olnico

Hello all.
I have just finished designing a new accessory for the Xicoy CG machine. More specifically for the angle sensors.

I found out that the sensors were a good idea, but in practice were difficult to use because of the fact that it is offered as a bare IC board and that it is not flat due to the heat shrink protecting it for a portion of its length.

I tried using it with some sticky paste placed underneath the board but I could never get proper stability out of the sensor and was having the issue of the board moving with the flight control. I did not want to use tape to place it on the aircraft as it could damage some thin paint jobs.

So I decided to find a solution to give justice to this wonderful little accessory and be able to truly achieve its 1/10th degree precision.
I CAD designed some mount with the following requirements in mind:

• A wide an stable base to anchor the sensor on the flight control surface.
• Inner ribs offering a positive stop for the sensor IC board, thus a stable position of the electronics.
• 4 inner dots of 0.5 mm that would make me feel that the board is clipped in position.
• A recess that would allow the positioning of 4 sticky paste balls to lock the sensor in position and prevent it from moving when the control is actuated.
• Made from my favorite orange transparent resin and laser precision printed to 50 micron resolution.
• The transparent resin would allow to see the status LED of the board.

Here is what I came up with:

.

And the mount after the printing process as seen from above:


And from the bottom:


With the board installed.


Note the recess left below the base:



That allows placing 4 balls of sticky paste.


Here is the sensor placed in position. Note the blue status LED on the right corner.


Here is the product page:

http://www.ultimate-jets.net/collect...-sensor-mounts

Let me know what you think about it.
This will be included in each Deluxe bundle from now on.

HarryC

My Feedback: (1)

What is sticky paste? Bluetack? Does it not flex slightly as the control surface moves?

olnico

Yes, blue tack.
If you'd put too much, it would flex. The idea is to put just enough so that when you press the mount on the surface, it gets completely in contact with it.

Levi Wags

Great idea Oli. I was thinking the same thing. No point having a nice car without a steering wheel hey. Nice work.

HarryC

My Feedback: (1)

Do you post to the UK Oli?
Blue Tack brand leaves an oily patch, is there a brand that doesn't?

olnico

I can ship one set to you for sure Harry.
I do not use blue Tack but a white paste that works fine for me.
If you think that you don't get enough stability with sticky paste, you can use re positionable adhesive sticky back tape from 3M.

olnico

Thanks Levi! have other accessories for the CG machine coming after the summer.

HarryC

My Feedback: (1)

In that case I might wait to see what that is and order a bundle of stuff from you to make the best of the overseas shipping costs.
H

olnico

Sure Harry. No problem.
Just send me an email when you are ready to order. I will send the items to you directly from the production line in Dubai. This will cost more than half the price as sending from Houston with my Fedex account.
Anything that fits a standard padded envelop and is less than 500 grs is a flat rate of 10 USD to the UK.

olnico

The paste I use is UHU Patafix. German stuff. Easy to find in the UK I guess.