Propellers!

thingiverse

Propellers are fascinating attachments to motors; when spun, they create pressure differences on blade surfaces. High pressure occurs at the front, while low pressure is at the back. I've been developing a Sketchup method for propeller design. Each blade is set at 120 degrees from its neighbors. The profile is extruded 1/16" and rotated around its center point, with the new top edge extruded again by the same degree. A central line helps locate rotation points and may accommodate motor holes. This design is ideal for 3D printing, followed by mold-making to mass produce propellers for underwater robots or aircraft. After several prints, it's noted that a steeper angle works better but may require taller blades for sufficient surface area. ABS profiles print cleaner and faster at 1/16" thickness. The provided g-code is MK5 compatible with automated build platforms. Excessive angles can lead to sloppy prints, so balance is key. Attach the propeller to a motor using three holes for connection to a laser-cut acrylic adapter. This novel design requires testing and sharing of results to refine this technique further.