One of the cool things about 3D printing is that you can print honeycomb patterns and other structural designs to stiffen things up.
3D Printing: AC Face Plate & Console Vent Covers
- Thread starter Markos
- Start date
One of the cool things about 3D printing is that you can print honeycomb patterns and other structural designs to stiffen things up.
Minor update.
I'm a bit behind with this. I finally reached back out to Mark99 to update the diameter of the parking brake handle. I confirmed that Xometetry has ULTEM, which I will use for the relay bases. I still need to find what I did with my relay base.
Today I ordered a set of AC side grilles from Xometry. I printed them in Nylon, using Selective Laser Sintering (SLS). It doesn't have stepping like FDM, but it does have a bumpy texture when finished. I opted to have these grilles media tumbled and dyed black. They should arrive next week, and the forum member offered to snap some photos.
Edit: Pic added. Old installed with new on top. He is going to paint with textured rustoleum, same as my radio face plate.
I'm a bit behind with this. I finally reached back out to Mark99 to update the diameter of the parking brake handle. I confirmed that Xometetry has ULTEM, which I will use for the relay bases. I still need to find what I did with my relay base.
Today I ordered a set of AC side grilles from Xometry. I printed them in Nylon, using Selective Laser Sintering (SLS). It doesn't have stepping like FDM, but it does have a bumpy texture when finished. I opted to have these grilles media tumbled and dyed black. They should arrive next week, and the forum member offered to snap some photos.
Edit: Pic added. Old installed with new on top. He is going to paint with textured rustoleum, same as my radio face plate.
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Have you tried large format printing yet? I'm hoping to do IMSA Grp 5 fenders, but most of the known fiberglass guys no longer reproduce them. I have the staff on hand to model everything. With proper material selection, I'm thinking this may be a viable option.
That would be really really expensive, in the thousands. If you are going to spend that kind of money, use those fenders to make a mold, or print molds instead of fenders. Just make sure that the media can withstand the heat that the resin generates. If you can find a large format printer that prints foam that would be a great starting point for fiberglass work.
Update:
The relay base and final revisions on the AC face plate are en route to my modeler. I need to follow up with Mark99 on the parking brake handle revisions. It's still a bit small. I think it would be pretty neat to have a polished aluminum parking brake handle.
I mentioned that the relay bases will be printed with Ultem. Take a look at this fun fire-test video produced by XOmetry, the company that I use for printing. I'm a visual learner so seeing the different melting points on the materials helps me remember the differences better than a spec sheet. I will be taking a torch to an OEM relay base as well as the Ultem version and snapping a video. Fun stuff!
The relay base and final revisions on the AC face plate are en route to my modeler. I need to follow up with Mark99 on the parking brake handle revisions. It's still a bit small. I think it would be pretty neat to have a polished aluminum parking brake handle.
I mentioned that the relay bases will be printed with Ultem. Take a look at this fun fire-test video produced by XOmetry, the company that I use for printing. I'm a visual learner so seeing the different melting points on the materials helps me remember the differences better than a spec sheet. I will be taking a torch to an OEM relay base as well as the Ultem version and snapping a video. Fun stuff!
Very interesting test and results. THANKS for sharing.
First draft of the relay base. A screenshot from my iPhone. I already sent revisions back after exploring the model. It is missing the tabs to catch the wire terminals. I'll should be ready to print later today...
Fixed! Below is a cutaway that show the 'ledge' that catches a prong on the wire terminal.
First draft of the relay base. A screenshot from my iPhone. I already sent revisions back after exploring the model. It is missing the tabs to catch the wire terminals. I'll should be ready to print later today...
but that relay holder is already available !
Doh! Details please!
How, where, price????
maybe i am mistaken
i do have some White ones somewhere, from NOS, but not many
i recall saw black ones too, have one or two, but,...
This is generally the route to go if they do exist. 3D printing is expensive. I can also 3D print a mold and have the relay bases cast. That goes for all of the parts I have modeled but the demand needs to justify the exercise and investment.
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I wanted to quickly iterate on the relay base model. I took the model to UPS yesterday. The quality of the printed samples there are pretty terrible, but I'm pleased with the quality of the mockup print. It allowed me to confirm that the base holds the terminal pins without issue. One of the sockets has trouble fitting the red power pin, but I think some support material residue was left inside the relay base. Chalk that up to the quality of the UPS store printers. You can't use them for end-use products, that is for sure. It was very convenient to just grab it and not wait for shipping. Also, it is more expensive to print a lousy UPS object then a high quality Nylon product from XOmetry or Shapeways.
It looks like I will be able to sell the relay bases for about $21 each. That's with $5 in my pocket to cover the modeling cost. Once again, it isn't cheap to print this stuff. I will need to stick with Nylon which has a melting point of around 360°. The high heat resistant Ultem would be $115 each after my $5 overhead. One has to appreciate the time-to-market with 3D printing. My part arrived at the end of the week. I had it modeled after a few days, and I'll have a production-ready part by the middle of next week.
Required updates: Add a small radius to the side of the relay where it slides into the body (not visible). Add the vertical 'walls' in the square voids on the top portion of the relay (Figure A). Verify the height of the relay base as it sits in the body. It looks like the lower dimensions are too generous and the upper dimension needs to be taller (Figure C).
Gaps or stepping in the part is due to the low quality printer, and is not representative of the 3D model or finished product.
Figure A
Figure B
Figure C
Figure D
Here is how the terminals catch the 'ledge' inside the relay base
It looks like I will be able to sell the relay bases for about $21 each. That's with $5 in my pocket to cover the modeling cost. Once again, it isn't cheap to print this stuff. I will need to stick with Nylon which has a melting point of around 360°. The high heat resistant Ultem would be $115 each after my $5 overhead. One has to appreciate the time-to-market with 3D printing. My part arrived at the end of the week. I had it modeled after a few days, and I'll have a production-ready part by the middle of next week.
Required updates: Add a small radius to the side of the relay where it slides into the body (not visible). Add the vertical 'walls' in the square voids on the top portion of the relay (Figure A). Verify the height of the relay base as it sits in the body. It looks like the lower dimensions are too generous and the upper dimension needs to be taller (Figure C).
Gaps or stepping in the part is due to the low quality printer, and is not representative of the 3D model or finished product.
Figure A
Figure B
Figure C
Figure D
Here is how the terminals catch the 'ledge' inside the relay base
Excellent
I am in for 3
I am in for 3
10 please- really nice
Thank you Don and Stan for your interest! I will keep you posted.
I finally had a chance to test these in the car. The relay is a tad loose, so I sent a few changes to my modeler. The next draft will be a production grade resolution in Nylon.
I finally had a chance to test these in the car. The relay is a tad loose, so I sent a few changes to my modeler. The next draft will be a production grade resolution in Nylon.
OH man! That looks nice!
I am sure there will be a big demand as the originals are pretty brittle
I am sure there will be a big demand as the originals are pretty brittle
Mark,
i will be in for a set of 3
i will be in for a set of 3
Thanks Scott!
FYI - If I print these in bulk the price goes down. My modeler is on a plane right now so I probably won't have the Nylon version in hand for two weeks. I want to take a heat gun to a printed one (and an original) and soak printed one in water before I start selling them.