Minuteman III Missile Model

thingiverse

This is a 3D Model of the Minuteman III Missile currently used by the US Air Force. The model is designed to snap together and come apart to show missile operations. To print the missile tightly together requires careful tuning as all printers are slightly different, and settings that work on one may not work on another. This model is designed for printing with a 0.4 mm nozzle and 0.4 mm extrusion width. The stage body pieces have a funnel shape on one end, which prints against the build surface, and the top (or bottom in the case of the 3rd stage) fit in like a cork in a bottle - and are glued in place - with glue applied to the inside edge towards the top of the funnel. It's essential to keep the same settings for all stage bodies as it affects how the interstages fit. The interstage piece STL files are solid, making them more adjustable. Print them with 0% infill and no top or bottom with 2-layer walls. Adjust the extrusion width and extrusion multiplier to make them fit perfectly to the stages. The PBCS is printed in three pieces: the shell and the middle top and bottom. There's a PBCS "jig" STL file that makes assembly easier. You'll notice an indentation in the shell and one part is larger, which is the bottom. Place the shell over the jig with the bigger portion on the bottom. Put the MGS top portion into the shell; it should fit snugly in place. Then apply glue to the back of the MGS piece and PBCS shell, and finally put the PSRE middle piece in place. The platform pieces have a glue gap to prevent glue from seeping out. Apply glue to the middle innermost flat surface and glue the two pieces together. Print with the glue gap against the build plate. The RVs are the hardest part to fit to the platform. I made four sizes with different-sized holes, which should enable you to find a size that fits; perfection can be achieved with extrusion multiplier adjustments. The Shroud file is also solid and was printed with the first 4 layers having 2-layer walls, 0.4 mm extrusion width, 0% infill, and no top or bottom. The rest was printed corkscrew with 0.48 mm walls. The raceway is then glued down the z-seam and cut for each stage and interstage. The STL files are oriented as they are assembled; they will need to be re-oriented for printing. Fusion 360 files have also been included.