working..."
Q: What do you think you will design next?
A: Different types of LEGOs such as slanted ones.
— Tatian Greenleaf
A: My brothers were missing a bunch of LEGOs and I thought that if I could make a basic design, then I could modify it to make other kinds of LEGOs.
Q: What other objects have you modeled in Tinkercad?
A: I made a birthday card for my brother and a 2x2 LEGO block.
Q: What do you like most about 3D modeling?
A: If you keep trying, you get it right and then you have something to show for your work.
Q: What is the biggest challenge related to 3D modeling?
A: The finer details [of an object] and trying to design it without a support structure* so it won't collapse.
*A support structure is an automated 3D structure that prints from the ground up under any overhangs within a model.
Q: What have you changed after seeing each print?
A: The thickness of parts of the model and the size of the top bumps. Also whether to print with supports or not and upside down or right side up.
Q: How do you feel when a print doesn't come out the way you expected?
A: A bunch of times I thought "this is definitely gonna work." And then when [I saw the print] I said, "darn! I still have to keep working..."
Q: What do you think you will design next?
A: Different types of LEGOs such as slanted ones.
— Tatian Greenleaf
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