Balloon Boat Project

Hello, my name is Joshua Stevens and I’m a incoming 3rd year mechanical engineering student at San Jose State University. I’m also a member of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers Club (ASME). For this project, I 3D printed a set of boats that were powered via a balloon. I wanted to follow the summer theme of the challenge while also focusing on aquatics. To simplify the design of the boats, I wanted to use a power system not reliant on a user or electronics, so I chose to use balloons as a form of propulsion for each boat.

• Hatchbox PLA 1.75 mm Gold Filament
• Hatchbox PLA 1.75 mm Metallic Green Filament
• Creality PLA 1.75 mm Yellow Filament
• 5 Inch Orange Balloons
• Body of Water
• Fusion 360
• Cura
• Creality Ender 3 Printer

For my first boat, I wanted to design a jet ski. I started on the top plane to create a sketch. Then I made another plane with a new sketch above the first one and used the loft tool to make the base of the boat. I repeated the process multiple times in order the get the frame of the boat. I included two sketch planes on the sides of that boat to extrude into the body of the boat so I could get the indents on the both sides. Afterwards, I worked on creating the seat by using the cylinder tool. I then extruded into the cylinder to create a rider seat. For the pipe, I created a sketch on the front plane and used the pipe feature. Then for the part of the pipe facing upwards, I extruded a wider cylinder and put used the hole wizard to make it the same size as the pipe. This is so that the balloon wouldn't slip after being placed on pipe. For the handle, I extruded a square upwards and created a wheel on top of it by extruding it on top of the square. Afterwards, I used the filet tool to make some of the rougher edges of the jet ski more smooth.

I exported the file into Cura and sliced the model for our Ender 3 printer. I printed it over 4 hours using Creality PLA Yellow. The handle was too thin and continued to break upon the support, so I replaced it with a wheel.

I wanted to model the second boat after a wooden raft. Like the first one, I started with a sketch on the top plane and made another plane above with with a new sketch. I then also lofted both planes to each other to make the body of the boat. I then used the shell tool to make the interior of the boat. I added seats by creating a sketch on the front plane and extruding it. For the pipe, I did the same process where I created a profile using with a sketch before using the pipe tool. I added a cylinder on the top portion again and extruded a hole so that the balloon wouldn't slip off. However I redesigned the air pipe for the balloon by making the hole radius bigger so more air could go through.

I exported the file into Cura  and sliced the model for our ender 3 printer. I printed it over 4 hours using Hatchbox PLA Gold. I had to later thicken the tubing for the boat’s tubing because it was too thin.

I wanted to model the second boat after a wooden raft. Like the first one, I started with a sketch on the top plane and made another plane above with with a new sketch. I then also lofted both planes to each other to make the body of the boat. I then used the shell tool to make the interior of the boat. I added seats by creating a sketch on the front plane and extruding it. For the pipe, I did the same process where I created a profile using with a sketch before using the pipe tool. I added a cylinder on the top portion again and extruded a hole so that the balloon wouldn't slip off. However I redesigned the air pipe for the balloon by making the hole radius bigger so more air could go through.

I exported the file into Cura  and sliced the model for our ender 3 printer. I printed it over 4 hours using Hatchbox PLA Metallic Green. The boat came out good with a perfect fitting for the balloon.

Here are all the models that I printed for the boat project.

All the videos display each of the three boat models moving after the balloon is placed on top of the tubing.

In the future, I hope to print bigger and more elaborate boat designs. Ideas for new designs include The Titanic, battleships, or aircraft carriers. I would also like to either change the tubing to support bigger balloons or even multiple powering the same boat. I could also revisit some of the designs to make sure they print better.