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3D Printed Vertical Wind Turbine for an NUS Student

A working vertical-axis wind turbine, modelled in 3D from a student's references and 3D printed, with a generator built into the hub.

Client
Vitorio Pandinata, NUS
Started from
His 2D references, modelled by us in 3D
Moving parts
Two bearings and a generator in the hub
Made in
PLA and PETG, printed on our FDM printers
Plan your prototype
From the order on 14/03/2021 to the turbine turning on 05/04/2021
3 weeks
Sets of blades, the second printed in PLA+
2

What we brought

  1. What we can do

    From a student's references to a working model

    We modelled the turbine from his 2D references, designing in the generator, the bearings and a telescopic shaft.

  2. How we look after you

    Printed parts that fit real hardware

    Every blade, arm and housing was printed on our FDM printers, sized to seat real bearings on a steel shaft.

  3. What you get

    Built to turn in real wind

    The finished turbine went out to sea and turned in the wind, with a meter held beside it.

The build

How we built it

5 steps, from the brief to the finished piece. Pick a step to jump to it.

The brief

Step 1 of 5

At Additive Inn, our 3D printing studio in Singapore, we designed and 3D printed a working vertical-axis wind turbine for Vitorio Pandinata, a student at NUS. He brought 2D references and needed a model that turns in the wind and drives a small generator.

Design & prototyping

Step 2 of 5

We modelled the turbine in 3D: three twisted blades on arms, a geared motor in the hub as the generator, an axial bearing on top, a radial bearing below and a telescopic shaft.

  1. Revision 0

    The first design, from two sides.

    Render

  2. Revision 0

    Cut-away views show the generator in the hub and how each bearing seats on the shaft.

    Render

  3. Blade revision · 02/04/2021

    After the first build, we revised the blades and printed a new set in PLA+.

Production

Step 3 of 5

The hub, blades, arms and bearing housings were printed in PLA and PETG on our FDM printers, and the telescopic shaft sections in black. The tall hub body printed as one piece.

The hub body printing in one piece.
Telescopic shaft sections, fresh off the printer.

Build & assembly

Step 4 of 5

We pressed the bearings into their printed housings, fitted the geared motor inside the hub and slid the turbine onto a steel shaft.

Fitting the generator into its housing.
The base bearing on the steel shaft.
The hub cap, marked V3, with two arms.

The final build

Step 5 of 5

The finished turbine turned freely on its bearings in our studio. Out at sea, it was held up in real wind with a meter beside it.

Tested in the wind, out at sea.

More product development

See all product development →
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