3D Printing Techniques for 3-D printed mid- and high-power components?

[Kelly]

Does anyone do much printing of components for mid- or high-power rockets? Nose cones, body/ebay sections, etc.? Looking for design guidance. Best materials? Thickness of parts? If using a double wall construction with interior web, do you design the web in? Or let the slicer do it for you?

 

[cwbullet]

I do. PETG, ABS, PC, and CF infused filaments work well. I just let slicer do the work. At this stage, I use it mostly for select parts.

 

[JohnCoker]

Which CF-infused filament do you like? I was disappointed with the MatterHackers Nylon-X filament.

 

[Mike_Andrews]

I am working on doing a carbon fiber wrap of my 3d printed parts. Start with a resin print and then sleeve it in carbon fiber or fiberglass.

Hoping to get the rocket launched in September. 38mm engine. 66mm diameter rocket.

 

[OverTheTop]

I have done some ABS transitions and nosecones. Project details here:
https://forum.ausrocketry.com/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=5019Mach 2.14 on the O-M flight.

If you are trying to sleeve it make sure you can get decent bonding to the FDM parts. I had trouble with that on my Apache fins and went back to a fiberglass core. The bonding on the ABS was too process dependent.

Make sure you think about which axis of the part has the z-axis weakness of the 3D print, if you are using FMD. SLA not so much of a problem.

 

[Kelly]

I am working on doing a carbon fiber wrap of my 3d printed parts.

What parts? Tube, or something more custom (NC, fincan, etc.)

 

[Mike_Andrews]

Sorry for not answering sooner. Too many irons in the fire. I have access to DLP resin printers with a ~340mm Z height. The tradeoff is that we only have ~70mm X ~140mm X and Y.
However, the resins are constantly improving and our Z layer strength is fairly solid. Not quite as good as SLA, but the tradeoff is that I have a 65nm pixel width. So VERY fine detail.
I will be working on the traditional layup of the fins and a sleeve for the body tube. I spent most of the weekend trying to get two complete sets of parts for the prototype that I am working on. I have some previous iterations that I am practicing doing layups with using fiberglass until I am ready for the carbon fiber.
Pics as I have time. No rest for the wicked....

 

[Kelly]

Sorry for not answering sooner.

No worry, this is a hobby, not a job!
And, now that I think, I've probably seen all your stuff at OROC meetings, right?

Thanks!

 

[Mike_Andrews]

That would be correct.
However, major redesign in the last couple of months. Can't wait to show off the carbon fiber results once I have the rocket sleeved.