Summary

THE EDUCATIONAL ALTERNATOR ☼ Check out the video I have done showing the Alternator being taken apart and re-assembled below! ☼ YouTube - 3D Printed Educational Alternator This 1:1 scale alternator features over 30 pages in the lesson to help you teach your students or to follow along to teach yourself. The lesson covers all aspects both internally and externally on the Alternator. You'll have a complete understanding on how they work. You can test yourself with the included Quiz and, the documentation covers 3D printing and assembling your very own Alternator Model. Featured Designs of the week - Pinshape - December 1, 2017

Featured on Thingiverse - December 3, 2017

Article featuring the Alternator Project on 3DPrint.com - December 8, 2017 (https://3dprint.com/196533/chris-halliday-automotive-parts/)

How I Designed This

The complete Brake Caliper project was designed in Autodesk Fusion 360 Tolerances are important when 3D Printing. The tough part is ensuring your print will work with everyone's desktop 3D printer. This can be quite a challenge. With the Educational Alternator, the fit of most pieces of the caliper were set with ~.5-.7mm tolerances in SLS Technology. My initial planning of the Alternator was to have the ability to pull the alternator part, pull the pieces off and re-assemble so you can see the inner workings and all of the components of an Alternator.

Standards

Overview and Background

Are you curious how an automotive alternator works? Do you know that most vehicles on the road today have an alternator that is used to charge your vehicle's battery allowing you to run your headlights, stereo and even to charge your cell phone. Alternators play a crucial role in your vehicle and I have set out and put together this comprehensive lesson to help educate our youth and anyone else curious about vehicles.

While it is great to read and learn about alternators, there is really no substitution for holding a physical part in hand and having something to look at up close. Along with the extensive lesson included, I've gone into great detail about the 3D printing aspect of the Alternator and walk you through the process of making your own alternator. This will make it a great project for your class to participate in.

The Alternator is suitable for FDM, SLA & SLS printing and has been made to fit together very well. I have included Rotor-Hollow.STL and Stator-Hollow.STL for use in SLA & SLS printing technologies. The lesson includes pertinent information relating to settings needed while 3D Printing. I'd like to thank everyone for checking out my project and I am always thrilled to hear about my projects helping to teach kids and adults all over the globe. 3D Printing is a powerful technology and education is important for our youth. Lets make learning fun! ☺

Lesson Plan and Activity

You'll find a complete document attached to this model titled, "3D Learn About - Alternator.PDF". In this document, we will cover all aspects of an alternator from the inside out. Here are just a few of the topics covered in the included document:

Alternating Current to Direct Current

3-Phase Winding's

Bearings

Magnets

This automotive alternator is built to scale with only a few minor modifications to allow it to be 3D printed in the classroom. It is a Bosch alternator from a Chevrolet truck and uses only 3 bolts to help fasten it together, the rest of the alternator is completely 3D printed.

Materials Needed

(3) - M5x75mm/3" bolts

(3) - M5 Nuts

Skills Learned

automotive

electromagnets

vehicle

generators

alternators

alternating current

direct current

electronics

voltage

power

Duration of Lesson

1-2 Hours

Alternator Video

Learn about the 3D Printed Alternator