Help! Smoke Generator(Powder) for RC electric planes

[cdfigueredo]

Would sure like to hear from any one who 3D printed the smoke generator and tell me what your results were. What worked or what did not work.

Would sure like to hear from any one who 3D printed the smoke generator and tell me what your results were. What worked or what did not work.

check this: https://forum.flitetest.com/index.p...r-rc-electric-planes.69530/page-6#post-713079

 

[Matthewdupreez]

Prototype Version 2 2.1 is ready for printing!!!! (UPDATED)
Pieces where scaled up to 150% to increase the incoming airflow.

Assembly
Print the parts and attach in the following order (Do not use glue at this time. Take into consideration that some parts may need to be sanded)

1. Print PilonA, Shaft and Holder. Mount Shaft on PilonA and then attach Holder from behind. Make sure Shaft rotates freely. View attachment 220044
   
2. Print PilonB and make sure it couples correctly with PilonA and Holder. View attachment 220045
3. Print Outlet and make sure it mates with PilonB and the clips work properly holding it in position (this is the part that might need the most modification). Outlet only fits in one position andshould be easy to insert and remove. View attachment 220046
4. Print Handler and verify that it fits correctly on Shaft View attachment 220047
5. Print Inlet and verify that it fits correctly in PilonA. View attachment 220048

Once you have verified that all the pieces fit correctly and that there is sufficient mobility for Shaft, repeat the process but using glue this time. Note that Outlet should not be glued to PilonB and that Inlet will only be glued to PilonA after the servo and control rod have been adjusted. Note that it will be necessary to drill holes in the servo base for mounting. The required rotation to open and close the air flow is 45 degrees. The picture shows it in the closed position.
View attachment 220049

Warning
The designs were made taking into consideration all the relative measurements of the prototype and the clearances to ensure proper assembly and free movement of the moving parts. But... it is possible that some parts may not fit as expected.

Thank you
If you decide to test my prototype, please feel free to contact me if you have any questions or feedback. Thank you very much in advance.

Pieces (Corrected the scale of the pieces to 150%)

@cdfigueredo i'm about to put this onto print overnight, just because i want to stick it on my 3d printed cub lol

 

[cdfigueredo]

@cdfigueredo i'm about to put this onto print overnight, just because i want to stick it on my 3d printed cub lol

thank you very much!!! just let us know how it goes!

 

[chickenhawk]

check this: https://forum.flitetest.com/index.p...r-rc-electric-planes.69530/page-6#post-713079

I checked out the post, but what I would like is a video either one the plane or on the bench

 

[chickenhawk]

@cdfigueredo i'm about to put this onto print overnight, just because i want to stick it on my 3d printed cub lol

Scaled up to 150 % what are the physical size of it.

 

[cdfigueredo]

I checked out the post, but what I would like is a video either one the plane or on the bench

i would like to see that too.

 

[Matthewdupreez]

Scaled up to 150 % what are the physical size of it.

15CM LONG

 

[cdfigueredo]

Hello everyone!
I hope this thread still retains some loyal followers. A few days ago I started building a Bushwacker kit that I think could work as a platform to test some ideas I have to make this project work.
I have been going through this thread and reading your comments and ideas and have been doing some thinking and the truth is that the idea of using a servo to open and close the smoke is not so good. If the plane is going slow not much smoke is really going to come out. Then I would like to take up the idea of a small EDF or simply a motor + prop that forces the pwder out.


However, following the idea of keeping the system simple and light, I was wondering if it would be possible to use a micro fan powered by a servo board as an ESC. Or maybe a micro ESC and some really small motor.
here are some options:
1A ESC

Motor

Most of this small ESC are 5V 1A so i guess it can be powered directly from the RX. This would allow me to simply connect the system to any channel of the Rx and be able to vary the motor speed from 0 to 100% which would mean closed - fully open. The disadvantage is the extra power consumption and the cost compared to a servo.

On the other hand I could modify a servo to use both its board and motor to run a small fan. However the servo motor is not as powerful and also the fan would be able to move CW and CCW so it would have to be adjusted in the Tx configuration.

What do you think of these variants?
Do you think I can get from the Rx the energy I need to move this motor?
Will it be necessary to use an extra servo connected in Y to the motor to open and close the smoke outlet valve?

 

[Matthewdupreez]

Hello everyone!
I hope this thread still retains some loyal followers. A few days ago I started building a Bushwacker kit that I think could work as a platform to test some ideas I have to make this project work.
I have been going through this thread and reading your comments and ideas and have been doing some thinking and the truth is that the idea of using a servo to open and close the smoke is not so good. If the plane is going slow not much smoke is really going to come out. Then I would like to take up the idea of a small EDF or simply a motor + prop that forces the pwder out.
View attachment 240905

However, following the idea of keeping the system simple and light, I was wondering if it would be possible to use a micro fan powered by a servo board as an ESC. Or maybe a micro ESC and some really small motor.
here are some options:
1A ESC
View attachment 240906

Motor
View attachment 240909 View attachment 240908

Most of this small ESC are 5V 1A so i guess it can be powered directly from the RX. This would allow me to simply connect the system to any channel of the Rx and be able to vary the motor speed from 0 to 100% which would mean closed - fully open. The disadvantage is the extra power consumption and the cost compared to a servo.

On the other hand I could modify a servo to use both its board and motor to run a small fan. However the servo motor is not as powerful and also the fan would be able to move CW and CCW so it would have to be adjusted in the Tx configuration.

What do you think of these variants?
Do you think I can get from the Rx the energy I need to move this motor?
Will it be necessary to use an extra servo connected in Y to the motor to open and close the smoke outlet valve?

it's a great idea but the lenght of time the smoke is made comes up again,
i would look into using glycerine and a tiny heating element,

 

[cdfigueredo]

it's a great idea but the lenght of time the smoke is made comes up again,
i would look into using glycerine and a tiny heating element,

The problem I see with glycerine is that the smoke generated would dissolve in the air and may not be sufficiently visible.

 

[LitterBug]

I've thought multiple times about using a vape mechanism but with an oil based liquid. I don't smoke or vape, so I don't know where to start....

 

[cdfigueredo]

It also came to my mind the idea that maybe we can use some kind of 3D infill (Of course, this would be only with LW PLA filament.) that creates an internal network so that the talc when added never remains compact but spreads out through the holes and forces the incoming air to generate tubulence, making the mixing easier.
Just an idea.

A gyroid infill could work

 

[Matthewdupreez]

The problem I see with glycerine is that the smoke generated would dissolve in the air and may not be sufficiently visible.

they use glycerine in the larger smoke machines works pretty well

 

[LitterBug]

Hello everyone!
I hope this thread still retains some loyal followers. A few days ago I started building a Bushwacker kit that I think could work as a platform to test some ideas I have to make this project work.
I have been going through this thread and reading your comments and ideas and have been doing some thinking and the truth is that the idea of using a servo to open and close the smoke is not so good. If the plane is going slow not much smoke is really going to come out. Then I would like to take up the idea of a small EDF or simply a motor + prop that forces the pwder out.
View attachment 240905

However, following the idea of keeping the system simple and light, I was wondering if it would be possible to use a micro fan powered by a servo board as an ESC. Or maybe a micro ESC and some really small motor.
here are some options:
1A ESC
View attachment 240906

Motor
View attachment 240909 View attachment 240908

Most of this small ESC are 5V 1A so i guess it can be powered directly from the RX. This would allow me to simply connect the system to any channel of the Rx and be able to vary the motor speed from 0 to 100% which would mean closed - fully open. The disadvantage is the extra power consumption and the cost compared to a servo.

On the other hand I could modify a servo to use both its board and motor to run a small fan. However the servo motor is not as powerful and also the fan would be able to move CW and CCW so it would have to be adjusted in the Tx configuration.

What do you think of these variants?
Do you think I can get from the Rx the energy I need to move this motor?
Will it be necessary to use an extra servo connected in Y to the motor to open and close the smoke outlet valve?

you might want to consider a micro EDF rather than a big prop. There are brushed and brushless versions available for pretty cheap. Could even 3d print a small one like I did for my octo ufo

LitterBug's DIY 3D printed Gremlin - OctoUFO

This has been a L - O - N - G time coming. Like several Decades worth. I thought it was the Moller M200 that was in the back of my head all these years, but after finally finding an advertisement from the back of December 1985 Popular Science it is all becoming more clear. Imagine being...

forum.flitetest.com

 

[cdfigueredo]

they use glycerine in the larger smoke machines works pretty well

But stationary machines i bet, like fog machines. Once you put that on a moving plane it may not work as expected...

 

[cdfigueredo]

I've thought multiple times about using a vape mechanism but with an oil based liquid. I don't smoke or vape, so I don't know where to start....

here is a good video making a teardown of a vaper and also explaining how them works

 

[Matthewdupreez]

But stationary machines i bet, like fog machines. Once you put that on a moving plane it may not work as expected...

i mean that that's what they use in big rc planes

 

[cdfigueredo]

they use glycerine in the larger smoke machines works pretty well

this is the closest thing i have seen for RC planes but it is 6S.... no way. that;s to much weight for a park fl

 

[cdfigueredo]

This may be a good way to go.

 

[Matthewdupreez]

this is the closest thing i have seen for RC planes but it is 6S.... no way. that;s to much weight for a park fl

yep just a regular smoke machine just tuned up, and the 6s part could be replaced to 3s i would imagine