For my final project, I want to make something that has a major engineering aspect to it. If possible, I want to incorporate metal into the design, but I know that’s going to be pretty difficult since most machine shops are pretty tough to access right now. If not metal, I will definitely plan on using wood/PLA. For the dynamic requirement of the project, I plan on having something that can rotate(for the turbine) and flow(for the fountain). I also want the project to have a functionality requirement on top of an aesthetic requirement, meaning I want the project to be able to have some functional use. These are some of the ideas I have about what projects I want to do.
initial Ideas:
- Small-scale wind turbine
- Water fountain using 3D printed parts
Small-scale wind turbine:
For this project, I am planning on purchasing an old DC motor(preferably one that has high torque) and attaching a few blades to the shaft of the motor, and connecting the power generated by the DC motor to a battery/power source to see how much power can I get out of it. I could either buy a DC motor separately, or I was thinking about purchasing a used ceiling fan and taking apart the DC motor and maybe modifying the blades to create a folded turbine blade design. Although this sounds easier, most likely, I won’t be able to use the blades that come with a ceiling fan due to their weight and bad design. I will try to find the blades on a different small fan that are plastic but if that is not possible, I plan on cutting(or 3D printing, if possible) the design of the blades out of some plastic material.
Water Fountain:
This project has not been as refined for me as the turbine but the main premise of the project is to use a buy a water pump and attach it to a water fountain that is 3D printed. In this project, I am able to focus more on the aesthetic portion since there are so many designs I could go with for the base of the fountain and I could probably add lights around the fountain(or add color die to the water) to make it suit an aesthetic.
[1] Motor [2] Turbine [3] Fountian [4] CoverImage
2 Comments. Leave new
Sohan,
I like the fact that you’ve chosen to pursue something that is functional as the direction you want to head for your final project. It also seems like you can take advantage of used parts from other things and almost create a piece with some upcycling built into the design, which is a nice touch. Looks like a cool idea to develop overall!
Hi Sohan,
I think you have put more thought into the turbine project but it also requires more access to equipment that might be difficult at this time of the year. I like that you thought about that aspect and have a backup plan. The fountain would be functional and create a nice natural aesthetic for later use. You could also add some kind of bell for a soothing sound as the water flows over them.