MyDigitalSlot Left, Right and Double Lane-Changers, 3D printed DIY track parts for your 1/32 Digital Slot Car Racing Game

Take a sneak peek to the MDS System in its first stages clicking here

If you are interested in the MDS Race System take a look to this video

If you are finally into the "Digital" version of the hobby, then you will need these parts to create the pitlane, but also to increase/decrease the number of lanes or use double lane-changers.

If you want it all, the All Curves Pack and All Straights Pack is what you need. If you plan to buy these 3 publications, ask me for a discount and I will create it for you if you can't wait until I publish a "mega-combo pack" with these 3 publications.

You can use these parts in TWO DIFFERENT MODES:

Mechanic:
This is the easy one. You will only need a "Clipper Lighter Spring", four M3x8 Counter-Sunk screws and a few staples plus the copper tape and a few small cables to assemble it.
It should work with SCX WOS / ADVANCE and it works with the mechanical version of MyDigitalSlot Car Chassis

Electronic:
You can add this "electronic" feature to the lane-changers without disabling the mechanic system, so both modes can work same time.
To do it you will need to add an IR sensor with the right CLIP in the previous track part to the lane-changer, so the needle has enough time to move before the car reaches it. You will also need an arduino, a resistor and a servo to finally make it work "electronically". You can use the same arduino for various lane-changers.

This mode is specially interesting if you plan to use your old Scalextric Classic or similar track parts, as you can use simple standard car guides. The track parts come with the necessary holder for the servo and a "TPUtrigger" can be printed to move the needle with the servo.

These track parts can be compatilble with other existing commercial track parts using the right adaptors.

To complete the connection system you will also need (INCLUDED IN OTHER MDS PRODUCTS):
- MDS_TRACK_CLIP_Standard (To connect track parts)
- MDS_TRACK_CLIP_Pianos (To interconnect pianos)
- MDS_TRACK_CLIP_Lanes (To fix straight lanes in parallel)
- MDS_TRACK_CLIP_IR-holder (To hold IR lights and sensors)

They are compatible with the next adaptors (NOT INCLUDED):
- MDS_TRACK_ADAP_SCA_CLASSIC_SL_STR45_FEMALE
- MDS_TRACK_ADAP_SCA_CLASSIC_SL_STR45_MALE
- MDS_TRACK_ADAP_SCA_CLASSIC_DL_STR45
- MDS_TRACK_ADAP_SCA_SPORT_SL_STR45_ROUND
- MDS_TRACK_ADAP_SCA_SPORT_SL_STR45_SQUARE
- MDS_TRACK_ADAP_SCA_SPORT_DL_STR45
- MDS_TRACK_ADAP_SCX_GREY_SL_STR45
- MDS_TRACK_ADAP_SCX_GREY_DL_STR45

You can find a list of the included parts at the end of the publication

MyDigitalSlot System, more than a track

This is part of a more complete work, a whole car racing Digital Slot System, including the track parts, controllers, car chassis, electronics and bodies. The same way various digital accessories like "Info Screens" with cars and race information, synchronized start lights system, RGB lighting, and probably an app and HDMI output will be available.

The main idea is to be able to print, build and use a full RC Car Slot Digital Racing System which is independent from market typical trades. Anyway you can use the different parts of the system in many ways.

The main features of MyDigitalSlot System are:

• Lap count
• Fuel and Health systems
• Racing system without base controller, just with cars and their controllers
• Race configuration and invitation system just with your controller!
• Stop and Go system for race starts and accidents

• Speed Cap system for low health or fuel

• Wireless and rechargable controllers

• Enter / Exit Pit Lane detection, you need to stop there to restore full fuel / health levels

• Cars can run in both directions in the same lane

• Cars with full configurable lights, including dimming rear/brake lights, Left and Right Blinkers and Front Lights

• Cars can control various servos, a XYZ gyro, IR lights and sensors and the motor driver

More features are coming, but I will need a great bunch of feedback, I hope yours too, to take the whole system to a more profesional, next level.

System Versatility

You can use the track parts to build and drive your analog or digital cars, you can mix the parts with older or newer Scalextric parts using transition/adaptor parts. You can also use the MyDigitalSlot cars and controllers in those commercial tracks, but the "digital" system accessories of those commercial tracks probably won't work.

The electronics involved in the controllers, cars and digital track parts are quite simple and easy to source, like cheap arduinos, resistors, diodes, leds, RGB digital leds, pots and a few more things.

There is a very good thing about the electronic lane-changers... You can use both mechanical and IR systems simultaneously, I mean, one car can change lane mechanically and the next one could use the IR led to change lane.

You CAN'T use "mechanical lane-changer cars" with old Scalextric track parts (black) but you can use "IR lane-changer cars" and complete your track with all those old track parts you had around there from many years ago.

Printing a big track could take many many plastic (various KG) and hundreds of hours of 3D printing, so this electronic lane-changer system in combination with your old black track parts could be the most economically interesting solution from my point of view.

If you give it a try to MyDigitalSlot you will be welcomed to my Discord Server to ask, show or suggest any change to this DIY 3D Printable Digital Slot System, but you can also use the comments of this publication if it makes sense.

LIST OF INCLUDED STLs

MDS_TRACK_DIG_LeftChanger_Axle
MDS_TRACK_DIG_LeftChanger_Clip
MDS_TRACK_DIG_LeftChanger_Washer

MDS_TRACK_DIG_LeftChanger_START
MDS_TRACK_DIG_LeftChanger_END
MDS_TRACK_DIG_LeftChanger_PIANO
MDS_TRACK_DIG_LeftChanger_Needle
MDS_TRACK_DIG_LeftChanger_Cover
MDS_TRACK_DIG_LeftChanger_TPUtrigger

MDS_TRACK_DIG_RightChanger_START
MDS_TRACK_DIG_RightChanger_END
MDS_TRACK_DIG_RightChanger_PIANO
MDS_TRACK_DIG_RightChanger_Needle
MDS_TRACK_DIG_RightChanger_Cover
MDS_TRACK_DIG_RightChanger_TPUtrigger

MDS_TRACK_DIG_DoubleChanger_MAIN
MDS_TRACK_DIG_DoubleChanger_TPUtrigger_Short
MDS_TRACK_DIG_DoubleChanger_TPUtrigger_Medium
MDS_TRACK_DIG_DoubleChanger_TPUtrigger_Long

The main track parts are quite big. Some rounded corners should help preventing bumps at high speeds in some cases and the walls are always 1mm thick to avoid extra retractions to make infills.

I would consider mandatory printing the main parts and pianos with 0.48-0.5mm perimeter thickness, and in Z heights, the design is made for 0.2mm layer heights, so maybe 0.15 won't be a good layer height but 0.10 would be fine, although it would take toooo long to print.

As these parts are a little more "special", I would print them a little slower than the standard track parts to ensure a better finish.

The parts have almost no "useless mass zones" so it will make no difference between printing them solid or with 20% infill... so print them solid, if possible choose 1000 Top/Bottom layers and you have it ;)

You won't need supports for most of parts, but you will need to add them for the Pianos.

The smaller parts can require different perimeter thickness and layer heights than rest of the parts. Always review the preview in your slicer to see if you chose the right perimeter thickness. The walls must be always completely filled to have a strong part.

Recommended 0.1mm layer height for needle, axle and washer, the same than very thin perimeters for the needle. I use to design for 0.4 and 0.48mm perimeter thickness, but sometimes the part can require go smaller than 0.4mm to print it accurately.