Fab-in-a-Box 3D Printed Dice: Exploration

Print brainstorming handouts that guide learners in planning their custom dice designs. These should include 2D flattened cube nets for mapping out face layouts and space for sketching ideas. Provide examples of creative or themed dice to inspire learners, and prepare a step-by-step checklist for using CAD tools like sketch, extrude, fillet, and cut. Learners will need access to xDesign and a blank part file to begin designing from scratch.

Welcome:

Welcome the learners, and introduce the activity: designing and fabricating their own custom 3D-printed dice using CAD software. Explain that they’ll be starting from scratch, using xDesign to create a cube, add features, and personalize each face. Emphasize the creative possibilities and show examples of themed or non-standard dice to inspire ideas. Ask: “What makes a die both functional and fun? How can design reflect personality or purpose?”

Context:

Dice can be used for more than numbers! Incorporate this activity into your existing curricula by adjusting its theme accordingly.

Story starters: Make a set of multiple dice, with one dedicated to a different story component (genre, setting, character, conflict, hero, villain, etc.) or part of speech (nouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs, etc.). Once fabricated, roll the dice and write, tell, or act out a short story that incorporates the words and concepts that appear. (Stories should include a beginning, middle, and end!)

Decision makers: Take inspiration from the Magic 8-Ball! Write a different decision on each face (yes, no, maybe, roll again, etc.) and let the dice answer questions for you.

Mindfulness aids: Put a different breathing exercise or calming technique on each face.

Tricksters: How might you adjust your design to favor one or two outcomes over the others? Can you make this invisible or entirely undetectable?

What happens if you put a small sphere or other weight into your cube as it prints?

Key Terms:

Probability: The measure of the likelihood that an event will occur, this is expressed as a number between 0 and 1, where 0 indicates an impossible event and 1 indicates a certain event.

Event: A specific set of outcomes of an experiment, an event can include one or more outcomes. For example, rolling an even number on a die (2, 4, or 6) is an event.

Sample Space: This is the set of all possible outcomes of an experiment. For a single six-sided die, the sample space is {1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6}.

Random Variable: This is a variable that takes on different numerical values based on the outcomes of a random experiment. For example, the result of rolling a die can be considered a random variable.

Ideate

Decide how many sides your dice will have. On a three dimensional body, these sides are called faces. A standard cube has six faces, but polyhedral dice have more.

Choose a theme for your dice. This will dictate what you put on their faces. Be descriptive, and get creative. Remember that numbers can be numerals, words, or dots—and you don’t have to limit yourself to just numbers! You can make decision-making dice with words like “yes,” “no,” and “maybe.” Just make sure you have as many features as you have faces. (It can help to make a numbered list!)

Determine the layout for your dice. Use the templates provided or make your own. These show which features will appear next to one another, on neighboring faces.

Design

Shape your dice.

For xDesign Steps Click Here

xDesign steps can also be found:

In xDesign under Content

Prepare & Slice Files

Open your slicing software: Bambu Studio

What is a slicing software? Often called “slicers,” these are used to prepare .stl files for 3D printing. They offer tools and workflows to help you lay out multiple bodies on a single print bed, add supports, and more.

Import your design into the slicer:

This is easy; you can just drag and drop!

Select the type of printer you’re using (P1S).

Select the bed type.

Select the filament type being used (PLA).

Select the slicing settings.

Click “slice.” This will create a .3mf file and take you to a preview window that shows you what your finished design looks. Your die is now ready to print!

Launch Print:

You have two options to launch your print:

1) Send it wirelessly.

2) Use an SD card.

The printer will likely run an automatic leveling check before printing. This usually takes a few minutes.

Retrieve Finished Die

Once the printer is done, pop your die off the bed. If it seems stuck, you can either use a soft prying tool (a 3D printed one works well!) or remove the magnetic bed entirely and gently flex it to help the object release.

Time for Testing: Roll the Die!

Give your finished die a roll! Does it seem to land randomly, or to favor one result over the others? How might you adjust your design to change this?

Discussion Questions:

What about CAD did you find difficult?

Can you apply any of the skills you learned here to principles of design?

If you were to teach this lesson to your classmates, what, if anything, would you do differently?

Optional Tie-ins:

Euler’s laws of motion are fundamental principles in classical mechanics that extend Newton’s laws of motion to rigid bodies. Formulated by Leonhard Euler, these laws describe the motion of rigid bodies and are crucial for understanding rotational dynamics.

Euler’s First Law: This law states that the rate of change of linear momentum of a rigid body is equal to the sum of the external forces acting on the body. Mathematically, it can be expressed as: $$ \mathbf{F}{\text{ext}} = \frac{d\mathbf{p}}{dt} $$ where (\mathbf{F}{\text{ext}}) is the external force and (\mathbf{p}) is the linear momentum.

Euler’s Second Law: This law states that the rate of change of angular momentum of a rigid body about a fixed point is equal to the sum of the external torques acting on the body. It can be written as: $$ \mathbf{M} = \frac{d\mathbf{L}}{dt} $$ where (\mathbf{M}) is the external torque and (\mathbf{L}) is the angular momentum1.

These laws are essential for analyzing the motion of objects that rotate or have complex shapes, such as wheels, gears, and even celestial bodies. They provide a deeper understanding of how forces and torques influence the motion of rigid bodies in various applications, from engineering to astrophysics.

Career Connections:

Learning to design and fabricate dice using CAD software and a 3D printer opens up a variety of exciting career paths:

Game Design: Game designers create the rules, mechanics, and visual elements of games. Understanding how to design and 3D print custom dice allows them to prototype and test new game concepts, enhancing their ability to develop innovative and engaging games.

Graphic Design: Graphic designers use CAD software to create visually appealing and precise designs. The skills learned in this lesson can be applied to various projects, from branding and logo creation to product packaging and digital media, enhancing the ability to produce professional-quality work.

Probability & Statistics: Professionals in this field analyze data and develop models to understand and predict outcomes. Designing and creating custom dice can provide hands-on experience with probability concepts, helping visualize and explore statistical principles in a tangible way.

Mechanical Engineering: Mechanical engineers use CAD software to design and analyze mechanical systems. The experience of creating 3D-printed dice helps in understanding the principles of balance, material properties, and precision, which are crucial for designing efficient and innovative mechanical components.

These career connections highlight the versatility and applicability of the skills learned in this lesson, showing how they can be valuable in various professional fields.