Agustin de Betancourt’s Wind Machine for Draining Marshy Ground: Approach to Its Geometric Modeling with Autodesk Inventor Professional

Abstract

The present study shows the process followed in making the three-dimensional model and geometric documentation of a historical invention of the renowned Spanish engineer Agustin de Betancourt y Molina, which forms part of his rich legacy. Specifically, this was a wind machine for draining marshy ground, designed in 1789. The present research relies on the computer-aided design (CAD) techniques using Autodesk Inventor Professional software, based on the scant information provided by the only two drawings of the machine, making it necessary to propose a number of dimensional and geometric hypotheses as well as a series of movement restrictions (degrees of freedom), to arrive at a consistent design. The results offer a functional design for this historic invention.