3D Printed Servo Receptacle for Durability

Hello, I've started dabbling in Computer Aided Design and decided to make a removable servo receptacle for my radio controlled canard plane using a 3D printer. Due to the nature of canards on aircraft, I had to place my servos towards the front of the plane, however this made the servos susceptible to breaking from crashes. Therefore, I've designed a servo receptacle that enables the servos to move upon crashing so that the now reduced force of impact occurs over a longer period of time. I've looked at the impulse equation and reduced impact force by increasing time of impact. One can compare this effect to the crumple zone of a car upon crashing. Therefore servos along with the attached control surfaces don't break; they detach instead. I imagine that others prototyping any vehicle or device that has servos susceptible to some impact can benefit from this design.

For further explanation on physics used here, see link:

Physics_Impulse

Step 1: Measure Dimensions

It's critical to measure the dimensions of the device that you would like to attach the servo receptacle to. It's important to ensure a snug fit, yet ensure that the servo receptacle can move along with the servos in it, thus it may be necessary to add a few millimeters to your servo receptacle attachment slot and servo insert.

Step 2: Design Receptacle Using Cad Software

There are many potential uses for a device like this. My application is one of many thus there are quite a few possible designs. Here's mine, designed in Autodesk Fusion 360. The file is attached as well.

****The dimensions in the drawing are in inches.****

Step 3: Attach Servo Receptacle to Device and Test

Now that the servo receptacle is attached, one can now test the device. Here are my many test failures and a success above. As you can see, the servo receptacle takes many impacts. In addition, the servos along with the attached canards survive undamaged for more testing.

Step 4: Keep Testing and Make Improvements to Servo Receptacle

Attached is a motivational video for all of those who are in the test phase of their instructable/project so that we can keep going! I am still developing the canard plane at the moment along with other aircraft that use a similar Servo Receptacle. Overall, the design gives me confidence that I can test time after time without breaking electronics or canards at the nose of the aircraft so that I can learn more without having to go home to make repairs. Overall, any device that expects frontward impact can use this concept thus, ideally make prototyping easier. Thank you Instructables for allowing the world-wide sharing of ideas!