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Complete acrylic ArduCopter set on Ponoco, with spare parts

Posted by Ivan on April 28, 2011 at 10:09am

Complete set of acrylic parts needed to build ArduCopter frame. You can find the files here:
http://www.ponoko.com/design-your-own/products/arducopter-set-5696

All files are under Attribution ShareAlike license (free).

Set uses two Ponoco P1 sheet sizes (181.0 mm long x 181.0 mm wide).
Suggested material: Acrylic - Clear 3.0 mm

Sheet 1:
Material: $2.00
Making: $13.57
Total: $15.57

Sheet 2:
Material: $2.00
Making: $13.80
Total: $15.80

Set has spare parts for all components, in case of flight crashes with frame damage. Content:
- Dome arch (4 + 2 spare)
- Dome center lower (1 + 1 spare)
- Dome center upper (1 + 1 spare)
- Motor mount lower (4 + 2 spare)
- Motor mount upper (4 + 2 spare)
- Landing gear fin (4 + 2 spare)
Total: 28 parts
Based on the opensource design:
http://code.google.com/p/arducopter/source/browse/#svn%2Fbranches%2Fjpkh%2Fframe
Correct line widths as suggested in Ponoco design templates, which is not true for previous Ponoco ArduCopter files. Enjoy.

arducopte, acrylic, frame

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Comments

3D Robotics

Chris Anderson May 5, 2011 at 12:30pm

Delrin is crazy expensive. Better to buy the CNC'd polycarbonate parts from jdrones.
SciFly May 5, 2011 at 11:42am

Any thoughts on Delrin? I assume its heavier, but at least its durable and Ponoko offers that material (3.2mm is closest thickness) .
Ivan May 3, 2011 at 9:47am

Jani,

Can you please clarify which parts are made from acrylic and which are polycarbonate from this list:

Dome arch, Dome center lower, Dome center upper, Motor mount lower, Motor mount upper, Landing gear fin

Thanks.
Developer

Jani Hirvinen May 3, 2011 at 1:19am

Original files were made with ArtCAM/SolidWorks and it seems that it inserts some extra strings on beginning of the files. AutoCAD, Google Sketchup and many programs opens those without any problems.

Only few parts are made from Acrylic. Most parts that needs to take "punishment" are made from Polycarbonate and PC cannot be cut with Laser it needs to be machined physically, but they are also strong.
George Myers May 1, 2011 at 2:20pm

Thanks for the link, have no problem with the files on on the link you provided.
Ivan May 1, 2011 at 8:21am

Those DXF files in ArduCopter repository are known to be problematic, a lot of tools can't open them properly. You have them opened/saved again as DXF and PDF on this thread:

http://aeroquad.com/showthread.php?1499-Arducopter-frame-design-fil...
Willems Helmut May 1, 2011 at 3:31am

what's the weight of the material ???
George Myers April 30, 2011 at 12:22pm

Wondering what program was used to create the DXF files at code.google.com. ViaCAD Pro and VcarvePro cannot load them. thanks

Google Code
3D Robotics

Chris Anderson April 29, 2011 at 7:34am

Please note that the real kit parts are made out of polycarbonate, which is much less brittle than acrylic. Unfortunately, Ponoko doesn't offer that.

My experience with the acrylic parts is that they will break with pretty much every crash, so make lots of them!
Ivan April 29, 2011 at 1:39am

@Chris: Sorry if lines were OK in older version, I've checked everything and found that difference, adjusted it to the Ponoko recommendations just to be on the safe side.

Regarding the kerf: additional kerf may only be needed where dome centers meet dome arch, but i didn't want to insert them there and change the original design. Since original ArduCopter parts are made of the same material and of same thickness I thought someone would inserted the kerf in those two spots if they are really needed.