From Design to Fabrication: Using 3ds Max to Build a Real Rube Goldberg Machine

In this class we will examine how 3ds Max software was used during the previsualization, design, and fabrication phases of a recently released short film created for the new Panasonic Toughpad. The final project had a fabrication schedule of fewer than 2 weeks. It features a machine spread over an area larger than 90 feet by 60 feet, and it includes everything from air cannons to live piranhas. The deadline was tight, and we will discuss how 3ds Max software was indispensable during the early previsualization stage; during the design phases of the various machine mechanics; and during the fabrication process using the rapid prototyping capabilities of computer numerical control (CNC) machining as an output device. We will discuss the process of bringing this project to completion, and we will examine behind-the-scenes footage and see how the project's technical lead, Kim Lee, worked with Paul Neale and used various rigging and dynamics simulation tools in 3ds Max software to speed up design of the several mechanical triggers and releases.