3D printed avionics part

Am I the only weirdo that stare at 5-10 layers on at beginning of print?
It's surprisingly memorizing... like ocean waves crashing. :rolleyes:
 
I have an original MakerSelect v2(200mm x 200mm x 180mm) with minimal changes which I use primarily to print 3d printer parts and random prototypes.
I have a beastly Ender 5 plus which can print huge(350 x 350 x 400), but I haven't yet printed anything huge. It will eventually get dual extrusion and a 4 way splitter for 5 different filaments but right now it's doing the polycarbonate parts for printer #3.
And I have a middle child Ender 3(220 x 220 x 250) which is the one being stripped down and rebuilt as my high temp printer. It's getting a liquid cooled dual extrusion hotend, liquid cooled steppers, remote mount parts cooling, high temp belts, maybe high temp microswitches, new motherboard and power supply.

I started with Da Vinci (which broke after 3 months), eventually got 5 printers. I got rid of 2 and now have two large printers and one delta. Want to trade one for resin eventually.
 
For those of you who know more than I about 3D printing (pretty much all of you, I suspect), is there a way to 3D print an interior light lens for a car or an airplane? They always get brittle as the get old, and replacements are so often either (1) impossible to find, (2) incredibly expensive, or (3) so old they're almost as bad as the dissolved one they replace.

Ideas?
Unless you have a reasonably high end SLA printer, you are not likely to be happy with the result. If you have a semi-intact original, you are better off making a casting.
 
Am I the only weirdo that stare at 5-10 layers on at beginning of print?
It's surprisingly memorizing... like ocean waves crashing. :rolleyes:
I do it because I worry about adhesion to the build plate.
 
I do it because I worry about adhesion to the build plate.

Lately, the raft have been sticking to the model; what temperate differences are people using between model and raft?
 
Which 3D printers are you folks using?

I don't have one yet... But when I do, it'll be a Prusa i3 Mk 3S. Stellar reviews, features that are friendly to people new to 3D printing, open source and available both as a finished product and as a built-it-yourself kit (at a $250 savings!).

It is also what is being used to print the aforementioned parts for my airplane.

Edit: I must admit that the Snapmaker 2.0 is also fairly tempting, mainly because it gives you the ability (at least in theory) to build one machine with the trifecta of maker tools: 3d printer, laser cutter, and CNC mill.
 
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Lately, the raft have been sticking to the model; what temperate differences are people using between model and raft?
Ultimakers have a heated glass build plate, hence no need for a raft.
 
Do you guys do any hardness or any other kind of testing when the parts come out of the machine? Something like a RAM mount for a GPS on my Dual Sport motorcycle needs to be as strong as the original as it lives a rough life on the trail.
 
Do you guys do any hardness or any other kind of testing when the parts come out of the machine? Something like a RAM mount for a GPS on my Dual Sport motorcycle needs to be as strong as the original as it lives a rough life on the trail.

Different filaments have varied level of hardness and temp resistance.
Also, seems there’s new filaments being developed all the time.
 
I don't have one yet... But when I do, it'll be a Prusa i3 Mk 3S. Stellar reviews, features that are friendly to people new to 3D printing, open source and available both as a finished product and as a built-it-yourself kit (at a $250 savings!).

It is also what is being used to print the aforementioned parts for my airplane.

Edit: I must admit that the Snapmaker 2.0 is also fairly tempting, mainly because it gives you the ability (at least in theory) to build one machine with the trifecta of maker tools: 3d printer, laser cutter, and CNC mill.

I’d recommend not build your first printer. Prusa with metal frame would be great first printer. I found large format printer (at least 300x300x300) useful for printing automotive
 
Edit: I must admit that the Snapmaker 2.0 is also fairly tempting, mainly because it gives you the ability (at least in theory) to build one machine with the trifecta of maker tools: 3d printer, laser cutter, and CNC mill.

I suspect that's one of those 'better in theory' things as the requirements for those 3 things vary widely. CNC wants heavy duty and often slow. 3d printing is in the middle and laser is usually fast but with a very light weight tool.

Personally I'm doing the 3 on 3(well 2+ 3 3d printers) a 3040 CNC router which I need to finish the electronics package for, which will also get a blue laser as an optional accessory. A K40 CO2 laser I need to finish aligning and making a Z table for. And then the collection of printers to make parts for the other stuff.

Do you guys do any hardness or any other kind of testing when the parts come out of the machine? Something like a RAM mount for a GPS on my Dual Sport motorcycle needs to be as strong as the original as it lives a rough life on the trail.

I've found usually things can either be made to look like the original or made as strong as the original but designed differently. 3d printing takes a fair bit of time to start figuring out how to design for strength. Material selection obviously matters, but a poorly designed part is going to suck in any material. Although at the end of the day 99% of my parts are: take a rectangle, drill some holes in it.
 
I suspect that's one of those 'better in theory' things as the requirements for those 3 things vary widely. CNC wants heavy duty and often slow. 3d printing is in the middle and laser is usually fast but with a very light weight tool.

I suspect the same. That's part of why I'd rather have the Prusa, but the cost of each of those tools is fairly significant (that's a lot of avgas!) so I'm a little hesitant. Hopefully my kid and/or I can make enough use of those things eventually to make it worthwhile... Of course, I have an Arduino, a RasPi, and a makerspace membership that are all too rarely used and tell me that is not the case right now. :(

If I'd just cancelled the makerspace membership immediately after the last time I was actually there, I could have bought myself a Prusa or a Glowforge by now. :( And if I had enough time to use any of them, I'd probably have a clue what CNC mill I'd like!
 
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