A 3D-printed case for the RX6R

FrSky's latest RX6R receiver is a great little unit - except for one thing: the 'case' is just a flimsy cardboard wrapper. Okay for a foamie perhaps, but not much good for anything else.

RX6R with flimsy wrapper. Note exposed conductors!

So, as my first 3D printing project, I decided to print a simple case for it. It would completely replace the wrapper, and there would be an access hole for the bind button. However, I decided to omit a hole for the multi-function socket as I wouldn't be needing access and it would only complicate the design.

RX6R case version 1

The first task was to create a 3D model. For this I chose TinkerCad, a simple CAD program which is free and runs in a browser. Thanks to some good tutorials I soon had something resembling a case:

TinkerCad work in progress

As I didn't yet have my own printer, I took the STL file to friend and local printer guru Pete Houghton. He used a 'slicer' program to convert the 3D model to G-code. The G-code was output to his printer and in less than 15 minutes my little case was born.

First steps!

A milestone had been reached - my receiver had a proper case, and I had discovered the joys of 3D printing!

RX6R case version 2

The first version was functional, however it wasn't a perfect fit, and it was somewhat lacking in style. So I decided to redesign it from scratch, this time using Fusion 360. This software has some cool features missing in Tinkercad, for example you can add fillets and chamfers very easily.

Version 2 in Fusion 360. Note rounded vertical edges.

By now I had also acquired my own entry level printer (a Creality CR10 Mini). This allowed me to experiment at leisure, and after a couple of iterations I arrived at the final design:

Version 2 of the case

The final task was to install the RX6R, with its new case, in my Stribog. The new receiver sits above all the cabling with room to spare.

RX6R + case + Y-lead installed in Stribog. Red gismo next to servo is magnetic switch.

As always, there's a downside: since I was using all six outputs, a Y-lead was required for the battery. However it was worth the extra few minutes with a soldering iron.

Download STL file

The STL file for the RX6R case is available on Thingiverse. Please note that FrSky have produced two versions of this rx, both based on the same v1 board but with the servo pins soldered on different sides. The case is for the version with the servo pins on the same side as the bind button (see comments).

In conclusion

This little project has been a great intro to 3D printing. For anyone wanting to get started with 3D design, I can recommend TinkerCad, moving on to Fusion 360 as experience is gained. Both applications are free for non-commercial use. The videos by Angus Deveson ('Maker's Muse' on YouTube) are well worth a look.

My next project is this digital CG scale published by Olav Kalhovd.