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.

Exemplar Boat: Problem Solving the Catamaran

 

As we have mentioned and detailed in a previous post on this blog we have previously developed and planned a Catamaran, as part of a class challenge for the students to build a boat.

The student concerned put a considerable amount of work into the project - but initial trial prints raised some issues from a range of areas.   The student themselves had the design undergo some significant testing to identify the errors in printing, and also look at what solutions that they might be able to use to resolve issues.

In the first version, two small join holes, created when two linked parts of the boat met, caused a minute hole which allowed water to enter ultimately causing the boat to list having taken on water.

The bow of the boat was designed more as a space that looked appealing, instead of being more water tight, so once water came into contact with the front of the boat it tended to cause it to start to take water onboard.   

The mast was designed to look appealing and not be functional, so the students reinforced it making it stronger.   The steering wheel is only visible in early designs as when the rafting was removed the steering wheel needed more robust attachment.

The base of the boat was reinforced with additional shapes and additional blocks to ensure that it was waterproof.   Previous testing on the early versions of the print identified that it was unable to sink.

The dimensions of the print have not changed, as the base is the same that is 140mm long, 120mm across and the cabin being 60mm high.   The print time was eight and a half hours, while this is significant, this is a particular detail process with a specific intention to complete a working boat, it features a high degree of difficulty. 

The water proofing that was attempted was initially using blu-tack.  This was discovered to be acceptable but the student wanted to upgrade to use a hot glue gun as he felt that would be more succesful.

3D Printed Boats: Catamaran

Challenge: For a student to create an original boat.

Background: As part of the challenges that we are giving the class of students this year we recently gave them a 'boat' making challenge.    Experience has taught us in the past that the 3D Printer is able to produce an object that will float, due to the typical infill that is present in most printing.   This has meant that students have been able to produce themed prints (such as bath toys which we used as part of our school market day, which was last held in 2023).

We also had our senior students attempt to create Catamarans in the past (due to their balance).   You can see examples of this that were originally produced in 2017 and later variations and expanded updates from 2019.

This is the first attempt at a project like this with our current classroom which consists of junior school students who are seven and eight years old.

This project was open ended in that it was presented to students and they were encouraged to come up with an original design.   The students were provided a very basic example to help guide them, but were also encouraged to push themselves to look for real life examples that they could draw inspiration from and have details that they could mimic with their designs.

The teacher also demonstrated to students that Tinkercad, which was used for the designs,  includes as part of its object interface a hull option.  In this design shown in this post the student was able to use the hull from here as the main basis for the twin hulls.  He then made a third copy of the hull which he flipped/inverted, shorted and hollowed out which is the shape that he used to make the cabin.  Having located various Catamaran photographs he then added additional details such as the sides, the sails and then used various shapes to build a steering wheel.

The student from start to finish was able to complete the design within a thirty minute period of time.

Level of Difficulty: Hard - this students is a Y4 student however he was able to use Tinkercad to manipulate and make a Catamaran in a short period of time, this is by far the most complex and detailed project from the class as a whole, for this task, and also that this student has attempted.

Timeframe: Eight Hours.   There was considerable rafting that was present with this print, as the base of the boat, between the two hulls and the floor, needed to be printed with support which had to be removed.

Size: This is a large print, 140mm long, 120mm across and the base (the cabin area was 60mm high).

What we would do differently/next steps for the students: There were some issues with the print that were not apparent when this design was completed.  There was a very small hole that was at the base of the boat where the hull joined the floor.  Although this was only 1mm or less it allowed a small amount of water in, which overtime caused the boat to list.  This was an awesome teaching experience as the student tried to work out ways to plug the leak.  He applied blu tack the first time, without success and then started to look at water proofing - he was also concerned that part of his print was not water-proof, and has begun the process of taking the boat, placing it in a container and then checking on it to see if it has taken on any water.   He has already discovered that the boat itself isn't going to sink, as the cabin ensure it remains afloat.   Again the learning experience from this is rewarding and the student will be looking at several aspects of this.   The steering wheel which is clearly visible in the AR/VR version of the print (photograph shown above) did not survive being robust enough.   The student is also looking at what he can add to the overall design to improve its presentation.

3D Printed Catamaran - Exemplar Project Update

The Revised version of the print Catamaran (2019)

Challenge: To produce a boat that could float.
Background:  This has been one of the longest ongoing projects that we have been actively working on or tracking on this site.  In its original format a student two years ago started to investigate the properties and details of a 3D Printed Boat, which eventually moved towards becoming a 3D Printed Catamaran.  Details of those projects can be located here.  The student concerned recently revisited this project (which began when they were nine years old at our School).   This time armed with more knowledge and concepts about the model he looked to complete the project and further modified his design.    One of the aspects of the design that is not shown in the photograph was to aid the buyoancey of the boat is that air pockets were introduced into the twin hulls to further allow it float, the initial designs had simply had a regular infill of 20%.   The teacher who was also invovled in the producing of the boat was interested in experiementing in pasting on a 3D Printed Coating - to allow for further decoration (hence the shiny design feature that is visible in the photograph). 

Above: Design shown in profile

Level of Difficulty: High - this is an exemplar thats design and creation has taken considerable time and reworking, numerous test versions to get to this point.  The scale and design, the details and project have taken hours and hours to get to this point.   Not for the faint hearted.
Timeframe: Fourteen hours to complete this print with the regualation default settings featured on this blog.  There was minimal waste printing so the ability to reduce the time was a small window of opportunity only. 
Size: The hulls of the design were 150mm in length, 20mm wide and 50mm from the top to the bottom of them.   Eyelits were introducted for the possibility of a sail used in combination with the boat, and the size reflects that potential. 
What we would do differently: From this point of view the student appears to be satisified and looking to move forward onto other projects - the is the question of whether or not a motor was placed on the hull or base of the boat, but the emphasis was on a Catamaran.

3D Printed Model Catamaran Boat - Part One

Above: Original design from Tinkercad.

Challenge: For student to produce a working model of a boat (in this case a catamaran).
Background: Tinkercad as a version of software are continually evolving and looking at producing new ideas, which are released as part of the design software.  A student from my class who is ten years old was able to locate the new design features and located the 'boat hull' design template.  The student concerned has a talent for design and engineering and is forever tinkering and creating projects, which is a great strength of his.  In this example he was fascinated with the prospect of creating a boat.   It was reasoned that by 3D Printing the hull that the boat would be able to float, or should be designed to do so, including problem solving to ensure that it was a workable model.    This is the students first draft attempt at completing a boat.  He has already looked on Youtube to develop possibilities for a working motor that would work in conjunction with the boat.  The first task was to complete the hull, test it to ensure that it would float, and look at altering the dimensions, print settings etc to ensure that this was possible.

Completed print with cosmetic sail

Level of Difficulty: Medium, the hull design needed to be workable (see below) which would allow more advanced features to be added.  While the hull template came from Tinkercad the decision was made to create a catamaran for the balance that it would provide for the base.   At this stage we were still investigating the best way for the boat to work.   The sail shown on the right hand side was for decorative purposes as the decision has been made to look at including a motor to power the boat.
Timeframe: The total print time for the base of the catamaran was ten hours.  There was minimum rafting with the print, the masts were having a cosmetic effect, so they could have been resized.   The base of the catamaran was designed to provide stability to the print, first and foremost.   The nozzle was 8mm and the print setting was 'regular'.
Size: The length of each hull is 18cm.   The width is 2cm and the height was 2cm.   The middle of the catamaran was essentially a 12cm by 8cm rectangle, with a depth/width of 5mm.  The smaller mast was 9cm high and the second smaller mast was 6cm.   Given the purpose of the print is to have a motor fitted at the back to power the boat, the dimensions are about the minimum that is required.
What we would do differently: This chance find has opened up a whole level of development of 3D

Above: Water testing the prototype

Printing for our students (which has ironically come in the last regular week of school).   The boat design required specific requirements with the intention of a motor being used to power the boat.   Given the success of the initial print (we were not even sure if the PLA used for the 3D Printer would actually float, or we would need to hollow out the inside of the hull).  Going forward there will need to be a location for the motor to be housed on the design.   
Next challenge for the students: The sails of the prototype are purely cosmetic, the students could consider using a fabric that might have a practical use.   The dimensions of the catamaran seem correct at the moment, however this will be dependant on the size of the motor, and how this will relate to the design.   We are currently sourcing a motor at the moment which will require the design to be revisited.    We will be water testing the design over time.