A 3D Printed Balloon Powered "Jet" Car With Inflator.
Introduction: A 3D Printed Balloon Powered "Jet" Car With Inflator.
I designed "A 3D Printed Balloon Powered "Jet" Car With Inflator" for our grandkids. The inspiration for this model was from a YouTube follower of mine who asked how I thought a version he had seen worked. Well I'm not sure how the model he saw worked, but this one certainly entertains the grandkids (a "driver" is in the works, I wonder who that could be?)!
My design uses a 67mm ID silicone "hemisphere", that I carefully removed from a silicone baking mould, as a bellow and 3D printed TPU95A valves and gaskets to create a balloon inflator. As seen in the video, the car's nozzle plugs into the inflator, the car's balloon is inflated by repeated presses on the inflator red button, and the car is released by a single press of the inflator green button.
As usual I probably forgot a file or two or who knows what else, so if you have any questions, please do not hesitate to comment as I do make plenty of mistakes.
Designed using Autodesk Fusion 360, sliced using Ultimaker Cura 4.9.1, and 3D printed in Ultimaker PLA and Ultimaker TPU95A on an Ultimaker 3 Extended and Ultimaker S5s.
Supplies
Silicone adhesive.
Thick cyanoacrylate glue.
Step 1: Parts.
I acquired the following parts:
* One Compression Spring (7.14 by 19.05mm).
* Four R22 O-Rings (28mm ID, 3.5mm section).
* One silicon hemisphere (67mm ID, 1mm thick, removed from a silicon baking mould).
* One 9" balloon.
I have included a PDF file which includes the 3D printed part names, quantities, material, layer height and infill settings I used to 3D print this model. 595
I 3D printed all PLA parts using the Ultimaker Cura 4.9.1 "Engineering Profile" on my Ultimaker S5s which provides a highly accurate tolerance requiring minimal if any trimming, filing, drilling or sanding. However, prior to assembly, I still test fitted and trimmed, filed, drilled, sanded, etc. all parts as necessary for smooth movement of moving surfaces, and tight fit for non moving surfaces. Depending on your slicer, printer, printer settings and the colors you chose, more or less trimming, filing, drilling and/or sanding may be required to successfully recreate this model. I carefully filed all edges that contacted the build plate to make absolutely certain that all build plate "ooze" is removed and that all edges are smooth using small jewelers files and plenty of patience.
This model also uses threaded assembly, so I used a tap and die set (5mm by .8, 8mm by 1.25 and 10mm by 1.5)) as required for thread cleaning.
Step 2: Bellow Assembly.
To assemble the Bellow, I performed the following steps:
* Using a small dot of thick cyanoacrylate glue on the valve mount pad (the pad to which the valves are connected), I attached "Intake, Valve.stl" to "Intake, Gasket.stl", build plate sides touching, making sure the valves were centered over the valve holes.
* Spread an even layer of silicon adhesive to the inside of "Bellow Base.stl".
* Pressed the intake valve assembly into the bellow base such that the valve side of the intake valve assembly was facing up and making sure the valves were aligned over the holes.
* Cut one hemisphere from the sheet of silicone moulds.
* Filled the outer track in the bellow base assembly with silicone adhesive.
* With a slight rotating motion, pressed the hemisphere into the bellow base assembly carefully rotating it to make sure it was completely seated, then set the assembly aside to cure.
* Using a small dot of thick cyanoacrylate glue on the very end of the arm on "Exhaust, Valve.stl", I attached the exhaust valve to "Exhaust, Gasket.stl" such that the valve was centered over the exhaust valve hole and the arm pointed to the center intake hole.
* Spread a thick bead of silicon adhesive around the rectangular hole in "Exhaust, Manifold.stl".
* Pressed the exhaust valve assembly onto the exhaust manifold such that the valve side of the valve assembly was inside the rectangular hole.
* Spread a thick bead of silicon adhesive on the exhaust valve assembly around the outline of the rectangular hole in the exhaust manifold assembly. 632