3D Printing 3D Printed Rail Guides

[cwbullet]

I have had success with rail guides on a resin printer, but I have never been happy with the quality on a FDM printer. I have just had terrible results with printing supports and the overhangs are terrible. Does anyone have any other results?

 

[Neutronium95]

As a last minute solution to allow it to fly at clubs without a micro rail, I designed and printed these 1010 conformal rail guides for the rocket. I printed them with the flat aft end on the bed, so they didn't require any support material. I blindly copied dimensions from a friend for the actual rail guide part, so they ended up a bit too tall, but they work fine. The pointed tips are mostly there to make alignment easy, you just have to get them on the same line. I printed them in Esun PLA+ on an Elegoo Neptune 2, and they've worked great so far for multiple flights on punchy G motors.

 

[cwbullet]

Those are easy to print. I should have been more specific. I have trouble printing the round ones.

 

[Kelly]

Buttons? Hmm I've never had issues, printing with PETG, and I don't even remember using supports. Somehow they just worked. If supports is the issue, why not design one with the steepest possible overhang? If you can get 60° that should work fine.

 

[cwbullet]

Buttons? Hmm I've never had issues, printing with PETG, and I don't even remember using supports. Somehow they just worked. If supports is the issue, why not design one with the steepest possible overhang? If you can get 60° that should work fine.

I might try that. Thanks. 90 degrees is just not working for me.

 

[BigMacDaddy]

I have done 20mm and Makerbeam as well as 1010 rail buttons / lugs... They have worked well for my low-powered rockets. They squeak and catch a bit when I am manually moving the rocket on the rail but they seem to let the rockets move freely when under their own launch power.

I think the secret is orienting them 90 degrees so that the layers and lines go from mounting point, up central post support, and though button - like Neutron95 shared.

I just flatten the back and print with a brim (also try to mount these in 3D printed parts)...

 

[thzero]

I printed some for my Estes Saturn V build in PETG, they were printed vertical so that layers are perpendicular to the body tube. Worked fine for that build.

 

[BigMacDaddy]

EDIT: Not sure why I did not see my other post above when I replied but sorry for the redundant post.

I have had success with rail guides on a resin printer, but I have never been happy with the quality on a FDM printer. I have just had terrible results with printing supports and the overhangs are terrible. Does anyone have any other results?

Chuck -- If I am doing a button I print it vertical and flatten the rear side some to eliminate need for supports.

 

[JohnCoker]

Printing this way should also avoid the issues with the Z-axis being weaker.

 

[cwbullet]

I have done 20mm and Makerbeam as well as 1010 rail buttons / lugs... They have worked well for my low-powered rockets. They squeak and catch a bit when I am manually moving the rocket on the rail but they seem to let the rockets move freely when under their own launch power.

I think the secret is orienting them 90 degrees so that the layers and lines go from mounting point, up central post support, and though button - like Neutron95 shared.

I just flatten the back and print with a brim (also try to mount these in 3D printed parts)...

View attachment 545709

This is similar to what I do. I have given up on the round ones.