Wooden 3D puzzles have taken the world of engineering-minded DIY enthusiasts by storm, especially with prolifiration of laser cutting techniques in recent years.

Who makes the best wooden 3D puzzles?

Ugears is the world’s leading manufacturer of art-grade composite wooden mechanical 3D puzzles. The models, beloved by fans in 85 countries across 5 continents, are known for their original design and clever engineering. There are models for all ages and abilities, including a line of STEM kits, teaching basic engineering principles in the best way possible: by letting students build common mechanisms like Pendulum or Differential with their own hands.

The company launched in 2014. The first models were powered by rubber bands, but the newer kits are spring-powered, for greater power and durability. This has also allowed Ugears to design sophisticated new models like the Sky Watcher Table Clock, a functional timepiece with a ticking tourbillon mechanism—no small feat for at-home hobbyists!

Developing Ugears wooden 3D puzzles

Development of a new Ugears puzzle takes up to a half a year or more. A designer will prepare a concept, perhaps born of market research, perhaps inspired by hobbies, nature, fantasy, or classic toys. Ugears also creates models under license for major entertainment companies like Warner Bros., releasing several new Harry Potter-themed models just this year.

Ugears wooden 3D puzzles have also been inspired, regrettably, by current events. The company is based between Kyiv and Bucha, where some of the worst atrocities of the war occurred. Ugears’ warehouse was destroyed, with 500 000 dollars’ worth of inventory burnt to ashes. After liberation of the area by Ukraine’s armed forces, Ugears engineers returned to work, responding how they knew best: with a line of models honoring Ukraine’s defenders. The Tractor Wins model depicts a Ukrainian farm tractor towing a damaged Russian tank, while the Bayraktar TB2 is a scaled model of the Turkish drone that has had such outsize success in Ukraine’s defense.

The designer decides on the model’s size, complexity, mechanical elements, and target age range. Basic models are drawn by hand, while more challenging kits get a 3D visualization right from the start. After the idea is agreed by the team and management, the designer develops a detailed 3D model, preparing the files for parts, gears, and mechanisms.

Elaborate mechanisms and non-trivial elements are tested first, to check the design given the limitations of the material. “Our biggest challenge is that any natural material is always different. Each board has a different structure, thickness, and sturdiness within the range. Our job is to guarantee the same quality level even while the characteristics of the material are never the same,” said Robert Milaiev, chief Engineer at Ugears.

Ugears uses several types of 3 or 5-layer art-quality plywood boards of various thicknesses, from 0.8 mm to 3.7 mm. The range for 3-mm and 3.7-mm, boards is usually 2.8-3.1 mm and 3,5-3.8 mm, respectively. The decision on which plywood thickness to use is driven by the model’s size, how powerful the mechanism is, as well as aesthetic considerations. One model may include several different thicknesses of plywood according to the design’s needs. For example, parts of the V-Express train and Drift Cobra racing car are bent during assembly, so these are cut from thinner boards. For extra flexibility, a lined pattern of short cuts is used.

Each block of parts is tested, and when the designer is satisfied with their work, sample kits are prepared using Ugears’ proprietary manufacturing process and technology. These are then assembled, allowing the team to identify and fix any problems early. The wooden 3D puzzles are then passed along to the engineering team for further development and testing.

Rounds of testing and refinement follow, with engineers tweaking the design files. In addition to altering the parts themselves, engineers must refine the composite wood boards, so that the pieces are arranged in a way that reduces breakage and tracks the instructions.

Once the sample kits have been successfully built, production can begin. The composite wood boards are cut to size and manually loaded into laser cutting machines. The laser cuts leave tiny connections, as thin as 0,15-0.2 mm, securing the pieces in the board until a hobbyist presses them out. Ugears checks for product defects—cutting errors, burns, or breakage, with 10-12% of the boards hitting the scrap pile.

The boards are then manually packed into boxes with instruction manuals and any additional materials like metal springs or marbles, sandpaper (for buffing off any small burs), and wax (to lubricate moving gears). No glue or tools are required to build a Ugears puzzle—everything needed for assembly comes right in the box.

The kits are sealed and wrapped using a thermotunnel, packed together and transported to a internal warehouse where they are formed into palettes for overland transport to the Ugears’ distribution facility in Riga, Latvia, for faster international shipping.

After only 8 years Ugears has built an impressive catalog of mechanical wooden 3D puzzles. The company has had many imitators and even outright copycats over the years, but maintains its position as industry leader. This requires the company to devote significant time and resources to new product development, but Ugears believes its well-earned reputation as a committed producer of innovative mechanical models gives it a competitive edge in the marketplace.

Here are the images of the some of the wooden 3D puzzles mentioned in this article.

Monroe Community College Is One Of The Only Community Colleges In The Nation Offering An Optics and Photonics Associates Degree, Needed Federal Funds To Strengthen Facilities, Meet Regional Need For Trained Photonics Workers

Schumer Fought To Secure Critical Fed Boosts in the FY 23 Omnibus Appropriations Bill To Allow MCC To Strengthen Its World Class Optics & Photonics Degree Programs – Helping To Give Workers The Skills They Need For Major Local Employers And Build Up Workforce Vital To America’s Nation Security

Schumer, Gillibrand, Morelle: MCC And The Rochester-Finger Lakes Region Are Catching Eye Of DoD With Major Fed Investment In Optics & Photonics Training

U.S. Senate Majority Leader Charles E. Schumer, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, and U.S. Congressman Joe Morelle today announced a $5.1 million 3-year grant award for Monroe Community College’s (MCC) optics program from the U.S. Department of Defense’s (DoD) Manufacturing Engineering Education Program (MEEP). Schumer, Gillibrand, and Morelle secured a critical increase for this program allowing MCC to tap this funding to help grow their program as previous funding was set to expire this month.  The representatives explained this major multi-year grant will provide the critical resources to fund MCC’s optics and photonics associate degree programs, providing Rochester optics and photonics companies the skilled workforce to fill good paying jobs in the region that are vital to our national security.

“Rochester has long been known for eye catching industries, and now after years of advocating for the growth of the vital optics and photonics industry, I was proud to secure the funding needed for the Department of Defense to double down on Monroe Community College as a major focus for training the optics workforce vital to our national security.  The Rochester optics industry, which boasts well over 100 optics companies that employ 18,000 workers, relies on MCC to train the next generation of skilled optical workers it needs to grow.  MCC is a proven leader in optics and photonics training with one of the first and only associate degrees in optics training and today we are building on that success by connecting local Rochester and Upstate New York students to good-paying Rochester jobs in this cutting edge field,” said Senator Schumer. “I am proud to deliver this major $5+ million federal grant, made possible by the critical increase I was able to secure in the FY23 Omnibus Bill, so that Monroe Community College can continue to train the next generation of optics technicians that are crafting the vision of our technological future.”

“For years, Monroe Community College has been training workers for careers in optics and photonics, jobs that are vital to our national security,” said Senator Gillibrand. “This funding will provide MCC with the crucial resources needed to prepare Finger Lakes workers for good-paying jobs and boost the local economy. I am proud to announce this funding and will continue to fight to provide resources to train workers for jobs that support our national defense.

“Congratulations to Monroe Community College on receiving this prestigious and well-deserved Manufacturing Engineering Education Program award,” said Congressman Morelle. “This investment in our burgeoning optics workforce is not only key to our national defense, but also a conduit to enhancing our local economy and cementing our place as a regional tech hub. I’m grateful to Senator Schumer and Senator Gillibrand for sharing this vision and appreciate their support for this funding.”

DeAnna R. Burt-Nanna, Ph.D., President of Monroe Community College said, “Monroe Community College continues building on its efforts to strengthen the talent pipeline across the Finger Lakes region to ensure a robust optics technician workforce. In 2023, MCC graduated the most students in the optical systems technology program’s history and has seen increased student enrollment in the program over the past two years. This latest federal funding support will enable MCC to create opportunities for more residents, especially those in historically underrepresented communities, to secure a family-sustaining career in the high-demand advanced manufacturing industry. We are grateful to Senators Schumer and Gillibrand and Representative Morelle for their leadership and support of our shared vision to advance the economic mobility of residents across all ZIP codes and bolstering our regional economy.”

Tom Battley, Executive Director, New York Photonics said, “The longest-standing precision optics program in the United States, at Monroe Community College in Rochester, NY, led by Professor Alexis Vogt, is recognized around the country and around the world as the leading program of its kind. And the graduates have 100% job placement. Colleges around the country and precision optics manufacturers around the country are eager to learn how MCC does it.  Precision optics are essential in everything from defense and biotech applications to satellites and quantum technologies.  We count ourselves extremely lucky that our Washington delegation understands the importance of this critical program.

Schumer, Gillibrand, and Morelle explained the DoD’s MEEP invests in programs that better position the current and next-generation manufacturing workforce vital for our nation’s military systems and components that assure defense technological superiority. This is second time MCC has been awarded funding through the MEEP program, as the nation’s first community college to administer associate degrees in precision optics.  With this latest round of funding MCC will be able to strengthen its existing program to grow the national workforce for the optics industry and give workers the skills they need for careers with major local employers in the region in the optics and photonics industry. Specifically, MCC seek to grow enrollement for this program for the highly in demand optics industry and seek to establish new training and apprenticeship opportunities.

Schumer, Gillibrand, and Morelle have been longtime advocates for Monroe Community College’s optics and photonics degree programs. In 2017, following their relentless advocacy, the representatives secured over $550,000 from the National Science Foundation’s (NSF) Advanced Technology Foundation’s Education program for MCC to expand its optics and photonics degree programs, purchase new equipment, as well as develop a new curriculum and expand student outreach. Today’s award is a direct result of Senators Schumer, Gillibrand and Rep Morelle’s work to secure $15 million in federal funding in FY23 for the DoD’s Manufacturing Engineering Education Program (MEEP), allowing MCC to apply for the funding they received today, and the senator personally advocated to Defense Secretary Austin on MCC’s behalf to strengthen their program.

A copy of Schumer’s original letter to the DoD appears below

Dear Secretary Austin:

I am pleased to write in support of the application submitted by Monroe Community College (MCC) to the Department of Defense’s Manufacturing Engineering Education Program. MCC’s “Defense Engineering Education Program – Enhancing Results in Optics” (DEEPER OPS) program will build on MCC’s past awards to bolster the national precision optics workforce and continue Rochester, NY’s legacy as the global leader in optics education, manufacturing, and research.

With the CHIPS and Science Act, Congress has made it a priority to bolster our technically-skilled workforce across the nation. This is crucial as post-pandemic issues continue to affect our supply chains, and cause labor shortages and gaps in skilled talent. Monroe County specifically has a major role in the photonics, imaging, and optics environment with over 150 STEM research and advanced manufacturing companies, and their need for skilled workers will only continue to grow. MCC plays a critical role in supplying talent for this network; however, they currently do not have enough graduates to meet the demand for skilled technicians.

With funding, MCC would grow our national workforce and ensure continued technological superiority for the Department of Defense by enhancing precision optics technician training, grow enrollment and graduation of participants, particularly females, single parents, low-income and underrepresented groups, as well as veterans, and lastly establish direct engagement and outreach between students and the optics industry.

MCC’s DEEPER OPS proposal will build on the framework of their first MEEP grant and will reach more than 3,000 precollegiate students, apprentices, and incumbent workers. It will also establish 50 apprenticeships and engage 15 industry sponsors, illustrating the strong program and support MCC has across the community.

I applaud Monroe Community College for their foresight and I sincerely hope the application meets with your approval.

Thank you for your consideration. Please do not hesitate to contact me or my Grants Coordinator in my Washington, DC office at 202-224-6542.

Sincerely,