The main axis is the axis in which the wind turbine will later rotate. It must therefore bear the weight of the blades including the hub and at the same time absorb the forces generated by the wind. Last but not least, it should rotate smoothly.
A critical task and in my opinion one of the most important components.
I have written down some additional information here: https://hackaday.io/project/172328/log/179713-why-i-think-a-new-main-shaft-mount-is-needed
In the following article you will find instructions on how to assemble the mounting of the main axis.
Inhalte
Safety instructions
I know the following hints are always a bit annoying and seem unnecessary. But unfortunately, many people who knew it "better" from carelessness lost their eyes, fingers or other things or hurt themselves. In comparison, a loss of data is almost not worth mentioning, but even these can be really annoying. Therefore, please take five minutes to read the safety instructions. Even the coolest project is worth no injury or other annoyance. https://www.nerdiy.de/en/sicherheitshinweise/
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Requirements
Required tools:
| Hot glue gun |
| 3D printer |
| Allen key |
| Pliers |
| Cordless drill |
| 3mm drill bit |
| tweezers |
Required material:
In the following list you will find all parts you need to implement this article.
| 1x | basePlateMainShaft |
| 1x | mainShaftBearingMountBaseConnector |
| 2x | mainShaftBearingMountBearingClamp |
| 1x | mainShaftBearingMount |
| 1x | shaftCoupler |
| 2x | Aluminum profile 14.5cm long |
| 2x | 6008ZZ ball bearing |
| 12x | M3x50 countersunk screws |
| 8x | M3x16 countersunk screws |
| 6x | M3x20 countersunk head screws |
Collect required parts
Before you can start building the main axis, of course you have to collect all needed parts. A complete list of the required materials and tools can be found above in the material and tool list.
On this picture you can see all parts needed to build the main axis.
The required STL files for printing can be found here: https://github.com/Nerdiyde/WinDIY/tree/master/mainAxis
I have printed the parts with the following settings.
- Perimeter: 5
- Infill: 50%
The screws should preferably be made of stainless steel so that they do not rust through moisture.
Mount the ball bearing in the main axle base
The base of the main axis consists of one part. In this part the two ball bearings are inserted and clamped.
For this part of the main axle assembly you need the main axle base, two 6008ZZ ball bearings, four M3x20 screws and four M3 nuts.
Insert the first of the two 6008ZZ ball bearings into the main axle base as shown.
Make sure that the ball bearing sits in the holder up to the stop.
The ball bearing should be exactly centered in the bracket.
Additional view.
Now also put the second 6008ZZ ball bearing into the free holder of the main axle bracket.
Now check again that both ball bearings are seated up to the stop and centered in the main axis holder.
Additional view.
Additional view.
To secure the ball bearing in the main axis holder, you should now insert the first ball bearing clamp into the main axis holder as shown and…
…secure it with one of the M3x20 countersunk screws.
Use an M3 nut to secure the screw.
Repeat this for the other side of the ball bearing clamp.
Additional view.
Additional view.
In the same way you should now secure the other ball bearing with the ball bearing clamp in the main axle mount.
Connect the main axis base to the base connector
The main axis base is connected to the base plate using the base connector. To do this, the main axis base is now first connected to the Base Connector.
For this you need the shown parts.
- The prepared main axis mount
- The 3D printed basic connector
- Two 14,5cm long pieces of the 10x10mm aluminium profile
- Six M3x50 countersunk screws
- Six M3x20 countersunk screws
- Twelve M3 nuts
Insert the first of the two aluminum profiles as shown…
….up to the stop into the main axis holder.
Now drill with a 3mm drill bit -through the hole provided for the screw- into the aluminum profile.
Important: Make sure that you only drill through one side of the aluminum profile. More about this in the following pictures.
Repeat the same for the other screw hole.
If you now pull out the aluminium profile again it should look something like this.
As can be seen here, the aluminum profile should only be drilled through on one side.
To fasten the aluminium profile in the main axis holder you now need two M3x20 countersunk screws and two M3 nuts.
Now place the first of the two M3 nuts into the recess on the inside of the guideway for the aluminum profile as shown.
Close view of the inserted M3 nut.
Now screw the M3x20 countersunk screw into the nut as shown.
Additional view.
Now repeat this for the other screw position.
The two screws should now hang in the guideway for the aluminum profile as shown.
Close-up view.
Now retract the screw including the nut so that the nut disappears completely into the matching recess. Now you can insert the aluminium profile and as soon as the holes in the aluminium profile are congruent with the screws, you can screw the screws into the holes of the aluminium profile.
Now screw the screws further into the aluminium profile until the aluminium profile is clamped by the screws in the holder.
Additional view.
Repeat this for the other aluminum profile.
Both aluminum profiles should now be firmly clamped…
… iin the main axis holder.
Now insert the two aluminum profiles into the 3D printed base connector as shown.
Additional view.
Push the basic connector to the main axis bracket until it stops.
Top view.
Side view.
Now drill through the screw hole in the aluminum profile as done before.
Important: Make sure that you only drill through one side of the aluminum profile. More about this in the following pictures.
Repeats the same for the other side.
Now insert again on both sides..
…each a M3x20 countersunk screw and screw it with a M3 nut.
View of the basic connector including inserted screws.
Now pull the screw back again including the nut, so that the nut disappears completely in the matching recess. Now you can slide the base connector back onto the two aluminium profiles of the main axis bracket.
View of the attached basic connector and the main axis bracket.
The screws you have just prepared will be tightened in a later step.
For additional mounting you now need six of the M3x50 countersunk screws and six M3 nuts.
Push the first of the M3x50 countersunk screws through the base connector into the main axis mount.
In the main axis bracket you need to insert a M3 nut into the shown recess.
This should sit in such a way that it can be screwed together with the previously inserted M3x50 countersunk screw.
Repeat this with another screw in the directly adjacent screw hole.
Secure this screw again with a M3 nut.
Both screws should now be secured with one M3 nut each.
Now repeat this with the other two screws on the other side of the main axis bracket.
Additional view.
View of the two countersunk screws on the left side.
View of the two countersunk screws on the right side.
You can now use the two remaining M3x50 countersunk screws to connect the base connector in the same way on the bottom side.
To do this, push the screw through the base connector into the main axis holder as shown in the picture…
…and screw it back on with a M3 nut (which is located on the bottom of the main axle mount)…
…into the designated assembly stations.
This should look something like this.
Repeat this for the opposite side as well.
Now use the previously prepared screws to screw the aluminium profiles into the base connector.
Connect the main axis holder to the base plate
The next step entails connecting the prepared main axis mount (including the base connector) to the base plate.
For this you need:
- of course the prepared main axis mount
- the 3D printed base plate
- four M3x50 countersunk screws
- four M3x20 countersunk screws
- eight M3 nuts
Now first position two M3 nuts in the recesses in the base plate as shown.
Close-up of the inserted M3 nuts in the base plate.
Now position the main axis bracket in front of the base connector as shown and plug…
…the two parts together as shown.
Now you can screw the base connector to the base plate using the first M3x20 countersunk screw.
Insert the M3x20 screw through the shown screw hole and …
… screws it on the bottom side with a M3 nut.
Repeat this now with the remaining M3x20 countersunk screws.
Screw this also with M3 nuts to the bottom of the base plate.
Now you need the remaining M3x50 countersunk screws.
Insert this too through the – still empty – screw holes in the base connector into the base plate…
…and screw it again with M3 nuts on the bottom of the base plate.
Prepare connection with the pivot bearing
In the last step the base plate is prepared for the final connection with the pivot bearing.
For this you need:
- the prepared main axis mount including all attached components
- four M3x25 countersunk screws
- five M3 nuts
- the 3D printed connecting plate
Now prepare the connecting plate by inserting three M3 nuts into the base plate as shown.
Close-up of the inserted M3 nuts in the connecting plate.
Now it gets a little bit complicated. The connecting plate must now be placed on the base plate in such a way that the M3 nuts previously inserted are locked between the connecting plate and the base plate.
These are needed later to connect the upper support of the turret with the connecting plate.
Thanks to the M3x50 screws from the connection between the base connector and the base plate, the connecting plate is now already in the correct position.
Make sure the connecting plate rests on the base plate as shown.
Now you can screw the first two M3x25 countersunk screws through the connecting plate with the M3 nuts previously inserted in the base plate.
On the opposite side repeat this with the other two M3x25 countersunk screws.
This should look like this when viewed from below.
To do this, the last two M3x25 screws must be screwed back on the upper side of the base plate using an M3 nut each.
If all went well your main axis mount should now look like this.
Another view of the assembled main axis mount.
Another view of the assembled main axis mount.
I hope everything worked as described. If not or you have any other questions or suggestions, please let me know in the comments. Also, ideas for new projects are always welcome. 🙂
Fab
P.S. Many of these projects - especially the hardware projects - cost a lot of time and money. Of course I do this because I enjoy it, but if you appreciate it that I share these information with you, I would be happy about a small donation to the coffee box. 🙂
