Testing 3D Printed Rig for an R/C Wing Sail Land Yacht Prototype

My name is Ernest Leigh and the name of my company is Dragonfly HC3D Studios, LLC. It's a start-up concept design studio dedicated to creating distinctively unique three dimensional models of futuristic aircrafts, vehicles, characters and other imaginative creations targeted at the media and entertainment industry. Our emphasis is on the high-end Radio/Remote Controlled (R/C) Toys and Model Kit markets.

In an industry saturated with World War II replicas, movie and TV based subjects, Dragonfly HC3D Studios, LLC represents a fresh alternative in design for the next generation of high-end R/C and model kit enthusiasts and the serious hobbyist who are looking for something new, challenging and beyond conventional design concepts. To achieve this, Dragonfly HC3D Studios developed and perfected a unique lean-forward-thinking technique that involves building geometrically complex models and sculptures out of cardboard without drawings or sketches as a guide. The advantages of using cardboard as the primarily choice of medium are that it is cheaper and readily available. This paradigm shift in the design process is unique to Dragonfly HC3D Studios and makes the design process as a whole very dynamic as multiple design ideas can be derived from a single concept. At the core of our design principle is Kaizen, the Japanese philosophy of continuous improvement. Each cardboard model can be viewed as a first stage prototype to validate the concept, it’s proportions, and its design aesthetics. The models are designed and built by hand from the ground up with specific components and characteristics making it one-of-a-kind and difficult to duplicate. To supplement this and ensure perfect dimensions and enhance the precision of the design and form factor, the completed model or sculpture is digitized using a 3D Laser Scanner and the geometries further refined with added details using CAD software. The digital model or sculpture derived from the scan data can be fed to a 3D printer and printed out as a whole or as individual parts to be assembled. The end result is a visually complex and highly detailed tactile model.

This is a 3D model of an original design of a rig system for a R/C wing sail land yacht prototype I designed and built using cardboard and balsa wood. The rig is made up of 4 parts modeled in Rhino 3D and sent out to be 3D printed. The images and the video shows the 3D model, the printed parts individually and assembled and the final testing of the part on the prototype (video - http://www.youtube.com/user/DragonflyHC3DS).

I don't have any drawings to show as I don't draw, I visualize and deconstruct my design ideas into individual parts. I think it and build it.

With over 256 templates and 47 (cardboard) prototypes models built so far, winning the Objet 30 Desktop 3D Printer + 6 months worth of 3D printing supplies would go a long way in helping take my designs to the next level and set Dragonfly HC3D Studios on the right path to success.