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Yesterday, I made a lot of progress...

I started during the lunch break by doing some reverse engineering of two parts closing the gearbox on the motor side...


Once you have it done, it looks definitely easier to understand - I guess I will have less difficulty next time I'll model a motor plate or a gearbox, and probably I should have started by this before the gearbox...
I finalized the components at the end of my day of work...


Then it was time to start the suspension arms... I started by the front bottom ones...





On the top one, I changed slightly the way I worked, based on the learnings of the bottom one... It went very much faster...



Then I had to take care of the rear ones... I spend a lot more time on it as it is done differently, and second the measures are a bit difficult...



I got all the arms now... That was quicker than what I thought initially...



Few things I found which helps to work faster and with more insurances on the results :

• drawing a line on a sketch not exactly on the line you want to apply it makes it easier to set the colinear property
• defining  circle by their tangent lines positions makes it quicker that defining the center position as it corresponds most of the time to what you measure
• sometimes its worth to apply a constraint: it will tell you if it is already considered
• applying a fillet on a sketch means loosing the definition point of the lines, you have to reset the colinear property after having done the fillet

Next step will require me to understand the metal sheet mode of Confusion 360... I guess it is another learning curve (again another hint that I did not start by a car easy to model in first place   )

I started this morning by two parts that are mounted on top and on the bottom of the gearbox, one to fix the front sway bar, and the second one to fix the skid plate, That was very easy part to do... And another set of complex things begin : part of what I had to do relies on the fact the bumper is properly seated on the skid plate, and the skidplate itself sits on a metal plate, bended and joining the motor plate and the radiator, annd going along the gearbox...

Few videos on youtube and some chat with my mentor later, I was able to pull some edges using metalsheet mode of Fusion 360...
Once done, I did the sketches on the faces of the metal plate requiring holes as per the measurements I done with the caliper and it's joyful to see a hole in the plate discovering a hole where the screw goes in...


It seemed to me that the chassis measurements may be more accurate than what I think. I therefore launched a print. I still have a doubt on the gearbox mounting points, but this will hep to clear out the doubts.


I then started to work out the battery holders (asymmetric, just like a Hotshot),  and some parts which would allow mean to pull some edges of metal sheet again with the shock towers...


Once this was done, I used inspect to check if the battery pack would find home... 133.5 mm ouuups!!!


Small correction later (added .25 mm on each battery holder sides) it's now where it should 134 mm!


I also tested my measuring tool and it may still require a bit of adjustment but it's already a good start...

This morning, a print was waiting for me on the printer bed....


I've started my day by checking my print and the parts around...

First important point was to check the gearbox mounting point... They are lining with the gearbox holes, but the motor plate cut out is having a half millimeter issue.


The radio box mounting points are lining up perfectly, as well as the battery door and battery holders


The top half chassis mounting points are also lining up, and I could check to remove one millimeter in the front extension. 


I will need to review the chassis sketches before to make sure it would not impact any other measurement...

I also made an additional part, which means that for the suspension, I have now all the parts which are generally prone to break in CAD already...


I modified both the chassis motor plate cut out and the gearbox as they were linked in my CAD file, and I launched a gearbox left print to check if it meshes, and if the right one is lining up...

Next bumper plate and bumper...

The gearbox is printed... Time to do some checks.


First, the mesh is good.

Next step, trying to fit it with the right one...





Good : meshed, profile is right, position of the internals right, centering plot right,  8 holes rightly positioned
Bad : 3 holes requiring review, and some cut from the skid plate breaking a feature...

Not too bad when you consider the complexity of the part...

Corrections done, cut the profile of the gearbox and send it to the printer so I can check it's better...

That's an awesome work marc. Only some details and a legend is on road again

I've finished the quick print of the gearbox profile. And it now matches the the gearbox (the real one)...


My gearbox is also good now

Gearbox halves are also ready for finish now...

Congrats marc

Thanks.

The gearbox is polished and final.
The chassis still require some polishing.
I'm almost tempted to get all the parts being printed in MJF PA12, but that requires work by itself to reduce the costs as I would need to create sprues with the parts...

Pure madness, great work Marc. Looks fantastic

Thanks Lee & Flo

Worked a bit on the CAD yesterday, but did not have a chance to post about it as it was  very much time to go to sleep

Yesterday made the last part between the chassis and the bumper, which was required to be able to seat the bumper...



The web may not be perfect, but it's there...

And tonight was time to get the bumper done...
After too much sketches and extrusions, it's there...




I took an image from the front, and I think I know from where the inspiration of spaceships anime is coming from   


Tomorrow will be time for top half chassis and perhaps the rollcage...