3D Printed Pull Copter

I am currently a high school senior at Greencastle-Antrim High School in Greencastle, PA. This is a project that I made in my Engineering and Design class two years ago. The concept is that you launch a propeller straight up into the air. This is caused by pulling out a key as fast as you can. The key has teeth that mesh with a gear that it connected to twisted end that is connected to the propeller. The more speed you pull with the faster the gear spins and the more air the propeller gets. Overall, this project worked very well, and it was a great introduction to gears.

Fusion 360

Slicing Software

3D Printer

Small Screws

Screwdriver

You start by sketching the shape of the lock making sure to include three holes for the screws to go into. Then you extrude it. Next extrude another small piece under it that will be used in the next step and will connect to the lock. Then you cut out a hole for the key to fit into. After that extrude another circle on top of that and add a filet.

This piece is connected to the lock my screws and is a piece to put you thumb in so that you can hold the pull copter. First sketch the shape of thumb hold then extrude to the center of the piece you previously made. Next extrude a thin circle for the gear piece to fit into.

First extrude a small circle the same size that you made in the indent in the previous step. Then extrude a smaller circle on top of that. Next use a sweep to extrude two of the outer pieces of the ring around the smaller circle. Make sure to include a twist in the sweep so that the propeller can twist and launch off. next insert a gear into the design and line it up under the bigger circle. Then combine the pieces.

First sketch the top view of the propeller. Then draw a line straight up from the center of the sketch to the height you want. Then you another sweep and twist angle to extrude the propeller. Then use the same steps used in the previous steps to make the twist part of the gear piece to extrude into the propeller. Make sure to include room for tolerance.

Start by sketching and extruding a ring for you thumb to fit into. Then extrude a rectangle for the teeth to go on. Them sketch and extrude one of the teeth. Then use a rectangular pattern to make the rest of the teeth. Make sure that the teeth will mesh with the gear you previously made.

Move all the piece so that they fit together. Then import screws from McMaster-Carr and move them to the correct location.

Print all the pieces by inserting the stls into a slicing software, and then send them to your 3D printer. After all the pieces are printed assemble the pieces as shown.

Launch the copter and have fun!