Balloon Powered Radial Engine

myminifactory

Run by simply blowing air into it. A demonstration can be found at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_FDZzKAFSz4. An exploded view in 3D viewer is available at https://skfb.ly/6LQBR. To assemble the engine, extra parts are required: M3x8 Bolts (15) and M3 Nuts (15). Rubber gloves are also needed; specifically, thumbs from medium-sized gloves work best. Alternatively, silicone or PET gloves can be used. Optional components include longer bolts for the gears, additional nuts for the gears, a 6x4mm silicone pipe, washers instead of printed ones, and bearings that provide better performance. The engine prints well with a 0.6 nozzle at a 0.2 layer height. Some parts need support during printing, particularly the Cylinder_Back_Lid and Valve_Lid_6mm. After printing, remove the brims from the Cylinder_Ring parts. Components with an "X_" in their names are optional. Use the provided 3D diagram as a guide to assemble the engine: https://skfb.ly/6LQBR. To assemble the engine, cut off a glove finger tip and pull it onto a Cylinder_Ring using a Helper_Finger for reference. Connect a Piston to it with two Washers. Clamp the Cylinder_Ring between Cylinder_Plate and Cylinder_Lid, securing them with Helper_Clamp so they won't fall apart initially. Bolt them together to Plate_Top. Repeat this process for the other 2 cylinders. Insert the Crank with two Washers and secure it in place with Frame_Bottom. Bolt all the parts together. Place the Valve_Inner and bolt the Valve_Lid into position. The engine should now be running. Troubleshooting issues include: 1. Jams on a specific cylinder: This may occur if the glove finger is too small, causing the cylinder washer to catch when passing the Cylinder_Ring. 2. Doesn't rotate freely by hand: Gears may be bolted too tightly to the frame (allowing for some play), or gear teeth didn't print well, resulting in a tight fit with another gear. 3. Rotates freely by hand but struggles under air pressure: The valve might have excessive friction against the frame surface when pinned down due to air pressure. Sanding the inner valve surface slightly may help resolve this issue.