Blog What Can't You Design In SolidWorks?
RC Hovercraft #1
For this blog series I wanted to design something from scratch. Not necessarily a new idea but something fun and cool. My intention is to design a Remote Control Hovercraft from the ground up.
I want to give you a brief description and history of a Hovercraft:
A hovercraft or air-cushion vehicle is a vehicle capable of travelling over variable surfaces, such as land and water. The hovercraft operates by forcing a high pressure of air between the bottom of the craft and the surface below. This high pressure of air lifts the vehicle upward essentially “hovering” above the ground on a cushion of air. The first practical design for hovercraft derived from several coinciding inventions in the 1950s to 1960s. They are now used throughout the world as specialized vehicles for transport and other applications.
- Propulsion Propellers
- Air
- Lifting Fan
- Flexible skirt
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UodHQG4pYkM[/youtube]
I have specific goals in mind that I want to meet in the design and build of this project.
Goals of the Hovercraft Design:
- Utilize the SolidWorks and SOLIDWORKS Simulation Suite of software to develop and optimize the hover craft design.
- The RC Hovercraft’s main components will be 3D Printed using the Stratasys UPrint.
- Easy to Assemble. I want to make the assembly as easy and as straight forward as possible with concise instructions.
- For purchased components, use low cost, off the shelf components including the electric motors, electronic speed control (ESC), batteries, and propellers.
I am starting from just an idea, and a sketch. We will see where the design leads.
