Butterfly Tree
This tree operates with an internal pulley system to power butterflies along the branches. Once you turn on the tree, it lights up and the butterflies flap their wings.
What
As our first technical project in college, we wanted to create something that struck a balance between art and engineering. So, as part of UT’s 2022 Create-A-Thon competition, we designed a light-up tree with butterflies along the branches. We were given a month prior to the competition to purchase, design, and manufacture any materials we would need, and 20 hours to execute and assemble our project.
How
Each panel of the trunk has a servo motor with a linear actuator mounted to the inside.
The linear actuators are each connected to a pulley system that runs through the individual branches.
Mounted to each branch is a 3D printed butterfly, where the string splits and connects to each wing.
As the actuators move up and down, the butterflies flap their wings.
We won first place in the competition and were featured in UT’s Texas Mechanical Engineer magazine.
The tree was designed using 173 unique laser cut panels. Each butterfly was printed in halves and connected using a spring from the inside of a ball point pen as a hinge.
Results
Assembling the Tree
The Finished Product
