All work 09 / 12 Mechanism — 2018

Automatoy

A hand-cranked rising marble machine — an automaton toy for children, laser-cut, built, and shared on Thingiverse.

Timeline
2018
Context
Automata Design Challenge · Ohio State class project
Process
3D modeling, laser cutting, wood assembly
Discipline
Mechanism · Toy
Outcome
Built; files shared on Thingiverse
Automatoy, cover image
01

Overview

Automata are a playful way to explore simple mechanical elements such as cams, levers, and linkages while creating a moving sculpture.

Inspired by playground slides, the Rising Marble Machine is a hand-spun toy for children: a rotating crank drives an up-and-down motion that brings marbles up a staircase. I modeled it in 3D, laser-cut and assembled it, and shared the files on Thingiverse.

Problem
Use simple mechanical elements — cams, levers, linkages — to make a moving toy for children.
Process
Concept → 3D assembly → AI paths for laser cutting → assembly of base, cams, slide and staircase followers.
Outcome
A working marble machine, published on Thingiverse.
02

Concept

A staircase brings marbles up through an up-and-down motion driven by a rotating crank.

Rising Marble Machine — staircase, up-and-down motion, rotating crank
Fig. 01Rising Marble Machine — staircase, up-and-down motion, rotating crank
03

3D assembly

Final 3D assembly
Fig. 02Final 3D assembly
Final 3D assembly — renders
Fig. 03Final 3D assembly — renders
04

Model making

Export the 3D drawing as AI paths, laser cut, assemble the base with the cams inside, then the slide and the staircase followers.

Model making process
Fig. 04Model making process
Fig. 05Automota Marble Machine by Sebastian Bolona — YouTube
05

Built and shared

AutomaToy — mechanical automaton
Fig. 06AutomaToy — mechanical automaton
Thingiverse — “Automata - Marble Machine”
Fig. 07Thingiverse — “Automata - Marble Machine”
06

Outcome

Built, and published on Thingiverse as “Automata - Marble Machine”.

  1. The Thingiverse page shown above lists 2,447 views and 679 downloads at the time of the screenshot.