Fighter-craft Hardpoints

Hello,

I am interested in creating a series of toy spacefighters that have interchangeable weapons which can be placed on hardpoints. I'd like something that can be somewhat complex, like Macross' VF-1 Super and Strike Valkyries, or the VF-2 SAP system, where hardpoints can be placed anywhere on the fighter, back, sides, underbelly, wings, etc. For my project, several different classes of fighter should be able to equip any class of weapon. I'm thinking the toys should be small enough to fit in one's hand, about 3-5 inches across depending on the type of ship.

So basically, I need to design some sort of peg or clasp that can be removed when desired, but won't fall out by accident, and cannot rely on gravity. I know a simple peg & hole of equal diameter can be pretty sturdy, but if it wears out, it becomes completely useless. I tried searching for this on google first, but I couldn't think of a good search term for it.

Any ideas?

Magnets and small parts of paper clips.

I was hoping to get away with a purely mechanical solution, but I guess magnets would be a sure-fire way to make sure they stick.

If I present a toy prototype to a company for licensed production, that would be possible, but it means people would have to purchase magnets separately if they are buying the toy directly from ShapeWays. I don't have the capacity to assemble parts and distribute final products myself.

It all depends on choice and scope. If you want the freedom to mount things anywhere, then a steel model with magnetic accessories is the only way to go.

But if you are willing to limit the locations for these hardpoints, then mechanical systems can be designed. Personally, I'd decide on a set of likely mounting places, make circular holes in the model, and equip the accessories with a split peg that has nubs on the end. That way, the peg compresses as it slides through the hole, and the nubs lock it in place from the inside - kinda like a rawlplug (or molly anchor in the States) as used for fixing screws into walls. Sure, they will eventually fatigue, but what toy doesn't?...

The trick will then be designing your weapons so they can fit any of the mounting holes without interfering with adjacent parts.

Fatigue and print orientation. Even prints at different times could vary. The result is not going to be as good as plastic bricks.

Ah, I don't actually want to mount weapon systems anywhere on the ship, only on specific hardpoint areas. I just meant that the locations of the hardpoints could be anywhere on the different types of space-fighter, not just in the traditional wing and underbelly of modern day aero-fighters.

A nubbed split peg might work. My concern is that I have non-nubbed split pegs at work for certain display cases and they are nightmarishly variable in their sticking abilities.

Come to think of it, a Lego's interference-fit is probably strong enough to do what I want. I'm not entirely sure how a Lego fit works, but I'm guessing that the cylinder shapes pressing against each other is a part of the magic. I should figure out the size ratio between the upper and lower sections.

I don't know enough about ShapeWays yet to know if it would be reasonable to expect a split peg or Lego fit to come out consistently.