Designing parts for 3D printing

The FPV hobby relies greatly on customized solutions, from adapters to motor protectors to antenna holders, designing your own parts and printing them makes the hobby a lot more fun and makes you much more independent. Not having to rely on someone else to make a solution to your issue is such a big step into the hobby. This also allows you to make solutions for others and be active in the FPV community. So if you got yourself a 3D printer and you’re looking to start printing your own parts, read along and I’ll go over the basics for you to start using it to it’s fullest.

 

3D Modeling Software

To start making your own parts, you’ll need a 3D modeling software. There are a bunch available out there at all price points : 

TinkerCAD : TinkerCAD is a free 3D modeling software aimed at beginners. There are tons of tutorials available to get you started and a lot of support available in online groups. TinkerCAD is limited because it is aimed at those starting, but is a great way to start designing. You can download TinkerCAD here.

Fusion360 : Fusion 360 is a great way to design if you have a decent base of knowledge. Fusion 360 is not as user friendly as TinkerCAD but allows more complex designs as you progress. There’s a free and paid version that you can get here.

OnShape : Onshape is also a more advanced software that’ll be more adapted to people with more solid basic knowledge. You can get OnShape here.

Solidworks : Solidworks is a paid software aimed at professionals. It has everything you could need for small and big projects. You can get solidworks here.

FreeCAD : It’s in the name, freeCAD is free and fully fledged. Runs locally and is available on every platform imaginable. If running firmware locally and without needing an account, FreeCAD is for you, you can get it here. 

Blender with CAD Sketcher : Blender is a free 3D animation software that is really popular for its very large selection of tutorials, but also community made plugins. CAD Sketcher allows you to use Blender in a similar way to other 3D modeling software, with the added bonus of being able to have multiple workflows in the same software. You can get Blender here and CAD Sketcher here.

Methods and Intentional Design

When designing, you have to take into account how your design will translate into being fabricated. Different materials and machines need to be taken into account when designing. For 3D printing, you have to remember that the machine deposits material layer by layer, so anything that overhangs is to be avoided. You also have to take into consideration your tolerances, as plastic shrinks when cooling.

Therefore, when you start designing, experiment and learn how you can design with your own printer and figure out your method that works for you. Part of the hobby is having fun and learning by experimenting, so try stuff and learn from it!

As for settings, you’ll have to start with the presets given by your printer manufacturer and try different things from there. There isn’t an end all be all that will work for every printer, just like the rest, you’ll need to experiment. As a rule of thumb, you can work by adding or removing matter in volumic modeling.

With 3D printing, you want to avoid overhangs. An overhang is when the material is ‘hovering’ over your build plate. 3D printers work by depositing material on a flat plane, and overhangs need to be supported, and reduce the strength of your part. Supports, which are needed for overhangs, waste material and often can cause prints to fail. Sometimes, supports are necessary because of the parts geometry.

Next, you want to think before designing, about how the material will be oriented on your part. 3D printing has its limits with layer adhesion. So you’ll want to orient your part in a way that the forces are applied along the layer and not across the material layer.

Materials

The material you use greatly impacts the way you design. In the RC hobby, the most used materials are : PLA, PETG and TPU. When designing for stiffer materials, like PLA and PETG, you have to take into account that they aren’t forgiving and will break if there isn’t enough material in thin areas. The best way to learn is to experiment with different thicknesses and infill types to strengthen your build. When designing, keep in mind the forces applied to your part. TPU is a lot more resistant at the cost of rigidity, you can design your parts with tighter tolerances because the material stretches. 

Applications

3D printing opens up a world of possibilities that can be applied to so many different projects. Each application will require you to evaluate your situation and design differently to accommodate those requirements.

3D printing has become an invaluable tool for FPV enthusiasts, allowing pilots to create custom solutions and enhance their experience. By mastering 3D modeling software and understanding the nuances of 3D printing, you can design and print parts that perfectly suit your needs. 

Experimentation is key, as different materials and settings influence the final product. Remember to consider overhangs, material orientation, and the forces applied to your part. The flexibility of 3D printing opens up a world of possibilities for all your future projects.