3D Printed Customised Sound Lure Box 3.0

Battery storage area shown immediately in front of the design

Challenge: To produce a customized box for the storing of electrical circuits for a Conservation project.
Background: This is an ongoing project of significance to the classroom with a process that is scheduled to run for the remainder of the year.   The 3D Printer is crucial for the process because we are purchasing basic electronic commentary from overseas from inexpensive online sellers, creating the circuitry, combining it with speakers, and a power source and then preparing the entire package or group of objects to be placed in rural locations in the outside environment.   The initial development which featured on this blog was for small microchips with very narrow widths and with one watt powered speakers which meant that the boxes themselves were relatively small.   In recent developments with the design we have switched to using more powerful three watt speakers.    These speakers are already assembled and while that is a positive the box housing them needs to reflect this as well.   Students have been working on a prototype of this

Above: Design shown speaker - note button visible bottom left

box, and there were additional challenges put to the students.   The battery or power component needs to be housed separate from the speaker, although as there is wiring there needs to be a relation between the two.    The button to operate and start the unit working needs to be wired to the outside of the box, linked by a small 10mm by 20mm hole to allow the button to be moved to the outside.   Finally this print is intended to have a lid, which is able to be slid into place and locked there to hold itself to protect all of the commentary.   This lid also needed to be able to emit the sound from the speaker and limit its exposure to moisture or rain.   There was finally the last aspect - the aspect of flexibility - as we have progressed in this project the size and electronic commentary that we are using has to be flexible to enable us to try combinations and experiment.    This shown option involves the use of rechargeable batters - a solar powered source of energy would be perfect in the future.
Degree of Difficulty: High - this is a complex project involving little details that need to work successfully in order for the device to function.     This design appears straight forward but is proving not, however it is proving an excellent extension for two ten year olds who have shown creativity and flair for design.   The learning experience to produce a working lid will be invaluable. 
Size: This print measures 130mm across 120mm deep and is 70mm high..    The two internal component parts were designed to house separate battery and speaker areas.   The internal wall created to divide the two is 5mm thick and is placed 50mm from the outside wall at the shorter end.    There were additional external holes placed for the button speaker to be outside of the box so it could be switched on and off without the entire box being opened.   This design is undergone a significant re-design since it was originally printed, and before the print has already been reduced in size to 50% of what is shown here, as this will still allow to have all of the needed aspects of the design and also allow for transport of a number of the devices at one time.
Time frame: Fourteen hours - this is reflective of the size of the project - version 4.0 will be halved.
What we would do differently/Next steps for students: This is already been updated to reduce the size of the print considerably to make the box more compact.   Experimenting with the lid to ensure that it works and emits the sound and protects the box.