Dream Chaser 3d Model [3d printable]

[Chuck Tetakel]

Here is a model of the Dream Chaser. It will be used for Orbiter Space flight simulator, but i also want to make it available here if somebody wants to 3d print it. Also i hope to get some feedback to improve it.

I did not test yet if it prints fine, so it would be great if somebody who has experience with 3d printing could take a look over it to check if everything is fine.

Also here is the model that is intended for orbiter (The model i attached for 3d printing is simplified (No gear, cockpit, rcs, control surfaces).
 
Cockpit : https://skfb.ly/yuxH
Dream Chaser : https://skfb.ly/yuxG

I am not really happy with it currently because of several inaccurate modeled parts (the complete Cockpit, landing gears). So i hope that maybe somebody here could point me into the right direction how they should look like.

[BrightLight]

I've been lurking about in your other site,watching your progress (I'm a DC fan) and i think your mold line model is fantastic - well done. The cockpit is a bit of a problem, the only work I've ever seen was from the HL-20 period from the 90's

[TaylorR137]

If you post a colored model I will print it with the ZCorp 510 I have access to, but the obj and stl files you posted are without color.

[TaylorR137]

Here's the batch I 3D printed today!

[Prober]

Here is a model of the Dream Chaser. It will be used for Orbiter Space flight simulator, but i also want to make it available here if somebody wants to 3d print it. Also i hope to get some feedback to improve it.

First rate work, will put this file in to print.  You asked for improvements.   The wide homebuilt 3D printers will have some problems printing the file in one piece.   If you could take off the nozzles and fins to print flat that would be great.  If you want to go further make it a snap print model.  Snap print = add some tabs to lock in the parts.   See http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:45316 for an example of a snap print.

[Chuck Tetakel]

First rate work, will put this file in to print.  You asked for improvements.   The wide homebuilt 3D printers will have some problems printing the file in one piece.   If you could take off the nozzles and fins to print flat that would be great.  If you want to go further make it a snap print model.  Snap print = add some tabs to lock in the parts.   See http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:45316 for an example of a snap print.

Thanks for the help! The 3d print version already has all nozzles, fins, docking ports etc. removed.
 The snap printing really sounds interesting  though! I will try to look into it, could come useful for the docking port and the engines. I hope I can buy some cheap printrbot soon for some experimenting.

Here's the batch I 3D printed today!

Wow the prints came out really well ! Only noticed that the winglets look quite strange, because of the way i modeled them. I will try to fix that.

[Ronpur50]

Those look great!  I hope you can get the design uploaded to Shapeways so those of us without printers can buy prints!

[Prober]

Those look great!  I hope you can get the design uploaded to Shapeways so those of us without printers can buy prints!

The file you need is in that zip file above.  You can send that over to Shapeways or any of the other companies.

If you don't have a printer yet and want to play from the files end that's easy.  Download this program netfab, think of it as a "text editor" for 3D printers.  Best of all its free.  http://www.netfabb.com/basic.php

[Hobbes-22]

The model you attached is one solid object. On a home printer, you generally get the option to print only the outer wall of a solid object and fill the inside with webbing.
Shapeways won't do this, so the entire volume of the model will be printed. Since Shapeways pricing is based on the printed volume, the model would be very expensive. For Shapeways, you'd need to add an inner shell to create a hollow model.

The model also needs some scale information. When I open the .obj file in NetFabb, it's 0.1 mm long. If you provide the length of the original, whoever wants to print it can work out the scale factor to apply to the .obj file.

[Prober]

The model you attached is one solid object. On a home printer, you generally get the option to print only the outer wall of a solid object and fill the inside with webbing.
Shapeways won't do this, so the entire volume of the model will be printed. Since Shapeways pricing is based on the printed volume, the model would be very expensive. For Shapeways, you'd need to add an inner shell to create a hollow model.

The model also needs some scale information. When I open the .obj file in NetFabb, it's 0.1 mm long. If you provide the length of the original, whoever wants to print it can work out the scale factor to apply to the .obj file.

you can enlarge and reduce in NetFabb along X, Y and Z.  and most use the .stl file. 

 Does sound like more of a Spaceways problem but a hollow print should be and easy fix.

[Hobbes-22]

I know you can scale in Netfabb, but I don't know by how much. I can probably find the length of the Dream Chaser online somewhere, but is that specification the same length that Chuck based his model on?
For example: in an aircraft, the total length often includes a pitot tube. If that's not present in the printed model, the model's length won't match the specification.

[Chuck Tetakel]

I wouldn't recommend printing the model I currently have uploaded. As Taylor  told me,  the tail fin is too thin and probably could break while printing. That should be fixed by tonight. The scale should be about. 0.017 AFAIR. I can also upload the model to scale so everybody can scale down himself.

[Fequalsma]

Somewhat related.  Z-Printed NASA meatball.
F=ma

[TaylorR137]

For getting the scale right we could look at measurements of the docking port, since thats standard.

I used wikipedia's stats on dream chaser for scale when printing, but noticed the dock is bigger than the Dragon I printed at the same scale, so I think Hobbes is right about that number including the pitot tube.

[Ronpur50]

Cargo Dragon uses a different berthing port (CBM) than the manned vehicles, which will dock using the "International Docking Adapter".  Just like shuttle used when docking, it was smaller than the CBM was used on the MPLMs.  So be careful using that for scale.

[TaylorR137]

Cargo Dragon uses a different berthing port (CBM) than the manned vehicles, which will dock using the "International Docking Adapter".  Just like shuttle used when docking, it was smaller than the CBM was used on the MPLMs.  So be careful using that for scale.

Thanks for the correction!

[Hotdog876]

The Dream Chaser is 29.53 ft in length and has a wingspan of 22.97 ft.

[Chuck Tetakel]

I made some resing casting (? hope thats the right english word)  models. I have a mold left over that should be good for about ~10-15 more casts. Before the mold "expires", i thought it would be better to give it to somebody else. If somebody does resing casting and has a use for the mold i will gladly give it away. You only have to pay the shipping.

The model is ~8.7 cm long, ~6.6 cm wide, ~2,8 cm high

edit: The mold is gone 

[Ronpur50]

I would love to have a casting, but I have no skills in using a mold.

[Chuck Tetakel]

I would love to have a casting, but I have no skills in using a mold.

Sadly i cant give away the models i have in the pictures since i still need them for some school projects. Also i do not have access to the tools to cast new models, since i made the casts in the pictures during a work experience (or internship not sure how its called).

But maybe somebody else will like to do some casts and give some away / sell a few, whatever the person intends to do  .