Printing for Repurposing

Carbon Fiber Arducopter/Quadcopter Frame by Octovir

Carbon Fiber Arducopter/Quadcopter Frame by Octovir

One of the things I really like about being able to print 3D objects is that designs and solutions can be so much more than duct tape and paperclip hacks.  If your designs are centered around existing and readily available objects – say Pez dispensers or 2 liter bottles – your finished project can be every bit as professional as the thing for which those parts were intended.  Thingiverse user Octovir is working on developing a Carbon Fiber Arducopter/Quadcopter using printed parts.  Since a MakerBot Thing-O-Matic won’t produce carbon fiber parts1 , the real issue is where do you find light weight and strong carbon fiber parts?

Answer:  Arrow shafts.

A 3D printer, like no other tool, let’s you combine and remix existing objects for endless repurposing.  In a sense, it’s the ultimate recycling machine.

So I purchased an Arducopter Pre-assembled and tested, Something I rarely do. Maybe it was a subconscious action then, that within a week I had smashed it into the ground? Now I am designing and rebuilding it, testing and learning and really enjoying it. Some pieces survived and I had initially thought to design things as a replacement/upgrade. Now I think that would be silly to tell people to "Print these, and buy these 'special' parts", so I am making the attempt to make this frame fully DIY... I haven't really been documenting the process, but initially it seemed there would be a slight weight savings in the carbon fiber/ABS parts vs the stock arducopter aluminum/acrylic parts. Maybe some different construction methods could be used to increase savings? This is very much a work in progress, but thought I'd get the idea out in order get some feedback and enable collaboration.
This thing brought to you by Thingiverse.com
  1. Yet!!! []
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One Comment so far

  • דפוס
    September 6, 2011 at 9:13 am
     

    it always amazes me the things you can do with technology..

     
 

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