CIE Components in Electronics
Kitronik, a leading provider of electronic project kits, educational resources and materials to schools, has launched its latest project designed to help students (and teachers!) keep cool this summer. The new project enables students to create their own 3D printed USB fan!
Hot weather and daily life at school are an interesting combination. Glorious sunshine can be tough for those in sweltering classrooms! Help is at hand courtesy of an easy build kit from Kitronik.
The new project, which is based around Kitronik’s USB Fan Kit, enables students to make an economical desk fan which takes its power from a standard USB port or USB power supply. The comprehensive resources and guidelines provided with the project show students how to make their own custom enclosure for the kit that is both stylish and functional.
The kit and learning resources include a walk-through of the process from initial concept to the finished product which provides inspiration for student’s own designs. It is the perfect opportunity for students to further their design and 3D printing skills whilst having a practical application.
Commenting on the project, Kitronik co-founder Kevin Spurr said: “In coming up with our latest kit, we were inspired by memories of hot stuffy days in the classroom. We thought designing and making the fan would be motivating and practical opportunity for students and teachers.
“We wanted the project to be quick to design, easy to print and have minimal overhangs, be easy to assemble, incorporate an on/off switch and of course…move enough air around to actually cool you down!”
In terms of air flow, after trials, Kitronik decided on a jet engine design as it allowed for greater airflow through the body of the fan.
Kevin adds: “This is an area in which students may which to engage in further research, experimenting with other shapes and designs to see if air flow results can improve still further.”
The Kitronik prototype was printed on a Robox 3D printer using White ColorFab nGen 3D printer filament and Blue PLA. Using more than one colour was a design choice to improve the overall aesthetic but students could implement their own designs.
The fan was designed and modelled using Fusion 360 and then exported to STL 3D for printing. The design was completed without having to resort to support material, it was straight from printer to assembly.
For a step by step by step assembly guide and to download Kitronik’s STL files for the 3D printer please click here.
