If you could 3D print your own micro amp motor, how would you use it? Motors are used in so many common household objects that we take them for granted — until they break, of course.
Although it may not generate enough power to charge your cell phone or run your microwave, LaserHacker’s “lasersaber”, who has created 3D printed art since the early ’90s, 3D printed (on his Afinia printer), assembled, and successfully ran a “micro amp” motor that runs on almost nothing. Very exciting. And he’s made the instructions and parts list and links available on his webpage.
To make the motor, you need to attain the following parts, which lasersaber has made available here, complete with links to the suppliers he used. The parts list includes: Darners Hand Needles; Sapphire Vee Jewel Bearings; Neodymium Magnets; Magnet Wire, Enameled Copper, Green; Reed Switch; MAGNASPHERE switch.
The motor was designed in 3D Studiomax, and the STL files are available to download (ZIP file direct download link) from LaserHacker to print at home, and lasersaber makes sure to remind you that you can also have the files printed via Shapeways. In the videos that accompany the article, lasersaber first printed the structural supports and snapped the pins together, having to remove tiny bits of extra material. For the top surface, bottom, and sides he shows that you can print a filler matrix which uses much less filament to the same effect. After easy assembly of the printed parts, he threads bobbins with 42 gauge 1/4 lb. roll of copper wire using a power drill.
Now for the fun part: he runs the motor by connecting it to a small 10,000 UF electrolytic capacitor, micro-amp meter, and battery. The motor is powered by connecting it to larger pieces of copper and magnesium run through a “carrot cell”–which is a small piece of carrot with a small piece of copper and a small piece of magnesium ribbon stuck in it. (Fruits and vegetables don’t generate electricity necessarily, but they provide a conductive liquid to aid in completion of an electric circuit.) Using this very simple yet impressive arrangement, the motor is able to run for hours, generating 1-1.5 micro amps.
While this micro amp motor is still micro, it is a promising step forward for those who believe alternative energy is possible and that 3D printing can play a crucial role here. In fact, lasersaber credits 3D printing with the ability to facilitate projects such as this one, and this is an important role as we move toward goals of energy independence.
What do you think about this motor? Let us know over at the 3D Print Your Own Micro Amp Motor forum thread at 3DPB.com.
Subscribe to Our Email Newsletter
Stay up-to-date on all the latest news from the 3D printing industry and receive information and offers from third party vendors.
You May Also Like
Creality Begins Selling HALOT-MAGE S: Setting New Standards in Precision 3D Printing
Creality, a leading innovator in consumer-grade 3D printing technology, proudly introduces the HALOT-MAGE S, the latest breakthrough in high-resolution 3D printing. With its cutting-edge features and user-centric design, the HALOT-MAGE...
Farsoon Showcases Comprehensive 3D Printing Solutions, Automation, and More at TCT Asia
This year’s TCT Asia event showcased just how much the Asian additive manufacturing (AM) market has grown, with Eplus3D’s 64-laser metal 3D printer alone acting as a synecdoche for China’s...
Creality Launches Ender-3 V3 Plus: Bigger CoreXZ for Unprecedented Performance
Embracing a journey of innovation and excellence, Creality’s Ender-3 series has established a distinguished path in the field of 3D printing. From the entry-level Ender-3 V3 SE to the feature-rich...
Laser Wars: Eplus3D Unveils Metal 3D Printer with up to 64 Lasers
Now that the laser wars in the powder bed fusion (PBF) space have, for the most part, moved to China, original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) there are in fierce competition. Eplus3D...