Circuit Assemblies: Electronic Modules for Interactive 3D-Prints

This pictorial presents Circuit Assemblies, a design system for beginners to create 3D-printed interactive objects with embedded electronics. Circuit Assemblies are modules used to create objects that light up, move, or spin using basic electronic components like LEDs, batteries, and motors. To support beginners incorporating Circuit Assemblies into 3D designs, a set of virtual components were added to Tinkercad, a popular browser-based 3D CAD application with over 10 million users. In this paper, we begin with a set of design considerations gathered from interviews with three K-12 educators that teach electronics. We then present four different Circuit Assembly modules designed with these considerations in mind, highlighting the unique challenges that arise from combining electronics and 3D design for beginners, both in CAD software and physical assembly.