Rocket Test Stand

thingiverse

I'm Excited to Share My 3D Printed Rocket Test Stand Project with You! As a hobbyist, I've always been fascinated by the world of model rockets and the engineering that goes into creating them. One of the biggest challenges in rocketry is finding a reliable and accurate way to test your creations before launching them. That's why I decided to design and 3D print my own rocket test stand. In this Instructable, I'll walk you through the process of designing and building your very own 3D printed rocket test stand. It's a fun project that requires some basic knowledge of CAD software and 3D printing, but don't worry if you're new to either - I'll guide you through every step of the way. First things first, let's talk about what makes a good rocket test stand. In my opinion, it needs to be sturdy, accurate, and easy to use. With that in mind, I designed my test stand using a combination of Autodesk Inventor and Fusion 360 CAD software. The design is based on a simple yet effective concept: a vertical column with a rotating base that allows you to easily adjust the angle of your rocket. Once you've got your design finalized, it's time to start printing! I used a LulzBot Mini 2 printer with PLA filament to print my test stand. The entire process took about 10 hours, but the end result was well worth it. Now that we have our test stand printed, let's talk about how to assemble it. It's actually quite simple: just screw together the column and base pieces, then attach the rotating mechanism using some M3 screws. Make sure everything is tightened securely before moving on to the next step. With your test stand assembled, it's time to calibrate it! This involves adjusting the angle of the base to ensure that it's level and plumb. Don't worry if this seems a bit confusing - I'll walk you through each step in detail. Now that our test stand is calibrated, let's talk about how to use it. The process is actually quite straightforward: simply place your rocket on the test stand, set the desired angle using the rotating mechanism, and then press the launch button! You can watch the entire process unfold in the video below. I hope you've enjoyed this Instructable as much as I have. If you're interested in learning more about model rockets or 3D printing, be sure to check out the links at the bottom of this page for some great resources. Thanks for watching! **Video Links:** * [Rocket Test Stand Assembly and Calibration](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f8jCtyaS5oE) * [Launch Testing a Model Rocket with My 3D Printed Test Stand](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_UxbBdy1gcU) **Resources:** * Autodesk Inventor CAD Software * Fusion 360 CAD Software * LulzBot Mini 2 3D Printer * PLA Filament Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level: 7.8