To the FliteTest Community;
We have had a lot of recent questions about how we go about using and teaching our students 3D Design. Besides the Makerbot, all other software is free for download and the links are provided for those who have access to a printer to download and try.
Let's go over the equipment;
Printer: We use the Makerbot Replicator 2, we have had a lot of success with this machine and after about 200 hours of printing on each one, they are still holding up fine with just some minor maintainance.
We have gotten word that the next batch of Makerbots designs do not perform as advertise, so do some research prior to buying the latest equipment, After going to the Loveland Creator Space, they swear by this 3D printer and the Lulzbot, and to stay away from the latest Makerbot printers.
The 3D design software we use is called PTC Creo, a great program with a lot of functions while not taking up a whole lot of RAM while in use. Our older computers can handle the software with ease, more so then Autodesk 123D, SolidWorks, or Autodesk Inventor. The learning curve is not to hard to handle either, for the students were able to pick it up pretty fast. In fact, GoPro and NASA use this software to create 3D representations of product.
Here is the link to download the software: http://www.ptc.com/product/creo/elements/direct-modeling/express
Now once you have completed your drawing in PTC, it is time to save it as an .STL file. This file format is what the Makerbot software uses to bring in a part for 3D preparation. See video on how Jared and Nas save their drawing of a Quad arm to an STL file for Makerbot formatting.
Makerbot Desktop: http://www.makerbot.com/desktop
The filament is always tricky, you can go safe and just buy the Makerbot version, which works amazing, however, the price point is way too high. We use a brand called Hatchbox, only around 20 bucks a roll and it does the job just fine, especially for students rapid prototyping. There are other filaments out there, a little research for a particular application would be a smart thing to do.
Hatchbox Filament: http://www.amazon.com/HATCHBOX-1-75mm-3D-Printer-Filament/dp/B00J0H8EWA
Jared and Nas do a good job explaining how to print from the Makerbot software and then you have a working part to play around with once it is done. The pair are creating a quadcopter without any hardware to construct it frame, the idea, all connected via clips! Should be interesting, stay tuned...
For more information about the program: http://www.mesarcfoamfighters.com/
Thank you for supporting the program,
The MESArcFF Team
The clip arm in PTC Creo
The team shooting the episode with the new camera, some learning adjustment with the focusing. We will get there.
Arm uploaded to Makerbot Desktop Sofware.
Nas explaining how all this works.
The quad arm completed.
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Thanks,
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About a month ago I decided to get a $320 RepRap Prusa i3 kit made by a small little company on eBay. I didn't have high hopes for it's quality or printing capability but I did my research and knew that even if it didn't work too well, the electronics and hot end pieces alone were worth the money and I could make a better frame.
There was really no straightforward guide to building the kit step by step and a few procedures had to be guessed at to put it together. Most of my time was spent getting software to work and calibrating so that gives you an idea of how hard the actual assembly is, which is not very hard at all.
So in the end, I paid about maybe $350 before all was said and done and I was printing. I learned quite a lot and do not regret it at all. So if you are a technically savvy person and are not scared to build something, which most people on here aren't, then by all means go and build yourself a RepRap. It's affordable, and print on the same extremely high quality as the retail completed printers like the Makerbot Replicators and so on. Another perk is that you can print upgrade parts for them, as the printers themselves are made from printed connecting pieces.
If anyone would like some more information, by all means contact me. RepRap.org is also a great place to go as they are the project who started it.
3D Printing and flight go hand in hand!
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