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acrylic parts have been laser-cut and test-assembled

A project log for A plastic 400W alternator for smalll wind-turbine

A cost-effective micro-scale alternator build out of machining A3 sheets of plastic that aims to power basic human needs.

kostas-lagogiannisKostas Lagogiannis 10/23/2014 at 05:330 Comments

1st test of using a laser cutter to manufacture the stator and rotor parts was completed with success. Made minor corrections to the design, fixing the outer rotor plates ball bearing diameter. There a few simple things to learn about laser cutting in the process as this was my first experience with one. Cutting 12mm on 60W laser can be done in 2 passes setting speed to speed to 2%,power 100% freq.100%., but on the 2nd pass refocus 3mm closer. Avoid engraving as it is not very accurate when going to depth and makes the process very slow.

The good news is that once the parts were cut the assembly, adding the ball-bearings and the sequence of the parts through central tube, took a couple of minutes before I could test that the prototype actually rotates easily! However, I still haven't joined the 3piece rotor sandwich so there was some friction that did not allow it to spin. The sandwich could be glued but for the prototype I am going to add 4 or 6 through screws with nuts and taper the holes. It feels great to hold what once was a few sketches on paper!

big thanks goes to to A.S. and Dylan

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