Cannon Fire
In the Spring of 2023, I took the class 2.00b Toy Product Design. As part of this class, I worked as part of a team to create a working model of a toy. We went through every stage of product development: brainstorming, modeling, testing, and prototyping. At the end of the semester, we presented our toy to an audience of hundreds of people. This class gave me foundational skills in woodworking, 3D modeling, laser cutting, 3D printing, and multiple manufacturing techniques.
Overview
The game itself was simple: two teams compete to be build the largest tower they can before time runs out. But here’s the catch, both teams are equipped with their very own cannon that they can fire at their discretion to knock over their opponent’s tower. Cannon Fire is an exciting fast-paced game that incorporates two of the most appealing elements for a children’s game: building and destroying.
Consumer Considerations
When creating Cannon Fire, there were numerous design elements we had to consider. When we first came up with the idea, we didn’t know what age group would be best suited to play. Our team went to a local children’s museum and had parents and their children test our game and give us feedback. We received meaningful feedback on the game’s rules and structure. This allowed us to realize our game was best suited for ages 8+, since this age group had the motor skills required to play the game.
Design Considerations
My focus on this project was creating the cannons that would be used to fire the projectiles (beanbags). In order to figure out the best mechanism for this, I calculated and tested the optimal force needed in order to launch the beanbags to the opponent’s area. I needed to make sure the beanbags could fire over the wall, but not fire with such force that they posed a risk. Once I figured out the amount of force necessary, I went through multiple ideas on how to deliver this force. My first idea was springs, but we realized that the spring constant needed was going to be too large for the average child to be able to pull consistently. We finally landed on rubber bands; they gave us the elastic force required and we could make adjustments by changing the type of rubber band and the quantity. Another consideration was the size of the plunger inside the chamber. We needed the plunger to be long enough to prevent jamming, but not so long that the chamber was going to need to be scaled to the point that it didn’t fit on the game board.
Design Process
The cannons were created using Fusion 360 to model the parts, and then 3D printing the parts separately to be assembled. In total, the cannon is only comprised of 4 components: the chamber, the plunge, the stand, and the pin. The upper edge of the chamber has “claws” that hold on to the rubber bands and can withstand the force of being pulled on by rubber bands repeatedly. The plunger has arms that allow it to hold the rubber band without slipping, while also making sure the plunger doesn’t go flying upon release. The stand and pin allow for the cannon to be tilted up and down, giving the player more freedom when firing.