3D Printed Parts on an FRC Robot?

[Cothron Theiss]

Originally Posted by Michael Hill

I've been toying around with the idea of using 3D printed turret parts. I generated a large (either HTD or GT2) sprocket, put a hole in it and split it into 6 sections. Those six sections get 3D printed and then bolted onto aluminum.

That looks really interesting! Does it have to be 6 sections though? I feel like the fewer sections you can make it out of, the tighter your tolerances will be. Also, you might want to add in a different way of aligning and piloting your sprocket sections. It looks like you're just using the bolt holes, but those will not hold very tight tolerances, from the printer and to the actual fit. Maybe design in a boss or something similar to the Versakey pattern, or something where the edges of the sections meet so that they fit like puzzle pieces. Make it tight enough so it's a light press fit on an arbor press, and they'll align much more true to your design.