Author Topic: 3D Printed Parts for the car  (Read 3432 times)

Offline Joules

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3D Printed Parts for the car
« on: August 29, 2018, 12:38:02 PM »
Another dash cam mount, and making the GPS less obtrusive.  The last couple of long-ish trips out have been a pain with GPS and dash cam suckers falling off.  Todays job was sit down and design some bits to sort them out.  The in built car radio packed in ages ago so we bought a replacement, but it left the display on the dash that annoyed me.  Hmmm some plastic butchery removed the display, opened out the moulding and fit some printed clips to rubber mount the GPS.  It's not pretty, but a lot more useful than the broken radio display it replaced and not obvious it's a GPS.

Attention then turned to the dash cam.  We have previous experience here with PLA roof lining clips going soft in the heat (PETG is a good solution), so this time I had to come up with a better idea.  My other half has opted to wear her sunglasses in the passenger seat, so that means I have the sun visor to play with.  It's set far enough back that it shouldn't get much sun and the clip is designed to slide into the map sleave on the rear.  A 20mm stainless bolt was used for locking the adjustment and a turned and knurled nut locks it tight.  Being set back it doesn't obscure the view, and no sucker on the glass.  I also had fun with strimmer line using it to thread through the car body work so I could pull the power cable through, all you now see is a short cable coming out above the mirror.  Looks a lot neater especially as this car is pretty basic and no interior lining to jam the cable behind.

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Offline Joules

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Re: 3D Printed Parts for the car
« Reply #1 on: August 29, 2018, 01:15:19 PM »
I have added the CAD and STL file to GrabCAD if anyone is interested for the sun visor mount.

https://grabcad.com/library/dash-cam-visor-mount-1
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Offline Brass_Machine

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Re: 3D Printed Parts for the car
« Reply #2 on: August 29, 2018, 06:49:34 PM »
I have got to say... Every time I think about getting a 3D printer, I look around and I am not happy with the prints I see in the interweb. Then, I see yours. I swear... I think however you design, print or the printer itself... It seems like you are a few years ahead of everyone else!

Nice job!
Science is fun.

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Offline Joules

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Re: 3D Printed Parts for the car
« Reply #3 on: August 29, 2018, 07:48:30 PM »
Eric. I think a lot of the problem is we have few of the classical amateur designers coming through with real hands on engineering experience using 3D printers.  So many are blinkered that if it is to be 3D printed it must all be 3D printed.  Until recently a lot of people failed to understand grain in printed parts, and that you should mix and match parts.  PLA doesn’t glue well, but it welds great.  It really is a case of understand the materials and their limitations, then work within them.  A lot of the free library sites are full of rubbish that people tend to print because they can, not because they should.  You then have the situation where the majority of stuff you see printed online is just crap.  I mix 3D printing in with my everyday designing and prototype work.  Sometimes things don’t work, but you shouldn’t look at it as a failure, just another step in the right direction.  If you have any design abilities I would recommend a cheap printer to start with.  My printers were all budget models and I just adapt them as I go along.  You never stop learning, just as you do any machine tool, think of the 3D printer as another tool, not a complete solution.

I’m still learning Eric, I have used lathe and mill far longer, but the 3D printing just clicked with my level of engineering and craft skills.
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Offline Pete49

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Re: 3D Printed Parts for the car
« Reply #4 on: August 29, 2018, 11:25:09 PM »
A couple well thought out solutions to placement of modern gizmos
Pete
oops..........oh no.........blast now I need to redo it

Offline Joules

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Re: 3D Printed Parts for the car
« Reply #5 on: August 30, 2018, 07:41:38 AM »
I have two philosophies in designing for 3D printing.  Treat the design like it's made of wood, observe grain direction and design it how you would machine it.  That doesn't apply to making model boats though, and I find that a challenge.
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Offline JerryNotts

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Re: 3D Printed Parts for the car
« Reply #6 on: August 30, 2018, 08:48:12 AM »
Joules Good work.

I recently bought a 3D printer so as to get an understanding of what it's all about. It is really good to see someone producing useful objects.

As you said in your last post most of what has been produced, outside of manufacturing industry which may have money to spend, is absolutele rubbish, with no purpose than to satisfy the operator's sense of achievement.

I am beginning to feel my way towards making some items which will be useful to me. My first priority is to make the track plates for the Ruston Excavator I have started. There are about 66 of these plates which are just crying out to be 3D printed. I think I have solved the strength and abrasion resistance by choice of filament and settings, but as yet I have not been able to consistently 3D print them. (A holiday in hospital did not help)
Back to the workshop.
Jerry

Offline Joules

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Re: 3D Printed Parts for the car
« Reply #7 on: August 30, 2018, 08:56:55 AM »
Jerry, nice start...  more information on your printer and filament you use, what temperature, layer height do you print at.  Some of those details look quite fine if this is a small item.  Consider bridging between small parts of your print and cut them away afterwards, as small detail can get dragged about if it is still warm.  Another thing to consider about bridging between detail, the bridge acts as a continuous path and so reduces stringing as it should all be in the bridge.  Just make the bridge a fraction wider than your nozzle diameter, so maybe 0.45mm.
« Last Edit: August 30, 2018, 10:43:37 AM by Joules »
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Offline Joules

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Re: 3D Printed Parts for the car
« Reply #8 on: August 31, 2018, 04:15:29 AM »
This video pretty much encapsulates the above, in regards engineering in 3D printing.  I’m not knocking Angus as he is a smart kid and I follow his channel. 

Printed seal from filament   :palm:   Just design it to use the filament off the roll.  Butterfly valve, because he can, not because he should.  On the flip side, he is learning by his mistakes, but so many others publish these as must have prints perpetuating poor design (Kickstarter etc).  I’m also saddened he is an Industrial Designer, not an engineer.  So many people design now for the engineer to sort the problem, learn some engineering, use that degree to study what you are doing and understand the problem.

« Last Edit: August 31, 2018, 04:47:17 AM by Joules »
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