How to Print & Assemble The SPACESHIP-XS3

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The STL package of this model includes an “All-In-One” Print Profile created for Bambu Lab X1 and P1 Series 3D printers. If you intend to use any of those printers to print the model, follow this instruction to print all parts: How to use Bambu Studio’s All-In-One Print Profile

If you don’t have access to any Bambu Lab X1 and P1 Series 3D printers. All of the STL files are really straight forward to print. All you need to do is load them into your slicer software (e.g. Cura), select your desirable settings (e.g. layer height, infill percentage, etc.) and slice the parts. I used 0.4mm nozzle and 0.2mm layer height to print large parts and 0.1mm layer height to print small parts (e.g. Raptor engines)

Please note: I already saved the STL for each part in the orientation I printed them on my FDM printer. Hence, when you load the STL in your slicer software, you don’t need to orientate them again, unless you want to try to print them in a different orientation.

So now you’ve got all your parts printed? Great! Let’s assemble the model. I’ll take you through the assembly process step by step but before that, you need to purchase some items:

• 5mm dia x 3mm thick N42 Neodymium magnets (LINK) | Qty: 33-off
• 25x8x2mm thick Bar Magnet Neodymium (LINK) | Qty: 8-off (You can also use slightly smaller sizes as long as the Length, Width, and Thickness of the magnet do not exceed 25, 8, and 2mm respectively. The most important dimension is the Width – should be 8mm. If less than 8mm, the Flaps may not function as intended)
• Super glue (LINK) | Qty: 1 bottle

At this step, all I want you to do is try to stack all the parts together to get a good understanding of where they are located. Because there are a lot of magnets you need to fit during the assembly process, doing this first step will give you an idea of how to fit the magnets in each part correctly. Please use the ‘SPACESHIP-XS3 Assembly.stl’ and the photos below if required.

Parts required (refer to the photos below)

• 1x Spaceship Nose Cone Section_XS3 (a)
• 1x Spaceship Nose Cone Fairing Section_XS3 (b)
• 1x Spaceship Forward Dome Section_XS3 (c)
• 1x Spaceship Common Dome Section_XS3 (d)
• 1x Spaceship LOX Tank Section_XS3 (e)
• 1x Spaceship Thrust Dome-Skirt Section_XS3 (f)
• 33x Magnets (5mm dia x 3mm thick) (highlighted in RED)

Assembly process

1. STEP 1a: Glue 3x (5mm dia x 3mm thick) magnets into their locations on the bottom face of the Nose Cone Section
2. STEP 1b: Glue 6x (5mm dia x 3mm thick) magnets into their locations on the top, and bottom faces of the Nose Cone Fairing Section
3. STEP 1c: Glue 6x (5mm dia x 3mm thick) magnets into their locations on the top, and bottom faces of the Forward Dome Section
4. STEP 1d: Glue 6x (5mm dia x 3mm thick) magnets into their locations on the top, and bottom faces of the Common Dome Section
5. STEP 1e: Glue 3x (5mm dia x 3mm thick) magnets into their locations on the top, and bottom faces of the LOX Tank Section
6. STEP 1f: Glue 3x (5mm dia x 3mm thick) magnets into their locations on the top face of the Thrust Dome-Skirt Section, then glue 6x (5mm dia x 3mm thick) magnets in stack of 2 each into their locations inside the RVac Engines. IMPORTANT: Ensure that these magnets are pushed all the way in so that there would be a 1mm gap between the bottom face of the magnet and the bottom face of the Thrust Dome-Skirt Section

These magnets are used to hold all the main sections of the SPACESHIP-XS3 together, which then allow you to quickly strip the model apart. If you don’t intend to disassemble the model at all, then the magnets aren’t required. Instead, you can print out a bunch of “Location Pin” in folder “STEP 07 (OPTIONAL PARTS)”, and use them to help align/glue all the main sections together.

Parts required (refer to the photos below)

• 1x Spaceship Nose Cone Section_Heat Shield (Top)_XS3 (a)
• 1x Spaceship Nose Cone Section_Heat Shield (Bottom)_XS3 (b)
• 1x Spaceship Nose Cone Fairing Section_Heat Shield_XS3 (c)
• 1x Spaceship Forward Dome Section_Heat Shield_XS3 (d)
• 1x Spaceship Common Dome Section_Heat Shield_XS3 (e)
• 1x Spaceship LOX Tank Section_Heat Shield_XS3 (f)
• 1x Spaceship Thrust Dome/Skirt Section_Heat Shield_XS3 (g)
• 1x Spaceship Assembly Tool_XS3 (h)
• All Main parts from STEP 1 (i)

Assembly process

1. STEP 2a: Install the Nose Cone Section_Heat Shield (Bottom), and then glue the Nose Cone Section_Heat Shield (Top) to the Nose Cone Section.
   

   Use the Assembly Tool to help install the Nose Cone Section_Heat Shield Bottom – place the Heat Shield up side down on the Assembly Tool, then use a mallet to gently tap the Nose Cone Section down into the Heat Shield.

2. STEP 2b: Press fit the Nose Cone Fairing Section_Heat Shield into the Nose Cone Fairing Section. Use glue to secure if needed.
3. STEP 2c: Press fit the Forward Dome Section_Heat Shield into the Forward Dome Section. Use glue to secure if needed.
4. STEP 2d: Press fit the Common Dome Section_Heat Shield into the Common Dome Section. Use glue to secure if needed.
5. STEP 2e: Press fit the LOX Tank Section_Heat Shield into the LOX Tank Section. Use glue to secure if needed.
6. STEP 2f: Glue the Thrust Dome/Skirt Section_Heat Shield into the Thrust Dome/Skirt Section Section.

Parts required (refer to the photos below)

• 1x Spaceship Upper Flap_LH_XS3 (a)
• 1x Spaceship Upper Flap_LH (Front)_XS3 (b)
• 1x Spaceship Upper Flap_RH_XS3 (c)
• 1x Spaceship Upper Flap_RH (Front)_XS3 (d)
• 1x Spaceship Lower Flap_LH_XS3 (e)
• 1x Spaceship Lower Flap_LH (Front)_XS3 (f)
• 1x Spaceship Lower Flap_RH_XS3 (g)
• 1x Spaceship Lower Flap_RH (Front)_XS3 (h)
• 1x Nose Cone Section from STEP 2 (i)
• 1x Thrust Dome/Skirt Section from STEP 2 (j)
• 4x Bar Magnets (25x8x2mm) (highlighted in RED)

Assembly process

1. STEP 3a: Glue 1x Bar Magnet (25x8x2mm) into the rectangular pocket in the Upper Flap_LH, then glue the Upper Flap_LH (Front) on top. Repeat process for the RH Upper Flap
2. STEP 3b: Glue 1x Bar Magnet (25x8x2mm) into the rectangular pocket in the Lower Flap_LH, then glue the Lower Flap_LH (Front) on top. Repeat process for the RH Lower Flap
3. STEP 3c: Glue 2x Bar Magnets (25x8x2mm) into the rectangular pockets on both sides of the Nose Cone Section
4. STEP 3d: Glue 2x Bar Magnets (25x8x2mm) into the rectangular pockets on both sides of the Thrust Dome/Skirt Section

Check magnet polarity before gluing them into place! The Flaps should be able to attach to the Nose Cone Section and Thrust Dome/Skirt Section in the end

Parts required (refer to the photos below)

• 3x Raptor Engine_XS3 (a)
• 1x Thrust Dome/Skirt Section from STEP 3 (b)

Assembly process

1. STEP 4: Glue 3x Raptor Engines into their locations at the bottom of the Thrust Dome/Skirt Section

Parts required (refer to the photos below)

• 1x Nose Cone Section from STEP 3 (a)
• 1x Nose Cone Fairing Section from STEP 2 (b)
• 1x Forward Dome Section from STEP 2 (c)
• 1x Common Dome Section from STEP 2 (d)
• 1x LOX Tank Section from STEP 2 (e)
• 1x Thrust Dome/Skirt Section from STEP 4 (f)
• 1x Upper Flap_LH from STEP 3 (g)
• 1x Upper Flap_RH from STEP 3 (h)
• 1x Lower Flap_LH from STEP 3 (i)
• 1x Lower Flap_RH from STEP 3 (j)
• 1x Spaceship Inner Compartment_XS3 (k)

Assembly process

1. STEP 5a: Stack all main sections together apart from the Nose Cone Section
2. STEP 5b: Insert the Spaceship Inner Compartment into the core of the model, and slide it in all the way until it couldn’t go any further
3. STEP 5c: Stack the Nose Cone Section
4. STEP 5d: Attach the Flaps to the ship

Parts required (refer to the photos below)

• 1x Spaceship Launch Mount (Base)_XS3 (a)
• 6x Spaceship Launch Mount (Leg)_XS3 (b)
• 1x Spaceship Launch Mount (Top)_XS3 (c)

Assembly process

1. STEP 6a: Glue 6x Legs to the Base and Top of the Launch Mount
2. STEP 6b: Place the SPACESHIP-XS3 on the Launch Mount

Congratulations, you have successfully assembled the SPACESHIP-XS3!