We love using arts & crafts materials to build robots, but one of the strengths of Hummingbird is that you can use the parts with any sort of building media. Enter 3D printing, one of the coolest ways to design and make parts for your Hummingbird robots!

To help kickstart your 3D printing explorations, BirdBrain Technologies friend Rich Juchniewicz has created a library of open-source, freely downloadable, editable, and printable parts that work well with parts from the Hummingbird kit. We’ll use this tutorial to share the STL files for our current library of parts. Please share with us any parts that you create, especially if they used one of our designs as a starting point!

If you have a 3D printer on-site, you can download an STL file for any of the parts below and print it yourself. If you don’t have a 3D printer, a number of websites will fabricate designs in plastic, ceramic, or even metal. Low-cost plastic prints can be had for as little as a few dollars, so purchasing a print online can be a reasonable option. One possibility is to upload an STL file to Shapeways, an online marketplace for custom 3D designs.

Models and Projects Library

To download an STL file for any of these projects, just click the picture!

Hummingbird Duo Case

Want your Hummingbird Duo to have a case? Print one!

Hummingbird Rover

This is a design for an entirely 3D printable Hummingbird Duo rover – the only additional building materials you’ll need are screws and velcro. This project was inspired by PK Graff’s class project where students designed and 3D printed their own Hummingbird rovers. Click here to see the rover in action!

Gears!

A collection of spur and worm gears and a rack. All gears work with each other and mount to either the HS-311 servo or the GM2 gear motor found in the Hummingbird kit.

Pulleys!

Two pulleys, one of 30 mm and one of 50 mm diameter. They can mount to either the HS-311 servo or GM2 gear motor and they will fit the o-ring gear motor wheel tire included in the kit.

Motor Mount

A mounting strap and base for the Hummingbird’s gear motor.

Gear Motor Wheel

A wheel for the Hummingbird’s gear motor. For a tire, we suggest this O-ring.

Gear Motor plastic blocks adapter

An adapter that allows you to attach plastic blocks and gears to the Hummingbird’s gear motor.

Gear Motor Hub

This small piece allows students to add small or irregularly shaped objects to their Gear Motor. Designed by John Baglio for use in his classroom. Check out his Tinkercad model.

Servo Mount

A mounting strap and base for the HS-311 servo included with the Hummingbird kit.

Perpendicular Servo Mount

To mount the HS-311 servo in a different orientation.

Servo Lego Peg Adapter

An adapter that will fit two lego pegs to the HS-311 servo. The pegs are spaced to easily attach a Lego 40 tooth gear or Lego pulley.

LED Diffuser Caps

An arrangement of caps for the LEDs included in the Hummingbird kit. Print with white plastic for best results.

Crank and Piston System

This project includes all the parts you need to investigate how to use cranks, connecting rods, and pistons with the Hummingbird.