Image credit: Matthew Davis
Looking for a project a bit more complicated than 3D printing statuettes? This 3D printed mechanism is made of 33 parts and generates enough force to fling rubber bands across the room. The Arcus rubber band Gatling gun was posted on the 3D pattern forum instructables by user Matthew Davis.
Image credit: Matthew Davis
Spotted by Digital Trends, the rubber band gun fires 48 rubber bands in just seconds. The energy from the rubber bands themselves powers the rotating barrels, which are designed to be worn around the user’s arm.
Image credit: Matthew Davis
A cam system connects the trigger to the rotating barrels. Because the project is designed to be entirely 3D printed, there are no screws or glue used to hold it together.
Davis printed the gun using an Ultimaker 2 printer and ColoFabb XT White filament, but 3ders says that almost any filament-based printer with the required 200 mm x 200 mm build area would do.
The most difficult aspect of the project was making sure the printed parts would hold up to the rubber bands, and making the spinning mechanism work correctly, Davis said. He had seen designs for rubber band guns online before, but wanted to make one of his own that was a little different. The result is this fanciful project that brings next-level 3D printing to rubber-band fights.
Filed Under: Rapid prototyping
