Project Glider v2.0

thingiverse

This project was sparked by Project: Rubberband Glider (https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:1744950). While not a direct remix of the original files, everything here was created by me and my daughter (Grade 3). I made sure to give proper attribution because the idea behind this concept was largely inspired by insane66's version. This is my first thing upload, so let me know if I'm doing it wrong. It's also the first time I've designed an aircraft more complex than a paper plane, so there are bound to be mistakes. Let me know what I did wrong so it can be improved in future models. This thing is a work in progress. More photos, video, and thing files will be uploaded as they're made. The idea here is to make your own modifications or create new versions and share them for others to try or be inspired by. See what you can come up with! Show us how it flies. Tell us why you did what you did and if it performed to expectation. If it fails, try to figure out why and share with the community so others can avoid that mistake, fix it, repeat it, and learn from it. There's a video about how I came to make this thing and some clips of it gliding on YouTube: https://youtu.be/BfO1I9xDWLM Print Settings Printer Brand: RepRap Printer: i3 Prusa Rafts: No Supports: No Resolution: 0.2-0.4 Infill: 5-10% Notes: This thing is designed to glide as far as possible. Like all aircraft, it should be lightweight. Use as little material as possible while still being strong enough to survive a few hard landings. I printed in ABS to get the best strength and flexibility-to-weight ratio. I'd love to see how it goes in other materials. The first V1 body was printed with 0.2 layers, one perimeter, one top and bottom layer, and 5% infill. This wasn't quite strong enough, although it did survive an hour or more of playtime with lots of crashing. The V1 aerofoil wings should be printed vertically. Post-Printing The V1 aerofoil wings are very thin and may suffer from weak layer bonding. I found painting the ABS with acetone made them much stronger. My V2 aerofoils didn't print well and needed some sanding and patching with ABS sheet. I'll add video of that process once it's been completed. Some of these wing designs are challenging prints. If they go bad, use your imagination and experiment with different methods of repair or modification. Overview and Background What we learned and discovered. While making this thing with my child, we discussed many aspects of physics and mathematics. As an almost 9-year-old Grade 3 student, she found the measuring involved in making a design with no degrees of freedom very educational. Expanding on stuff she was doing at school while making something she could use that has a function. While still being more fun than a traditional measuring exercise at school. We also looked at aerodynamics, with the wing angles, the air resistance, and the way it moves through the air. We talked about how to make it go faster and farther. And we had a lot of fun doing it! I would recommend allowing children/students as much freedom in their design process as possible. Allow lots of time for flying, crashing, and examining failures, as well as successful aspects of various designs. Materials Needed This version was made mostly with ABS. Try not to be too limiting here. The project glider can be made with a huge variety of materials and should not be restricted to 3D printing. Skills Learned CAD Measuring Structural design Engineering Aeronautical engineering Print settings Having fun Throwing Custom Section What else can you make this from? While I did this project to test my 3D printer and challenge my skills using it, you don't have to make this with a 3D printer. It could be made from cardboard, Styrofoam, Balsa wood, or any lightweight craft materials. Be creative! How else can you make a project glider? Share it online so others can be inspired and have fun while learning.