In this STEAM robotics and mechanism project, students design and build a remote-control lucky roulette using LaserMaker. The lesson connects laser-cut structure design, motor mounting, pointer rotation, text tracing, mortise-and-tenon supports, wireless control components, wiring, and final assembly.

1. Lesson Overview

1.1 Project Goal

Students will design a lucky roulette with a rotating disk, pointer, motor mount, and support stands. They will create the laser-cut parts in LaserMaker, set tracing and cutting parameters, assemble the structure, wire the control components, and test whether the pointer spins successfully.

1.2 Recommended Classroom Use

2. Learning Objectives

2.1 What Students Will Learn

2.2 STEAM Skills Developed

2.3 Responsible Making

Students should create school-appropriate roulette options, avoid unsafe game prompts, and test powered components only under teacher or lab supervisor guidance. Battery-powered projects should be assembled carefully and checked before use.

3. Real-World Context: How a Lucky Roulette Works

A lucky roulette is a game device with a disk divided into different sections. When the pointer spins and stops, it points to one section and helps the player choose a prize, activity, or challenge.

In this project, students design a powered roulette for a game-selection scenario. The roulette uses a TT motor and remote-control components so the pointer can spin automatically instead of being turned by hand.

4. Materials and Parts Planning

4.1 Materials List

Before drawing the structure, students should review the required materials and understand how each component supports the final powered roulette.

4.2 Structural Parts List

The laser-cut structure is organized into three main parts: the rotating disk, the pointer, and the stand.

5. Lesson Procedure

5.1 Get Familiar with LaserMaker

Open LaserMaker and review the main work areas, including the toolbar, drawing box, library panel, drawing area, layer palette, and processing panel. These areas will be used throughout the project.

5.2 Draw the Rotating Disk

Select the Ellipse Tool and draw a 100 mm diameter circle. The roulette disk is based on a circular shape, which makes the selection wheel easy to understand and visually familiar.

Use the Rectangle Tool to draw a 100 mm by 40 mm rectangle and place it directly below the circle. Use the alignment guides to position the rectangle accurately.

Draw two 2.7 mm by 20 mm rectangles below the larger rectangle. These will become mortise slots for connecting the stands. The source lesson uses 2.7 mm instead of 3 mm to account for laser cutting compensation with basswood.

Select the circle and rectangle, then use the Union Tool to merge them into one disk shape. This creates a single continuous outline for the main roulette body.

5.3 Add and Align the TT Motor Graphic

Open the Library Panel, choose Open-source Robot Hardware, select the TT Motor graphic, and drag it onto the drawing area. The source lesson notes that red graphics are used for engraving or tracing marks, while black graphics are used for cutting.

Select the motor graphic and rotate it 270 degrees. Then group the motor graphics so they can be moved and aligned as one object.

Turn on the Grid Tool and align the motor shaft hole with the center of the rotating disk. Since the disk diameter is 100 mm, the disk center is 50 mm from the top and 50 mm from the side of the circular area.

5.4 Add Roulette Text

Use the Text Tool to add game item names to the rotating disk. Set the font, size, style, and content in the text window, then place the text on the disk.

Rotate the text to improve the wheel layout. In the source workflow, one text object is rotated by -25 degrees. After positioning the text, set the text layer to a line or outlining process so it leaves a visible mark without cutting through the wood.

Repeat the same text workflow for the remaining roulette options. The completed rotating disk includes the motor position, mortise slots, and text labels.

5.5 Draw the Pointer

Use the Ellipse Tool to draw a 10 mm circle. Then open Basic Shapes in the Library Panel and choose an arrow shape for the pointer.

Resize the arrow to 50 mm wide and 20 mm high. Draw a 20 mm circle at the tail of the arrow, then align the circle with the arrow tail.

Add a motor shaft hole to the pointer by selecting TT Hole Position from Mechanical Parts in the Library Panel and placing it at the center of the circle.

Select the arrow and circle, then use the Union Tool to merge them. The completed pointer should stay within the disk radius so it can spin clearly inside the roulette area.

5.6 Draw the Support Stands

Use the Rectangle Tool to draw a 50 mm by 40 mm rectangle for one support stand. Then draw a small 2.7 mm by 20 mm rectangle as the tenon feature that will fit into the disk mortise.

Use the Rounded Corner Tool with a 5 mm radius to round the stand corners. Then copy and paste the stand to create the second support piece.

After removing any unnecessary motor outline from the drawing, review the final design before laser processing.

6. Laser Processing

6.1 Set Tracing and Cutting Parameters

The lucky roulette drawing uses two main laser processes. The text is processed with line tracing so it leaves a visible mark, while the disk, pointer, holes, and support parts are cut through the wood.

For the red layer, select basswood plywood as the material, choose Line as the processing technique, and set the processing thickness to 0.10.

For the black layer, select basswood plywood as the material, choose Cut as the processing technique, and set the processing thickness to 3.00.

6.2 Start Fabrication

Turn on the laser cutting machine and prepare the laser. When the Start Fabrication button is ready, upload the drawing to the laser cutting machine and start processing from the software panel.

7. Wiring and Assembly

7.1 Wiring

After the model structure is prepared, connect the circuit according to the wiring diagram so the lucky roulette can operate with the motor and remote-control components.

7.2 Structural Assembly

Assemble the model in sequence. First, prepare the motor, rotating disk, and hardware. Fix the motor on the back of the rotating disk. Then install the pointer on the motor shaft hole and insert the two support legs into the disk structure.

8. Test, Debug, and Improve

9. Finished Project and Reflection

After fabrication, wiring, and assembly, students complete a working lucky roulette that combines laser-cut parts with motorized control. The project demonstrates the full design process from digital drawing to physical creation.

10. Extension Challenge

The text on the finished roulette wheel is fixed after tracing. If students want to change the game options later, they would need to create another wheel, which uses extra material. As an extension challenge, students can design a more flexible roulette system with replaceable labels, removable sections, or reusable option cards.

11. Equipment Note for Teachers

This project is suitable for classroom laser cutters that support cutting and tracing of sheet materials for small robotics and mechanism projects. For schools, makerspaces, and beginner STEAM labs, projects like lucky roulette games, motorized pointers, remote-control structures, and laser-cut classroom game devices can be completed with a classroom laser cutter such as the Thunder Laser Bolt Series.

Teachers can choose the machine and material setup based on classroom space, project size, material thickness, electronic components, and learning goals. The same LaserMaker workflow can also be adapted for other CO2 laser machines when students move on to larger game devices or more advanced robotics projects.