Aug 12, 2015 | By Simon
When it comes to small scale manufacturing, some of the original ‘Makers’ who have been actively using fabrication methods such as 3D printing or laser cutting for years now include hobbyists who build their own scale models including planes, trains and automobiles.
Although using 3D printing to create a variety of parts and accessories for these projects has reached an all-time high, we surprisingly haven’t seen as many RC automobile projects as we would expect. However, among others who have been designing a range of RC automobiles include Jakub Ratajczyk, a a graduate student of Academy of Fine Arts. With over ten years of modeling and 3D printing experience with a focus on RC cars, it’s safe to say that Ratajczyk certainly knows what he is doing.
More recently, Ratajczyk chose to 3D print a radio controlled car as his graduate project as an opportunity to fuse together multiple skillsets including modeling, robotics, programing, electronics and of course, 3D printing. Because it was his graduate project, he wanted to pursue a complex form for the 3D printed body design.
After modeling the body, Ratajczyk printed the body in six parts using a Zmorph single-headed 1.75 extruder. Each of the parts were printed in QH at a .15mm layer height and were glued together to create a final, large body part. But while the body design is certainly impressive, it is perhaps Ratajczyk’s post-production work on the body that stands out the most.
After he had the body printed, Ratajczyk sanded it using fine grit sandpaper to reveal a smooth and workable finish. Once the part was dusted and cleaned, he was able to complete the part with black spray paint to provide a protective layer as well as a glossy varnish. Once the piece was dry, he mounted it to the car assembly that he had previously built before taking it for a test drive.
The project is just one of many that we’ve been impressed by that has come off of a ZMorph 3D printer.
The company’s first 3D printer was created in 2012 as a modification of the RepRap open source printer project and has since become a 3D printer that is used by everybody from artists and architects to designers and engineers.
While there’s no word yet on if Ratajczyk plans to share the STL files for others to be able to 3D print their own version of his sleek RC car design, it’s definitely an inspiration for anybody who may be thinking about building their own RC car from scratch.
Posted in 3D Printing Applications
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