Jonathan Perlman
RC Nissan SKYLINE:
Remote Controlled Model.
This project began as a sliced model of my favorite car, that then evolved into a remote controlled, Arduino based project. The shell is a laser cut abs skeleton, with 70+ detailed ribs to give the car its features. The wheels were purchased, but their bearing mounts and adapters were custom designed to work with the servo steering system. The car is controlled via Bluetooth to an android app and only has the simple controls of "forward", "backward", "left", and "right".
Specs:
- 24" x 8" x 6" Laser Cut ABS shell
- LiPo powered
- Servo controlled steering
- Bluetooth connected.
Coding based of modifications from the following sources:
https://www.tinkernut.com/2014/03/control-rc-car-smartphone/
https://create.arduino.cc/projecthub/samanfern/bluetooth-controlled-car-d5d9ca
The Shell
When designing the shell of the car, I wanted to keep size and weight in mind, while preserving detail. I went with a sliced concept, and used the outer edge of each rib to create the details of the car. This enabled me to keep many of the car's features while scaling the model. To do this, I used Autodesk Fusion 360 to design a low-poly version of the car, and then sent the file into Autodesk Slicer. From there I laser cut the pieces and began to assemble.
Shell Assembly Animation (Right)
Shell Assembly (Bottom Left)
Finished Shell (Bottom Right)
Steering System
With the shell complete, I began to work on the mechanical elements. Using Fusion 360, I planned and designed the Ackerman steering system. Knowing the radius and arc length of the servo, as well as the distance from wheel to wheel, I used the constraints to determine the length of the tie rod (moving bar) in the system. I then laser cut a prototype in cardboard to test. After making some tolerance adjustments, the steering system was ready to be made out of ABS.
Getting the wheels attached to the system became the next challenge. After testing a few options, I decided to use a locking, insert bearing that would connect to a custom 3D printed steering knuckle. The outer bearing ring would then friction fit into the wheel, allowing for smooth rotation. Since the front wheels are not powered, the ability for each front wheel to spin freely was crucial.
The back wheels were the attached to the rear and directly connected to a gearbox motor (TT motor with 1:48 reduction).
Images below show the development of the steering system.
Remote Control
With the steering system complete, all that was left was to wire up the car. Using a modified script from the web friend, I, with the help of a friend, was able to to connect a phone app to the Bluetooth module on the car (https://www.tinkernut.com/2014/03/control-rc-car-smartphone/). With the phone connection enabled, the car was ready to drive!
After successfully wiring and coding the system on the single piece of ABS (Left) I mounted all of the electronics to the side walls of the car, and put the steering system and the rear wheels on separate platforms (Right). This helped reduce weight, allowed ease of access to the on/off switch, and gave better access to the battery holder.
Driving
The range of the car is unfortunately not very good. As seen in the video on the left, I lose control of the car as it gets farther away, resulting in a crash. I was however, very impressed with the turning ability of the car. As seen in the Video on the right, the car can handle turns well and at a high speeds.