Ocean Wind Turbine with Ball Bearing

This wind turbine model was designed with an ocean-inspired theme, using a unique water-effect base plate to represent the sea around the turbine. It’s my first attempt with HueForce color printing, which added a special touch to the design.

 

At first, the rotor blades turned out a bit too long, causing the hub to slip off the motor shaft. To fix this, I designed 3D-printed ball bearings that fit around the hub to support the heavy blades and keep them stable on the motor shaft. For my setup, I used a round motor with just under 32mm diameter.

 

All parts can be assembled by snapping or screwing together—no glue or screws are needed. However, I do recommend gluing the water-effect plate to the alignment holder for better stability.

 

The base also features a small hole where you can mount a Arduino 7 segment display if you want to show data. There's an opening at the bottom of the threaded section for running the motor wires through the base discreetly—I pointed it out so it won’t be overlooked.

 

When attaching the rotor blades to the hub, please hold the blades firmly in your hand to avoid accidentally breaking them. If you want the turbine to spin due to strong wind, avoid tightening the blades all the way so the are slightly angled.

 

If you want to slice the water optic plate yourself, the required settings file from HueForce is included.

 

I’m excited to hear your thoughts and feedback!

Boost Me<3