Ball Maze, Visible or Hidden

In order to get the ball into the maze, at least one "load tile" must be added to the maze body after the ball is inserted into the maze.  There are usually two load tiles printed in a different color to mark the start and end of the maze.  Because a generous tolerance is used, the load tiles should fit easily and will need to have a spot of glue to hold them in place.

An scad file is created to define the ball maze matrix and define fundamental parameters. This “ball maze specification file” includes the ballMaze.scad file that contains the modules that render the maze body and an optional lid based on the contents of the specification file. The ballMazeSpec.pdf shows an example and describes the structure and components of the ball maze specification file. The ballMazePath.pdf file contains images for the maze paths of the example mazes.

To design a new maze, I first sketch the solution path and then I add the dead end branches. The mazePlan.pdf file is a form that can be used to do the sketch.  Next, I create the ball maze specification file.  Finally I look at the path that is generated by the maze specification when the part name is “Path” and make adjustments to the path matrix as needed.

The examples were printed with a 0.4 nozzle, 0.2 layer height, two bottom and three top layers, three perimeters and 20% rectilinear infill.  I usually print an open maze with fuzzy skin.  Adjust the "lidToler" parameter if you use a lid and find it does not fit properly.  You can glue the lid to an open maze if you want to create a permanently hidden maze.

No supports are needed for an open maze.  No supports are needed for a hidden maze but your printer must be able to print short bridges without too much sagging.  The internal pipes in a hidden maze are scaled in the vertical direction to provide extra tolerance to handle sagging bridges.  The example stl's have a generous 1.4 mm extra vertical tolerance which should be more than enough to handle most situations.  Adjust the "pipeHideToler" parameter if you want to experiment with lower or higher tolerance amounts depending on how well your printer handles bridges.

I have tried to code the openscad files so that if I come back to them several years from now I will be able to easily understand the code.
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