Mechanics & Motion
Motorized Marble Run
Build a motorized marble run that lifts marbles back to the top automatically, creating a continuous loop that runs without any resetting.
Photos coming soon
About This Kit
What makes this kit special.
A 3D-printed screw-bucket lift mechanism powered by a small DC motor sends marbles back to the top of the track continuously. The transparent housing makes the energy conversion from motor to marble motion fully visible while the machine is running.
Designed, 3D-printed, and assembled by 9th-grade students at West Shore Jr/Sr High School, Melbourne, FL — a student-led nonprofit serving Brevard County.
Support this kit
KitCraft Collective
Help us put the Motorized Marble Run in a child's hands.
Every donation goes directly toward materials, 3D printing, assembly, and delivery to pediatric wards and shelters across Brevard County.
Cost to sponsor
You fund
1 full kit
- 100% to kit production — zero overhead
- Delivered by students to verified orgs
- Handwritten letter in every kit
- Tax-deductible contribution
What they'll learn
Learning Objectives
- Electrical energy converts to mechanical motion01
- Gravity accelerates objects on inclined surfaces02
- Steeper inclines produce higher marble speed03
- Friction resists motion on all surfaces04
- Systematic sub-assembly and staged testing05
- Modular systems allow reconfigurable designs06
Hands-on exploration
Activities
Assemble and test the lift mechanism alone before adding any track
Add track sections one at a time, testing marble flow at each stage
Set the drop section at 15, 25, and 35 degrees and time the marble at each
Build layout A and layout B from the challenge card and compare cycle times
Place felt, sandpaper, and wax paper on a track section and observe speed changes
Run with 1, 2, and 3 marbles simultaneously and count cycles per minute
Design and build a completely original track configuration using all sections
Where Kits Go
Built here. Delivered with love.
Every kit is hand-delivered by the students who built it to verified partner organizations.
Pediatric Wards
Delivered directly to children in hospitals across Brevard County who need a moment of joy and wonder.
Partner Schools
Distributed to title-I schools and after-school programs serving underserved communities.
Community Centers
Sent to shelters, family resource centers, and nonprofit organizations across Melbourne, FL.
Behind the Kit
From first sketch to final delivery.
CAD Design
Students model every component in Fusion 360, optimizing geometry for FDM quality, structural integrity, and child-safe tolerances.
3D Printing
Parts printed layer by layer on school printers using BPA-free, food-safe PLA at precisely calibrated settings.
QA Inspection
Every piece hand-inspected — edges deburred, tolerances verified with calipers, dry-run assembled.
Kit Assembly
Parts sorted in build order, bagged, and paired with instructions and a handwritten letter from the builder.
Delivery
Hand-delivered by students to partner schools, pediatric wards, and shelters across Brevard County.
What's inside
Materials Included
- 3D-printed base platform with integrated motor housing
- 3D-printed motorized screw-bucket lift, 22 cm, transparent housing
- 6 straight track sections, 12 cm each, 8-degree incline
- 4 curved track sections, 60-degree arc
- 2 drop chute sections, steeper angle
- 5 steel marbles, 15 mm diameter
- DC motor, 3V, pre-wired with toggle switch
- Battery holder, 2 AA batteries included
- Hard carry case with labeled foam insert
- 16-page illustrated assembly guide
Child-safe by design
All components are BPA-free, burr-free, and verified safe for the target age group. Engineered for repeated assembly and disassembly.
Every kit includes
Bonus Extras
Beyond the build materials, every kit includes thoughtful extras — chosen to delight and make each child feel genuinely seen.
- Handwritten letter from the student who built your kit
- Motion Explorer certificate of completion
- Speed and time experiment worksheet
- How Motors Work mini-booklet
- Bonus layout challenge card with 3 advanced configurations
Help us deliver the Motorized Marble Run to children who need it most.
Every kit starts with a generous sponsor. Your $24 covers materials, 3D printing, assembly, and hand-delivery to pediatric wards and shelters across Brevard County.
100% toward production · Zero overhead · Tax-deductible
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