3D Printed Boats: 2025 Junior Designs

 

Challenge: To build a realistic boat

Background: We have given the students an opportunity to have some design time in the classroom.   The students have been working on a variety of projects one of which is the boat that was shown left.

When the student was working with the main Tinkercad interface a boat hull is one of the items that can be produced.   The student had also seen on of the previous designs from the inspiration box - which had further developed his idea.   As a student who liked history he thought that he might like to attempt something inspired by the Titanic, which has been another significant recent project with the 3D Printer.

We have printed a range of boats in the past - the IRB inflatables for a local Surf Life Saving Clubs special event, a rowing boat, with the intention to power it by a Sphero robot, a complicated and detailed Catamaran from last year or an earlier version that was created detailed from scratch.

This is the first example from the students - one that we were able to print, place inside a water container and then post some questions about - would it float? The answer to that is yes: we have confirmed this in the past, thanks to a lucky accident during swimming where we were floating 3D Designs in our school pool, starting with this butterfly.   This led to the creation of a series of 'pool' or 'bath' toys including a range designed for our previous market day.

Size: The boat current design is currently 140mm long from bow to stern.   The decks are currently 30mm high, the stacks 20mm high and the hull is 20mm high.     At this stage these dimensions are suitable for the print, although as details are added to the ship, as the student undertakes more research, and therefore changes are experienced.

Timeframe: Three and a half hours on the default settings.   In this instance the default is perfect as it ensures that the hull is able to float, a more dense hull would prevent it from floating freely.

What we would do differently/Next Steps for the Students: There is something of an art to ensure that the design is balanced.  In the example shown at the start of this post the decks are off centre, this is clearly shown when the design is placed in water, it lists considerably and the students are clearly able to determine what was required to have more balance.  The other aspect of this was the students were able to use the motion feature, that we have previously detailed to run motion tests on the boats to see if they weren't viable to print - designs for instance that hadn't been linked would fall apart or designs that were lop sided would tilt or collapse on one side.

This is evolving into a classroom challenge or series of prints that will be developed and reported over time.   An example of the evolving print is the final design shown bottom left.   The student has used the main Tinkercad interface design to create a boat design that was influenced by a themed ride at an amusement park.  Their intention is continue to refine and improve the design.

3D Printed Model Catamaran V2.0

Above: Catamaran V2.0

Challenge: To produce a working model of a boat that would be powered by and engine or sail.
Background: Following extensive testing of the initial prototype discussed in the previous two posts the student concerned decided to redesign the base of the catamaran, removing the centre piece and attemping to show a more traditional catamaran style.  The student concerned in this series of prints related to this project is a ten year old, who has shown considerable skill with the design and creation of a number of school projects during the course of the year.  The initial design featured in the previous print came about as he discovered a 'hull' basic shape had been added to the Tinkercad basic shapes interface.   This led to a discussion about creating a 3D Printed model boat.   Extensive testing has shown the PLA to be ideal in water situations, the buoyancy proving to be excellent in allowing a boat shape to sit perfectly in the water, this updated version even more so than the original.  The original design featured masts - this revised version did not, as the masts in the first version were purely cosmetic.   One key element that will need to be addressed is the mounting of the motor to power the book.  A custom made piece will need to be printed and designed (altering the above shape) to house the motor and prevent it from getting wet.

Above: Hull showing underside

Level of Difficulty - Medium,  essentially this task has been about completing a prototype basic structure and to test the viability of printing with PLA in 3D, this has been a resounding success, however the level of difficulty is to increase significantly as additional features are to be added to the shape to include masts and a housing unit for the motor,   to successfully add these features will be a challenge.
Time frame: Redesigning the hull of the boat, and making the changes that were made from the initial print has also significantly altered the time to print the model.  The first version took ten hours, the V2.0 time (again with 8mm nozzle, standard Ultimaker settings) was seven hours, and potentially could have been reduced further relative to the depth of the hulls.
Size: Each hull was 15cm long and 5cm deep, they had a thickness of 2cm.   The bar to join the two hulls together are 8cm across, 5mm thick and started three cm from the bow and stern of each hull.
What would we do differently: the students are enthusiastic and really seem to be onto something here.   The basic design has again exceeded the brief.  The boat itself as noted previously seems extremely stable and is not easily able to be flipped - we have continued testing it by dropping it from heights up to two metres and the boat continues to float, hence we would do little differently at this point.
Next steps for students: The designs greatest challenge will be incorporating a power source successfully to act as a way to propel the boat while in water.   The students have the possibility of using a sail in some capacity although this will complicate issues relating to the material that the sail is made from. 

3D Printed Catamaran Boat - Part Two

Following the success of the previous print, of the model of the Catamaran Boat Model the student (ten years old) who crreated the 3D Printed model boat decided to 'road test it' by floating it in the school swimming pool, to test its ability to float.  As mentioned in the previous print detials the sail was for comestic purposes only, as it was made using paper.

The boat was tested in the water for one hour, and did not sink, or show evidence of sinking at

all.  Water covered the top of the design, however it 'washed' off allowed the boat to remain bouyant.  We further tested the boat by throwing or dropping it into the water from 1m to 2m height and then skimming it as far as we could 'flip it'.   During this level of testing the boat would not sink or tip, it simply comtinued to float.  If the boat was delibrately flipped and turned upside down it would remain in this state. 
The damage shown to the mast left occurred when a student flicked the design, and it hit directly the edge of the pool.  This caused the mast to break off (as shown).  However while the mast itself would sink when held below the water,  the base of the boat would not even when it was held underwater on the base of the pool.

Given all the testing that was carried out in the last two days the design is practical in terms of its water durability and water tightness, a regular print will not sink as the PLA continually refloats.  This design as shown while it is basic represents the first basic print and design in the series.  The inention is for the students to design, manufacture and mount a motor onto the boat to allowed it to be semi-powered which will provide the next challenge for students.