3D Printed Boats (Exemplar) Oars

Challenge: For a students to create a unique design for a boat.

Background: One of our classroom challenges for our students this term has been to design, create and then print a boat.   These have featured in combination with our Tinkercad/Pixton/Pic Collage combinations and we have started the process of printing selected boat designs - one that look correct.

The idea ultimately is for the students to design a boat that is feasible, that can be powered and have a Sphero Robot controlled in the boat to turn the oars.   There are a number of elements that need to work in conjunction with this.   Due to the time constraints and the feasibility of printing so many large designs we are selecting only certain students who designs show the most potential to go through the printing process.   We are AR/VR/Photo Filtering each of the designs, and intending to print multiple paddles and oars and printing a number of the accessories.  A detailed catamaran has already come out of this project.

The student concerned with creating and overseeing this project is a Y4 junior school student, that is a student who has just turned eight.  She has been designing in Tinkercad since the start of the year.

The inspiration for the boat came from the students use of technology to find what was likely to work.  When she applied her ideas to her design she also investigated the use of oars and paddles on a boat to ensure that the mechanism would be potentially powering the boat forward.

The hull design was used from the main Tinkercad interface.  She added bars on the boat for stability and then included robust rings for the potential of up to four oars or a double bar to have a paddle moving.   Again she used actual examples of these to increase the likelihood of success.  

Level of Difficulty: Overall this is a challenging project, although this mainly coming in the form of ensuring that the boat is powered successfully.   The boat itself is a medium level project - the ability of the 3D Print to float is something that we have recognised in several projects featured on this blog from a standard bath toy to a more complicated boat design.

Size: The boat measures 150mm long and is 90mm wide.  It is 30mm high.   These dimensions are perfect for a working boat, however there is a small issue with this size, which came as a result of testing.

The first major test that the boat passed with flying colours was the ability to float.  This was completed easily with the boat showing no intake of water what-so-ever despite an extended time in the water.  

The boat balanced perfectly and was quite happy inside its container.  This was in contrast to the initial designs of the catamaran that listed due to small holes underneath the hull where it joined.

The challenge came when the Sphero Robot was placed on top of the design.  As soon as this was done the boat sank, due to the weight of the robot.

The student brainstormed potential solutions for this but found the issue very challenging.   The teacher has assisted and has directed the students to look for additional ways to power the boat, and we are currently investigating some of the options with Strawbee Robots.  There are some simple robotic movements that could potentially complete a rowing type motion, the weight of which would certainly not cause the collapse of the boat by excessive weight.

Timeframe: Five hours to print on the regular (default) settings.  If the intention is to move forward with a Sphero boat this would need to big significantly increased.

What we would do differently/next steps for the students: This is an ongoing project that the students is developing, working on and improving.  The key ongoing issue is resolving the powering of the boat - it floats at present without any effort but some form of power to move it, perhaps even a sail would finish the project nicely.