3D printing is using models made in CAD and using filament to make the product. 3D printing is used in making products for testing, rapid prototyping of parts, etc. In this task given, I am required to 3D print something that isn't easily made subtractive, meaning it does not include removal of material from the basis material that can be shaped into the final product such as drilling of holes and filing of the excess material.
I decide to make a hinge, however, this hinge will be printed in one go. This means, there will be no need for any drilling or assembly, the hinge will be ready to be used once the printing is over. I decided to make 2 Cross hinges that is attached with a hinge so that it can be opened or closed. The shape of the Cross is borrowed from the 1813 Prussian Iron Cross from the Kingdom of Prussia, any form of resemblance from the 1939-1945 German regime is excluded from this.
Left side: Prussian Iron Cross 1813 (Basic design)
Right side: German Iron Cross 1934 (Markings removed)
Firstly I draw one section of the Cross which is in the shape of an inverted L by having the basic form in dimensions of 25mm to 60mm to 35mm respectively. Using Dimensions and Constraints, I made sure the shape is properly defined. Next, I make a line at the inner edge of the inverted L at the length of 7 mm and angled at 135 deg, then using Fit Point Spline I make a custom line that connects from one edge to the 7 mm line as shown above. Then using Mirror I mirror the spline line using the 7 mm line as the mirror line to copy it to the other side as shown.
Next I use the Circular Pattern, using the point at 60 mm and 60 mm as the center point, I clicked on the lines I want to make the circular pattern so that the shape of the Cross can be made.
Next, the outline of the Cross is Extruded out by 10 mm
Using Offset Plane, I took reference from the Origin Plane and make a new plane with an offset distance from the Origin Plane by 25 mm. This new Plane will allow me to draw my hinge.
In order to draw the hinge, I drew a rectangle dimensioned at 10 mm by 5 mm which the 10 mm line is Colinear with the Cross. Next, the circle is drawn at the tip of the rectangle at a radius of 5 mm, which then another circle is made using Offset, offset distance of 2 mm. I used the Constraint Tangent so that the outer circle is tangent with the 10 mm line.
The hinge outline is then Extruded by 7 mm.
Using Rectangular Pattern, I made 2 more copies of the hinge using a line that is bordered with both the hinge and the Cross as the direction and setting the distance of 43 mm, so that the last hinge would touch edge to edge with the other end of the Cross.
Using Offset Plane, I took reference from the Origin Plane and make a new plane with an offset distance from the Origin Plane by 10 mm. This 10 mm offset is at the center point of the circle of the hinges. This allows me to do the next step which symmetrically copies the Cross to the other side, at the same distance from the hinges.
Using Mirror, I mirror the Cross using the previous offset plane as the mirror plane, to make a copy of the Cross.
Next, I made a copy of the hinge and inverted it as shown above. Using Align, I made the two faces of the hinge and the Cross align.
Next using Move, I move the left hinge between the 2 right hinges and set the Y distance to be 17.75 mm, which is the midpoint between the 2 right hinges.
Using Rectangular Pattern, I made 1 more copy of the hinge using a line that is bordered with both the hinge and the Cross as the direction and setting the distance of 22 mm, so that the last hinge would be at the midpoint between the 2 right hinges.
Using Combine, I would merge the bodies of all 3 right hinges with the right Cross, and merge the bodies of all 2 left hinges with the left hinges, in two separate Combine as shown above.
Next, sketching on the original right hinge, I made an Offset Circle by 1 mm, this offset gives clearance for the 3D printing so that the hinges and the rod wouldn't be stuck together. The circle is then Extruded in two directions by 60 mm and 10 mm respectively.
Next, I need to make the cap that seals the rod inside the hinge, so an Offset Circle is made by 10 mm, which is then Extruded by 7 mm, this gives enough clearance from the hinge so that the hinges and the rod wouldn't be stuck together.
Next, I copy the cap to the other side of the rod and use Align to align the inner face of the cap and face of the rod together.
Finished Product
Here is my finished product ready to be 3D printed. This is not easily replicated as this required drilling, cutting, sanding, and filing of materials to get the shape of all the bodies on this product such as the holes of the hinges and the cap. A cuboid base material would be used and would be drilled, cut, sand, filed in order to make the hinge and the cap. The general shape of the Cross has to be cut and filed out from a flat base material. The hinges have to also be glued onto the Cross and the cap has to be glued to seal with the rod.
The setting of the Cura
Printer Model - Creality Ender-3
Size of Printed Model - 40% from original (98.8 mm by 45.6 mm by 5.6983 mm)
Quality - Layer Height - 0.2 mm
Walls - Wall Thickness - 0.8 mm
- Wall Line Count - 2
- Horizontal Expansion - 0.0 mm
Top/Bottom - Top/Bottom Thickness - 0.8 mm
- Top Thickness - 0.8 mm
- Top Layers - 4
- Bottom Thickness - 0.8 mm
- Bottom Layers - 4
Infill - Infill Density - 20.0%
- Infill Pattern - Cubic
Material - Print Temperature - 200.0 deg celcius
- Build Plate Temperature - 50.0 deg celcius
Speed - Print Speed - 50.0 mm/s
Travel - Enable Retraction - Checked
- Z Hop When Retracted - Unchecked
Cooling - Enable Print Cooling - Checked
- Fan Speed - 100.0%
Support - Generate Support - Unchecked
Build Plate Adhesion - Build Plate Adhesion Type - Skirt
Basically, I'll be using the default settings for this print. There is videos of the printing at different timings
Completed 3D printed Cross (Opened Hinges)
Completed 3D printed Cross (Closed Hinges)
Video os the Cross opening and closing
Embedded Version (Preview of the Cross)
f3d file of the Cross
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Z7-tPE-Wn1jqMzPAj2h-fdRRpx9JvdZp/view?usp=sharing
stl file of the Cross https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ir8iMJQQi2WbUlVGt761MiUAxmzu0Yz5/view?usp=sharing
Hero shot of me with the Cross (Sorry for my depressing face hahahah)
Hero shot of me opening and closing the Cross (Sorry for my depressing face hahahah)
Reflection:
In this 3D printing session, I was worried that the clearance wasn't enough after hearing from my other friends that their hinges are stuck together and would not move. However, after rechecking my friend's measurement and my measurement of the clearance, I had enough clearance between the rod and the hinges so that they are separated and would move. This task was important as it tests my competence of me able or not able to make the model and 3D print it. It was interesting as my previous experience of 3D printing is a bit foggy as it's been years since I last 3D printed and this was an amazing refresher for me.
This is useful for CP5070 as 3D printing can be used for rapid prototyping for parts for the final product to test for fittings.
Before I even did 3D printing for the first time in the past, I was afraid to try it as I thought it would be complicated and after some experience, I was very comfortable with 3D print and in this session of 3 D printing, I was able to do it in a single run without any mistakes. With my refresher of 3D printing, this will be very useful for me during Capstone Project as parts for the final product might not be possible to source and making them would be tedious and 3D printing would be easier.
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