MRC24 3D-Printed Micro Rock Crawler

3D printing has allowed creators to design and make things that would have been difficult or impossible before. While the MRC24 – a Mico Rock Crawler in a roughly 1/24th scale – by maker Unboxingexperience7 could likely be made with traditional machining and/or crafting methods, using a 3D printer facilitates things nicely. It also means that others can replicate it at home with a few button pushes (plus a non-trivial assembly and setup process).

As shown in the video below, the build starts with Unboxingexperience7 laying out parts on the printing surface, which are then printed on what appears to be a very cool custom FDM printer setup. Parts are printed with a 99% infill using supports, and there’s a decent amount of cleanup involved after the printer finishes.

The rock crawler’s mechanical structure features a shock and linkage setup that gives it an impressive range of movement between the front and rear axles. Four N20 motors drive each wheel independently, and a three-channel RC setup enables variable power distribution between the front and rear wheels. It can also be driven with a two-channel RC setup if you’re willing to forgo this feature.

While the device’s structure is awesome to look at, it’s hard to really appreciate it in pictures alone. The video below shows the construction and setup process, and an outdoor demo at the beginning. However, the climbing ability shown in the couch/pillow demo at around 14:00 is rather incredible and might even push you to create your own!