This is a premium 3D lesson plan. Premium content is available to licensed YSoft BE3D eDee users. Become a licensed YSoft BE3D eDee user.

Premium Lessons are available to licensed BE3D eDee customers only. Contact us to become a licensed BE3D eDee customer by purchasing our EDU bundle. Already using eDee? Request your customer access code.

Galton Board

A Galton Board, also known as the bean machine or a quincunx, is a desktop probability machine that brings the statistical concept of normal distribution to life. As you rotate the Galton Board on its axis, you set into motion a flow of tiny beads that bounce with equal probability to the left or right through several rows of pegs. As the beads accumulate in the bins, they approximate a bell curve. In this lesson, students will design and make a 3D model of a Galton Board suitable for 3D printing.

Subjects: Design and TechnologyScienceMathematicsComputing
Years | Grades: 8th Grade | 12-13 years9th Grade | 13-14 years10th Grade | 14-15 years11th Grade | 15-16 years
Duration: Lesson 1: 45 minutes Print Time : 4 hours

Objectives

Know the functional requirements of a Galton Board
Use TinkerCAD software to design a Galton Board optimized for 3D printing
Manufacture a Galton Board using a 3D printer

Tools and equipment

BE3D eDee printer
Set of example models
Access to a computer that can access the internet and TinkerCAD®
Paper pad and pencil
Printed lesson resources
100 x steel ball bearings or crafting beads (1 mm-2 mm max)
Optional: Sand and Perspex (for creating a lid)

Skill requirements

To participate in the lesson, students should be able to:

Use TinkerCAD, Fusion 360 or Similar CAD software at an intermediate level
Be comfortable using DeeControl software including adjusting print settings
Use the BE3D eDee 3D printer

3D models overview

Total print time 9 hours 30 minutes
Total filament 36.6 m
Additional non-printable components
Printed all at once

GALTON BOARD TYPE 1

4 hours 30 minutes
17.6 m

GALTON BOARD TYPE 2 BOARD

3 hours 30 minutes
14.7 m

GALTON BOARD TYPE 2 LEGS

50 minutes
2.5 m

GALTON BOARD TYPE 2 FRAME

40 minutes
2.3 m

Note: Values are calculated for one set of models.

Lesson resources

Lesson plan
Example Galton Board designs
Worksheet
Walkthrough
Presentation
3D models
3D print instructions
Curriculum alignment

This is a premium 3D lesson plan. Premium content is available to licensed YSoft BE3D eDee users. Become a licensed YSoft BE3D eDee user.

Back to lessons