I had recently gotten a smart phone bluetooth controlled hex-copter from another KickStarter project. With my inexperience flying these things, over-sensitive controls, thin low-infill 3D printed stock frame, unfortunately I kept breaking my frame =(. So the engineer in me took flight and I decided I could make a better frame (at least I thought I could)! I tried printing entire frames at once as a single print, but the necessity to keep the frame light with thin walls, every few "wall nudges" and "turbulent landings" I'd crack the frame along the layers, just like the stock frame.
Then I thought that I might be able to print the pieces individually in the strongest way I could. I printed each motor housing one by one to get better layer adhesion, so it wasn't jumping to each housing letting the first one cool, which was also causing a ton of stringing. I also laid the arms down flat, which made them incredibly stronger!
After many concepts, test prints and tolerance adjustments, I was able to print a very light, stiff, snap-together frame for my hex-style Flexbot!!!
Gordon might be interested because I noticed that he was also a backer.
BTW Gordon, have you gotten yours yet?
(also, v2.0 coming soon... It'll have carbon fiber arms!)
Then I thought that I might be able to print the pieces individually in the strongest way I could. I printed each motor housing one by one to get better layer adhesion, so it wasn't jumping to each housing letting the first one cool, which was also causing a ton of stringing. I also laid the arms down flat, which made them incredibly stronger!
After many concepts, test prints and tolerance adjustments, I was able to print a very light, stiff, snap-together frame for my hex-style Flexbot!!!
Gordon might be interested because I noticed that he was also a backer.
BTW Gordon, have you gotten yours yet?
(also, v2.0 coming soon... It'll have carbon fiber arms!)
Attachments
-
229.1 KB Views: 3,805
-
28.1 KB Views: 3,805
-
137.1 KB Views: 3,805