Building a Stirling Engine

During my 3rd year of undergraduate studies, I built a stirling engine based on design specifications using the lathe and vertical mill. I also used sheet metal shearing, drill pressing, and other machining techniques to build a Stirling engine prototype.

Using Fabrication Techniques:

• Interpreted 2D CAD drawings to ensure machining processes met design and tolerance requirements​​

• ​Manufactured an aluminum flywheel by sand-casting, band-sawing bulk material, turning, and chamfering on a lathe to achieve a polished surface finish and precise dimensions

• Machined piston wheel by facing, turning, chamfering, parting, and reaming raw stock material on a lathe; performed edge-finding and drilled countersunk holes using a vertical mill

• Fabricated a flywheel post by end-milling, reaming, and drilling material to meet dimensional tolerances on a vertical mill

• Assembled and secured all components to the structural base using rivet nut fasteners

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Skills Used:​

• 2D/3D CAD Technical Drawing

• Sand Casting

• Lathe Machining (turning, facing, chamfering, etc.)

• Mill Machining (facing, turning, chamfering, parting, and reaming)

• Rapid Prototyping

• Sheet Metal Shearing

• Drill Pressing

• Technical Communication