Power Station

// Who Solo project

// What A redesign of an individual component within the greater “Energy Quest” exhibit activity

// When Completed January 2018

// Where “Energy” exhibit at the Children’s Museum of Denver

// Why The previous system would frequently jam, preventing the exhibit from functioning properly; this redesign prevents balls from getting stuck and provides an exciting look into the mechanics that power the experience

// How The first picture on the right is of the original ball transporter, which at the time was a single clear tube with a pin that moved up and down to let a single ball through at a time. This pin often punctured the balls, rendering the exhibit useless and requiring that we venture out into the busy exhibit space to remove the stuck ball. To solve this problem, I went with a wheel-based design that removes any possibility of the ball getting punctured, pushed, or jammed. The greatest challenge was figuring out how to fit this new design into the cabinet while maintaining the original functionality. I ended up taking dozens of measurements of the current cabinet and existing components so I could create an accurate 3D model, giving me a solid reference point for when I started modeling the new design. Then it was just a matter of fabricating the new ball transporter in the shop, testing it outside of the cabinet, then installing it in place. We even decided to add a clear plexiglass window so guests can see it in action!