Windmill with integrated printed bearings

cults3d

This windmill serves as a proof of concept, demonstrating how printed bearings can be seamlessly integrated into designs. It's comprised of just three prints that snap together effortlessly, requiring only bolts to secure the unit to a railing. I highly recommend adapting this design to suit your specific application, and to facilitate this process, Fusion 360 and step files are provided. Please note that no supports should be used during printing. To gain insight into its performance, please refer to the video available at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4PyQ7_fFQ90. I've personally printed this design and will be conducting a long-term test to assess how printed bearings fare when exposed to wind and weather. As of Day 12.10.2018, the windmill was installed but unfortunately, there was no wind present. On Day 23.10.2018, I finally witnessed some wind, and to my delight, it began moving! Now, let's see how long it will continue spinning. By Day 24.11.2018, nearly 4000 downloads had taken place within just one month, and remarkably, the windmill was still spinning despite being exposed to rain, strong winds, and cold weather. However, I did notice that the snap connection between the blade bearing required some optimization, which led me to conduct an in-depth study (https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:3196013). In the next iteration, I plan to implement this improvement and consider adding a coil and magnets to power an LED light. Let's see how long it takes!