How to Create a Simple Turbine Blade on SolidWorks

SolidWorks

SolidWorks is a solid modeling computer-aided design (CAD) computer program that runs on Microsoft Windows. SolidWorks allows engineers and designers to create custom designs with precise specifications and dimensions.

Turbines

This instructable will detail the steps necessary to design a simple turbine blade. Turbine blades are essential parts of turbines. A turbine is a machine that captures energy in fluid flow and directs that energy to other devices. The blades are attached around a rotor that is connected to a shaft. The shaft spins when a turbine is exposed to moving fluid. The shaft then transmits power to other devices. The blades of a turbine are shaped to efficiently harness the energy in a flow field.

Instructable

This instructable is designed to get a user familiar with the different capabilities of Solidworks. Depending on the user's preferences in the design process; end designs may differ. At any point, you may rotate the viewing angle in SolidWorks by clicking the scroll wheel on your mouse and dragging.

Things you will need:

A computer with Microsoft Windows

SolidWorks Program

In the upper left hand corner (as seen in Picture 1.1):

A) Select "File" (as seen in Picture 1.2)

B) Select "New" (as seen in Picture 1.2)

Once the "New SOLIDWORKS Document" window opens, select "Part_IN" and then click the "OK" button (as seen in Picture 1.3).

Look at the left hand side of your screen (as seen in Picture 2.1).

Within the "FeatureManager Tree Area" select the plane you desire to construct your model in. For this particular instructable, design will take place the "Front" plane (as seen in picture 2.2)

Select "Sketch" mode in the upper left of the SolidWorks toolbar (as seen in Picture 3.1)

Select "Spline" as the method of sketching (as seen in Picture 3.2). Spline will enable you to sketch the cross section of the turbine using only three points.

Once the "Spline" tool has been selected:

A) Draw the 1st point of the turbine blade cross section. This is done by simply clicking on the screen. For this instructable, the first point is on the rectangular front plane (as seen in Picture 4.1).

B) Draw the 2nd point of your turbine blade cross section. For this instructable, the second point is drawn above the center-point (as seen in Picture 4.2).

C) Draw the 3rd point of the turbine blade cross section. For this instructable, the third point is drawn to the far right of the front plane (as seen in Picture 4.3).

D) To complete the sketch, connect all the the points by clicking on the first point (as seen in Picture 4.4).

The shape of your turbine blade cross section is entirely up to you. Turbine blades vary in shape depending on the turbines needs. For this instructable, a classic turbine blade shape is demonstrated.

In order to make your sketch 3 dimensional:

A) Select the "Features" menu in the upper left corner (as seen in Picture 5.1).

B) Select "Extruded Boss/Base" (as seen in Picture 5.1). You will now see a 3-D shape (as seen in Picture 5.2).

C) In the "Direction 1" input box; set the end condition to "Blind" and set the distance to the desired length of your turbine blade. For this inscrutable, the distance is set to 20 inches (as seen in Picture 5.3).

"Flex" mode will allow you to twist the turbine blade to a specific angle.

To enable "Flex" mode (as seen in Picture 6.1):

A) Select "Insert" in the upper left of the SolidWorks toolbar.

B) Select "Features" in the "Insert" drop down menu.

C) Select "Flex" in the "Features" drop down menu.

In the "Flex" menu (as seen in Picture 7.1) select the following:

A) Select the turbine blade as the flex input. This can be done by simply clicking on the 3-D blade that you have constructed (as seen in Picture 7.1).

B) Select "Twisting" as the method of flex (as seen in Picture 7.2).

C) Set your desired angle of twist. For this instructable, the angle of twist was set to 40 degrees (as seen in Picture 7.2).

Look at the left hand side of your screen (as seen in Picture 8.1).

Within the "FeatureManager Tree Area" select the plane you desire to construct your turbine blade base in. For this particular instructable, the base will be designed in the "Front" plane (as seen in Picture 8.2).

Select "Sketch" mode in the upper left of the SolidWorks toolbar (as seen in Picture 9.1).

Use the "rectangle" sketch tool to sketch the base of the turbine blade (as seen in Picture 9.1) . For this instructable, a base was sketched that was slightly larger than the area of the turbine blade (as seen in Picture 9.2).

In the upper left of the SolidWorks toolbar select "Smart Dimension" (as seen in Picture 10.1). Smart dimension allows you to input precise dimensions to a sketch.

Click on the sides of your sketched rectangle to change the side's respective dimensions. A text box will appear when you select a side. Input the dimension desired for each side into the text box. For this instructable, the length was set to 15 inches and the height was set to 6 inches (as seen in Picture 10.2).

In order to make your sketch 3 dimensional:

A) Select the "Features" menu in the upper left corner (as seen in Picture 11.1)

B) Select "Extruded Boss/Base" (as seen in Picture 11.1). A 3-Dimensional shape will now appear (as seen in Picture 11.2)

C) In the "Direction 1" input box: Set the end condition to "Blind", and set the distance to the desired length of your turbine blade. For this inscrutable, the distance is set to 0.5 inches (as seen in Picture 11.3). Select the green check mark (seen in Picture 11.3) to finish the extrusion process.

Once you have extruded your base, your turbine blade is complete!

To save your design:

A) Click on the save icon in the SolidWorks toolbar (as seen in Picture 12.2).

B) Select "Save As" in the drop down save menu (as seen in Picture 12.2).

C) Once the "Save As" window appears, name your SolidWorks part in the "File name" text box and click "Save" (as seen in Picture 12.3).