3D Printing and Drones

This is my first post on DIYdrones, but I am not new to the site or the technology. Like most of you, I have been a drone enthusiast, and have had an interest, as well as some kind of involvement with RC for the past decade. With the new technologies coming out almost on a daily basis, building and flying drones has become easier than ever.

Another technology which I have taken an interest in, and have found to be a great tool to building custom drones is 3D printing. I bought my first printer 7 months ago, and have dove into the technology even more so than drones.

I know many of you own and operate 3D printers and most likely have more experience than I. So, I am not here to preach about how to 3D print or what machines you should be running, but rather to share my experiences with printing drone parts, as well as different materials and settings.

In December I began working for Airwolf 3D, and this has given me access to printing on a daily basis with several machines. So far I have tested 11 materials and have successfully printed with 10. Even though I work for a 3D printing manufacturer, I will remain unbiased as I know there are many capable printers on the market.

I would say that the most reliable and usable material to print with is ABS. Filament quality and color choice plays a big factor here, so please contact me for recommendations. My favorite filament is the ultimachines silver ABS, as it prints well and looks good. I have a very large print bed 12" x 8" x 12," so I am able to print entire frame pieces without piecing stuff together.

Of course I have printed several prototypes of multi-rotor aircraft, but most of them have been scrapped for more favorable designs. Below is my latest print, and I will most likely continue refining this one, and hopefully see it airborne soon.

I will post more pics as my builds progress, and will also introduce new material and technologies as they have been tested. Please feel free to ask me any questions.

You really have to pay attention to the specs in order to get good prints. It is hard to say which printer is best, but I can give you specs to keep in mind when shopping for a printer.

A heated bed is extremely important in my opinion, and to do any kind of ABS printing it is a must. A variable temp heated bed is even better.

Bed material is another thing to look at. I have seen printers with acrylic print beds. I have no idea why a company would make a bed like this, as it would easily warp. High heat tolerant glass is a must.

Then there are the technical specs, such as print speed, detail(minimum layer height), etc.

The extruder/hot end should be able to print at variable temps as well, as this will allow you to print in a wider variety of materials. A hot end like this paired with a variable temp heated bed will allow this.

Hardware and build quality is also important, such as rod thickness, frame rigidity, bearing quality. These specs are hard to see if the printer is being ordered from the internet.

The board is also important. Does it limit you to proprietary software? Is it expandable? I would think DIYdrones members would like the ability to use a variety of open source software :)

I recommend finding a printer that meets this criteria, as it will really expand your possibilities. There is a lot out there, so I do understand making a decision is difficult. If you would like to talk more in detail about specific brands(and Airwolf 3D printers), please message me.

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Comments

Tyler Caros January 8, 2014 at 8:05pm

You really have to pay attention to the specs in order to get good prints. It is hard to say which printer is best, but I can give you specs to keep in mind when shopping for a printer.

A heated bed is extremely important in my opinion, and to do any kind of ABS printing it is a must. A variable temp heated bed is even better.

Bed material is another thing to look at. I have seen printers with acrylic print beds. I have no idea why a company would make a bed like this, as it would easily warp. High heat tolerant glass is a must.

Then there are the technical specs, such as print speed, detail(minimum layer height), etc.

The extruder/hot end should be able to print at variable temps as well, as this will allow you to print in a wider variety of materials. A hot end like this paired with a variable temp heated bed will allow this.

Hardware and build quality is also important, such as rod thickness, frame rigidity, bearing quality. These specs are hard to see if the printer is being ordered from the internet.

The board is also important. Does it limit you to proprietary software? Is it expandable? I would think DIYdrones members would like the ability to use a variety of open source software :)

I recommend finding a printer that meets this criteria, as it will really expand your possibilities. There is a lot out there, so I do understand making a decision is difficult. If you would like to talk more in detail about specific brands(and Airwolf 3D printers), please message me.
100KM

crystal garris January 8, 2014 at 7:38pm

I bought a makerbot replicator 1. I have found it extremely accurate and very repeatable results. I can usually get a perfect part the first time. The secret it to know the offsets needed to achieve the desired dimensions. For instance I offset my geometry by 0.015" on any inside dimensions and - 0.015 on any outside dimensions. It save a lot of time not needing to print it 2 or 3 times to achieve correct tolerance.
Joshua Johnson January 8, 2014 at 6:10pm

@Dennis,

Aren't 3D Printers amazing?! I use them for work in Contracting prototypes for Drone Projects and also at school. I'm going to dig more into printing hobby parts soon. With new CAD Softwares coming out I believe 3D Printers will be tech that advanced users can use and tinker with but people will little knowledge will be able to print out their own parts soon. Especially with the use of CAD DataBases/Libraries.
Joshua Johnson January 8, 2014 at 6:08pm

@Brent, I enjoy http://printrbot.com/shop/assembled-printrbor-jr-v2/ In one of my classes this upcomming summer we are building a 3D Printed, 3D Printer and PrinterBot Jr hardware for a cost of around $300! :) I'm excited to start doing videos on in a few months!
Dennis Okeefe January 8, 2014 at 5:59pm

i have a 3d printer and find it a very useful companion technology to my interest in apm equipped vehicles. when you need some bizarre little part (or even bigger) you just design and print it. you usually don't get the final product on the first print but usually have something usable after a couple of iterations. 3d printers are not ready to be sold at walmart yet since you need LOTS of patience and practice to use them productively. it's good to see others are using them for this adventure in flying.
Brent Alderton January 8, 2014 at 5:58pm

I am looking at getting into 3D printing myself but am finding it hard to narrow down which is the best printer. Could you please recommend a printer that has a medium sized capability (say min 20cm^3) that is reliable, easy to use (i have solid works and AutoCad experience) that also has a very high resolution?

I am looking to spend under $1k if possible. Thanks
Tyler Caros January 8, 2014 at 5:56pm

Thank you for the link
John Githens January 8, 2014 at 5:51pm

Tyler, you may find some ideas on this page and its sub-term pages.
Joshua Johnson January 8, 2014 at 5:49pm

Thanks Tyler, I messaged you regarding that subject. I'll be anxiously waiting to see what you have in store for the CAD Drones Community!
Tyler Caros January 8, 2014 at 5:44pm

If you need any help at all please let me know. I will upload some projects soon.

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