Solar Powered Electric Motor

cults3d

This motor won't set any speed or torque records, but it's a cool project nonetheless. Check out the prototype in action at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-WQwBnIcQEs. By repurposing an animated solar-powered "devil" from a dollar store (available online too), 8 neodymium magnets measuring 12mm by 3mm each, and a 65mm by 1.6mm sewing needle called a "yarn darner," this solar motor will keep running as long as the light is shining. Using glow-in-the-dark filament to print it would be a waste of that special material, since it'll run on sunlight alone. I designed this project using Sketchup 8's free version and printed it on my Makerbot Replicator 2 with PLA filament in "Standard" settings from Makerware 2.3.3.42. My dad inspired me to try this, along with lidmotor (YouTube) and magnetman2010 (YouTube), both of whom I've been watching a lot lately.