Tesla Turbine
March 2022 - May 2022
This was the final project in my "Fundamentals of Machine Shop Operation" class. Everyone was given the technical diagrams for all of the necessary components, and we had to machine the parts and assemble them to create a Tesla turbine.
We were given a packet that contained the technical specifications for each part that we needed to machine. For each part, I wrote myself a list of instructions to familiarize myself with the part and to ensure that I did things in the correct order.
Some parts were simpler than others. The motor housing, shown on the left, was the most complicated part that I made on the mill, while the rotor shaft was the most difficult for me to turn on the lathe. It was made of steel, which is more difficult to machine than aluminum, and some parts of it were toleranced to within three ten thousandths of an inch in order to achieve a bearing fit.
Some of the thinner parts were rough-cut with the water-jet, and then I machined them more precisely on the mill and lathe. You can see them in this photo--the large disks and small triangular pieces.
When everything was done, it was time to assemble the turbine. With the help of a bearing press, everything came together smoothly, indicating that I had toleranced the components correctly.
Here's a photo of the finished turbine!
And another photo from the back which shows the pulley output shaft and bearing housing.
When the turbine was complete, we tested it using compressed air. It achieved a maximum speed of 28,470 rpm, which you can see in this video.
I learned so much in this class, and really appreciated the patience and wisdom of my professor, Bruce. He was retiring at the end of the semester, so I made him this plaque as a thank-you gift from the class.