R5-D4: Update May/June 2023

Update from May 29th 2023

June:

TCD Control box update:

The new relay arrived, last month (May), but didn’t get a chance to do any work on the new 3D housing as work (that pays me lol) was really busy with deadlines before I was then away for a week.

I modified the base and lid to accommodate the relay & printed them out. See previous post here.

Here’s a picture and link for the new relay from Model Radio Workshop:

(Im not affiliated with this or any other sites that I link too)

R5-D4: Update April/May 2023

I’ve been giving R5 as he hadn’t been actually moved since Birmingham at the NEC.

New Dome motor wheel:

3D printed him a new wheel, as on the previous one the retainer nut wasn’t being held well and the PLA had been stretched. So I slightly modified some of the sizes and then printed it in ABS. Fitted the nut and 'o’ring and then fitted it onto the motor shaft.

Test was on Saturday at…..

 ...April

Next up was to connect up the new receiver. This didn’t take me to long, compared to the nightmare I had trying to sort it out when at Celebration 🙄.

I didn’t need to connect power (previous TX require power), this one utilities the power from being connected by the servo leads. Jacking up the wheels meant I was able to setup the drive and steering channels, plus the extra switch ones, for the utility arm, sounds and (once I have the long enough servo lead) I’ll be able to trigger the trading card dispenser.

Trading card dispenser:

A while back, I made a new trigger control box that utilised a servo controlled relay, instead of the previous remote control. Once the servo lead arrived, I crimped on new plugs to connect up the TCD control box.

View Blog post here.

But on testing it….. I realised that it needed to have a momentary activation rather than an actual ‘switch’. So I’ve been on Radio Model Workshops website and will be ordering a single RC switch relay, which has the option of it being a momentary one. So this control box will get another upgrade when it arrives.

In the meantime, I swapped the control box back over to the remote control version and 3D printed a new box for the remote, so that it could be attached to the new rear panel I’d printed off for the new Flysky transmitter.

I drew up a button bracket, that fits into one of the rear screw hole sockets, this will be upgraded again to look better and also hold the LED in place.

May 9th

Outer foot ankle lock:

The outer foot shell needed some repair to it, so with the legs off the body, I stripped the outer foot down. The ankle locks unbolted and the ankle bolt nut (previously held in place with super glue), fell out lol. I knew I needed a better way to hold them in place. I had thought about a lock washer, but then a lightbulb 💡 moment came. I measured up and drew up a nut holder to 3D print. It would be held in place by a bolt.

Nut holder loose.

Nut holder moved into position. I applied some thread lock to help keep it in position, but only nipped it tight to allow the ankle bolt to locate through into the thread.

I’ve added the file to my Prusa page.

The wooden foot shell got cleaned up inside to allow the new glass fibre to bond properly. Good as new again.

Relay switch holders - 3D printed

Relay switch holder

I designed this holder for the relay switch from 'Model Radio Workshop' (link)
It's just a simple holder to help keep it in place, once inside R5-D4.
I've also drawn up a dual holder, see other link below.

As per usual, I drew it up in AutoCAD Inventor, works program, and then printed it out on the Ultimaker S5.

Thingiverse Link

This dual version, is not just a simple, placing two of the above together, I had to modify the design slightly.

Thingiverse Link for dual holder

This was the third cable clip design I came up with. The cable easily folds around and slides under the clip, holding the relay unit in place.

Sounds for Droids - 2020 upgrade 1.1

With R5’s electrical re-wire almost complete, and not being one to finish one thing before starting another lol, I turned my attention to the relay switch I mentioned in 1.0 of this update segment.
Link to Sounds for Droids - 2019 upgrade 1.0

I didn’t want anything to complicated, so went for a design that will hold the relay in place with a cable retainer on the other end.

This was the first test print to prof the idea. The updated version will be a more snug fit....will know for sure once printed.

I left the screw terminals accessible for connecting up the leads.