Just thought I would share my current project. It is still a work in progress as the thread title suggests.
What I wanted to do was build a small folding tricopter that was made mostly of 3D printed parts. Unlike my previous Hybrid G10/3D Printed Tricopter, which was printed by Shapeways, this design will use parts printed at home using my Printrbot Simple Metal (w/heated bed upgrade). The idea is to create something which I can fly agressively, while having easy access to replacement parts by printing them at home.
As such, the design of the parts has been simplified compared to my other 3D printed tricopter in order to help reduce print times and eliminate support material where possible. I have also decided to use easy to acquire carbon tubing for the front arms (from Rockwest Composites).
Construction: FDM 3D Printed PLA main frame, woven carbon front arms
Frame size: ~250mm
Props: HQProp 6045
Motors: Cobra 2204 2300kv
ESCs: RTFQ 4in1 12A HV ESC(s)
Yaw Servo: Hitec HS-45B
Flight Controller: Acro Naze32
Battery: Multirotor Superstore 1300mAh 3S 45/90c
Flight Cam: Sony Super HAD CCD 600TVL (PZ0420)
VTX: TS5823 5.8GHz 200mW
RC RX: Futaba R2106GF 6ch FHSS
RC TX: Futaba 14SG(H)
Here is what I have so far:
The Naze32 and the SunnySky 2204 are really just for mockup purposes. I have new motors and a new Naze32 without pins in the mail.
With the arms snapped into their flight position:
Printed tail boom with servo pocket, still working on finalizing the tilt design:
Closeup of the pivot/snap design on the front arms:
I had some bearings laying around from another project that never got used, so I overbuilt the pivot . I plan to reprint the orange parts in the same transparent yellow PLA I used for the frame parts. This PLA is super bright as the pictures show. The carbon tubes will be epoxied into the 3D printed pivots on this end.
View of the clamshell motor mounts:
The motor mounts will also be reprinted in transparent yellow PLA. They are designed so that they clamp around the tube when you tighten the motor down. Motor wires will run through the carbon tubes as shown to the inboard mounted ESC.
This is pretty much what I have done so far, but there will be revisions along the way. Once the camera and vtx get here, I am going to work on integrating a "FPV Pod" using the blue vibration dampers shown in the first picture. I have a rough idea of how I am going to do this, but I need the parts here first to take some measurements.
I am also going to try and mount the Naze inside the frame plate with the ESC if possible. I plan to keep making thread updates as I go.
What I wanted to do was build a small folding tricopter that was made mostly of 3D printed parts. Unlike my previous Hybrid G10/3D Printed Tricopter, which was printed by Shapeways, this design will use parts printed at home using my Printrbot Simple Metal (w/heated bed upgrade). The idea is to create something which I can fly agressively, while having easy access to replacement parts by printing them at home.
As such, the design of the parts has been simplified compared to my other 3D printed tricopter in order to help reduce print times and eliminate support material where possible. I have also decided to use easy to acquire carbon tubing for the front arms (from Rockwest Composites).
Construction: FDM 3D Printed PLA main frame, woven carbon front arms
Frame size: ~250mm
Props: HQProp 6045
Motors: Cobra 2204 2300kv
ESCs: RTFQ 4in1 12A HV ESC(s)
Yaw Servo: Hitec HS-45B
Flight Controller: Acro Naze32
Battery: Multirotor Superstore 1300mAh 3S 45/90c
Flight Cam: Sony Super HAD CCD 600TVL (PZ0420)
VTX: TS5823 5.8GHz 200mW
RC RX: Futaba R2106GF 6ch FHSS
RC TX: Futaba 14SG(H)
Here is what I have so far:
The Naze32 and the SunnySky 2204 are really just for mockup purposes. I have new motors and a new Naze32 without pins in the mail.
With the arms snapped into their flight position:
Printed tail boom with servo pocket, still working on finalizing the tilt design:
Closeup of the pivot/snap design on the front arms:
I had some bearings laying around from another project that never got used, so I overbuilt the pivot . I plan to reprint the orange parts in the same transparent yellow PLA I used for the frame parts. This PLA is super bright as the pictures show. The carbon tubes will be epoxied into the 3D printed pivots on this end.
View of the clamshell motor mounts:
The motor mounts will also be reprinted in transparent yellow PLA. They are designed so that they clamp around the tube when you tighten the motor down. Motor wires will run through the carbon tubes as shown to the inboard mounted ESC.
This is pretty much what I have done so far, but there will be revisions along the way. Once the camera and vtx get here, I am going to work on integrating a "FPV Pod" using the blue vibration dampers shown in the first picture. I have a rough idea of how I am going to do this, but I need the parts here first to take some measurements.
I am also going to try and mount the Naze inside the frame plate with the ESC if possible. I plan to keep making thread updates as I go.