GBC Factory - Fully Automated Ball Machine

This working factory build is inspired by LEGO Great Ball Contraptions.  Balls are created by a machine at the top and then run all the way down the building to the delivery truck at the bottom.  But this isn't where the journey ends...

The balls leave the truck by a SECRET side ramp and enter a HIDDEN elevator shaft that recycles them for another run.  Endless fun.

Watching the balls plink and plonk around is really hypnotic!

Great Ball Contraptions are ingenious powered machines that simply move LEGO balls (#43702) from one place to another.  Enthusiasts join their creations in loops to form amazing displays at LEGO conventions around the world.

I wanted all the noise, gears and ramps of my GBC creation to be part of my city, Brick Nottingham.  So that's where the idea for the Ginormous Ball Corporation's factory came in.  Instead of simply moving balls around, my GBC creation "manufactures" the finest quality Ginormous Balls for export all around the world, in a City factory build!

-> Yellow Ginormous Ball Creation Machine

-> Moving Robot Arm Production Line Conveyor

-> Seesaw Splitter - which sends alternate balls on different paths (also moves the external advertising)

-> Path A - External All-Weather Testing - balls exit the factory onto the balcony before returning for the Green Propeller Testing Ramp

-> Path B - Blue Multi-Flag Testing Ramp

-> White Mixing Platform

-> Flex Hose Agility Course

-> Plinko Board Bounce Testing

-> Basketball hoop loading onto the waiting truck.

Phew!

I didn't want the factory scene to only work for a short period or need constant reloading with balls.  At the same time it's very important that the factory scene is believable.  Therefore a hidden return loop was required.  As a result a constant stream of Ginormous Balls is apparently created by the machine and packed onto the truck!

The real life factories of my home town, Nottingham (UK), inspired the external structure.  I wanted to capture the beautiful old red-brick style of many factory buildings from about a century ago.

It has an ornate front door, large windows, cast iron drainpipes, big signs, and a glass roof to let in the maximum amount of light.

I also wanted the insides to be more exciting and modern, so each pathway is detailed and brightly coloured.  There are also dozens of little features from control rooms to pipes, and product displays to wildlife!

The final product brings together the two great LEGO genres of City and GBC, and is great fun to watch and explore.  It uses c.2,900 pieces and the mechanism can be operated using PoweredUp, PowerFunctions or manual operation.

I do hope you enjoy this build as much as I did making it.

Thank you so much for your support!