RC model making
RC-Modellbau is the term used to refer to the construction of functional models that are radio-controlled ( R adio C ontrolled or R emote C ontrolled ).
That can be B. cars , planes , helicopters or ships . The technical implementation is very different for the various model types and only comparable in the basic principle.
Models
Car models
There are different sizes of the models from 1:83 scale up to 1: 4 scale. These vehicles have various top speeds from 15 km / h to more than 300 km / h.
Speeds such as B. 200 km / h can only be achieved with particularly powerful electric motors. Combustion engines have a stronger engine output, but they cannot achieve such high speeds because of the lower speed. According to the Guinness Book of Records, the world record for the fastest RC electric car was set on October 25, 2014. This reached a speed of 325.12 km / h (202.02 mph) on a racetrack in Utah, USA.
Overview of the off-road vehicle types:
- Buggies
- Truggys / Stadium Trucks
- Monster trucks
- Short-course trucks
- Crawler / Trailer
- Rally car
Overview of the on-road vehicle types:
- Touring car
- Smooth track
- Drift car
- Muscle car
- Antique car
- Gt500
Model aircraft
There are different types of model airplanes in model aircraft construction. These differ in particular in terms of size, weight, drive and flight behavior.
In general, RC flight models can be divided into:
The flight models can be divided more specifically as follows:
- Slowflyer or Park Flyer
- Flying wing
- Shock Flyer
- Impeller airplane
- Jet model
- Free flight model
- helicopter
- Quadcopter
- Triocopter
- Hexacopter
- Octocopter
Ship models
Also ship models can be categorized according to the type of drive:
- RC ship with internal combustion engine
- RC ship with electric motor
- RC sailing ship
- RC submarine
- RC speed boats
Drives and energy storage
With the exception of sailboats, which use the wind as a propulsion force, and gliders, all RC models require a model drive and an energy storage device :
| drive | Energy storage |
|---|---|
| Electric motor | Primary cells or accumulators , mostly as a battery pack |
| Glow igniter engine | Methanol / nitromethane / oil |
| Compression / self-ignition engine | Diethyl ether / petroleum / oil |
| Petrol engine | petrol |
| jet | Kerosene / diesel |
| Steam engine or | Fuels |
|
Gas expansion engine with
Compressed air or carbon dioxide |
Print cartridges |
Gliders get their energy from thermals or slope updraft. If neither of the two is available, F-tow , winch launch or a launch using a rope device can be used. In practice, an RC glider can first be brought to a certain height with an auxiliary motor, F-tow or rope, in order to then use the weather-related lift from thermals or slope updraft. These RC models also require small energy stores to operate the electrical control devices ( servos ).
Due to the advantages of lithium-ion accumulators (low weight, size, storage capacity, load capacity), accumulators based on lithium in various designs, especially as lithium-polymer accumulators and lithium-iron-phosphate accumulators, are becoming more and more popular in model construction.
control
RC models are controlled by a mostly mobile transmitter, which usually transmits the control impulses in several separate channels, whereby one channel (more precisely a channel pair) is used for each model function. The model functions are, for example, steering, power control, braking or gear shifting. On the model side, a receiver with a matching crystal is required that is matched to the transmitter frequency and a servo , often incorrectly referred to as a servo motor , or electronic or mechanical speed controllers, in order to be able to convert the control signals into changes in wheel angles, rudder deflections and motor power. With electronic controllers, this happens through digital or analog voltage signals. In mechanical controllers, a contact pin that changes the motor supply voltage is moved by a servo.
When steering, a signal is sent to the servo via the receiver. This converts the signals into a mechanical movement. The force is transmitted to the steering rods by steering levers, which cause the wheels to turn.
A servo is also used to control internal combustion engines. This regulates the opening of the carburetor plug via a linkage. By opening the carburetor, more air is sucked in, more fuel is carried away and more energy is released during combustion. The crankshaft / driveshaft rotates faster. For the control of electric motors, the time intervals in which the electric motor is supplied with power are extended so that the motor rotates faster, thus the wheels also rotate faster and the model accelerates.
There are different versions of remote control systems:
- Pistol transmitter: Mainly represented in car and ship model making.
- Handheld transmitter: Mainly used for helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft.
- Console transmitter: Handheld transmitter in which a console is strapped to the transmitter and therefore does not have to be held by hand.
motivation
In addition to the purely technical challenge of operating RC models, participation in competitions with these models is a great motivation for the RC model hobby. The competitions are not so much about the highest speed of the models, but more about the perfection and accuracy of the control, prototypical accuracy or technical finesse in the model functions.
Competitions
In car model making, there are various competitions in different classes. There are several world championships, European championships and local championships. There are different classes such as B. 1:10 electric offroad, 1:10 electric onroad, 1: 8 electric offroad, 1: 8 burner offroad, 1: 8 burner onroad and also 1: 5 offroad. These are then divided into rear-wheel drive vehicles (2WD) and all-wheel drive vehicles (4WD).
Web links
- Link catalog on RC model building at curlie.org (formerly DMOZ )