/contributions/vacuum-fan

Blower Fan Assembly (mechanical module)

On hold. Fan options are already sourced — see the suction-fan rows in BOM.md (multiple Pa/price options: Dreame, Nidec, Roborock-family blowers). The project has also moved away from the old teardown reference vacuum (its parts are hard to source vs. big names like Roborock/Dreame/Xiaomi). This module resumes once enough components are sourced and a 3D reference design with the key parts is sketched, so the housing can be designed to fit real parts.

Useful upstream work now: model the sourced fans in source-3d-models, and gather fan specs / how to drive them in part-specs. Those unblock this design.

The vacuum fan assembly provides air suction to the main brush and streams air into the dust bin. It consists of:

• a high-speed BLDC blower motor + impeller (already sourced — see BOM)
• a blower housing (volute) — to be designed
• a blower exhaust gasket
• blower housing rubber mounts

Design research note: real-world cleaning does not track raw suction (Pa) — mid-range sealed motors match flagships. Prioritise a well-sealed airflow path (no leaks at the bin / fan / brush seams) and a good brush over chasing maximum Pa. See design research.

Request for Contribution — Instructions (resumes when off hold)

When this reopens, the task is to design a 3D-printable volute housing + gasket around a sourced BLDC blower (chosen from the BOM) that mates cleanly with the dust bin and the chassis. Design goals:

• 3D-printable (assume PETG); ideally no supports; reliably reproducible
• sliced part fits ~20 × 25 cm, 20 cm height (split if needed)
• well-sealed airflow path (no leaks); mates with the dust bin + chassis
• low vibration; secure motor mounting
• gasket: find an off-the-shelf one, else print TPU
• submit STEP + native CAD + 3MF/STL + a sub-component BoM + docs/photos/video to contributions/vacuum-fan/<your-github-username>/

Acceptance criteria (when it resumes)

• Fits the (forthcoming) chassis + dust-bin interfaces without forcing changes to other modules
• Well-sealed, reasonably quiet, low-vibration, strong suction with the chosen sourced blower
• 3D-printable and reliably reproducible by someone else
• Documented; STEP + native CAD source provided
• TBD, expect criteria to evolve

The maintainer selects among compliant candidates using these criteria. Multiple attempts are welcome and useful even if not selected — modules are swappable, and a non-selected design is still a valid learning exercise and a fallback.