3D Printing: Extending Fathers Day Design

 

Challenge: To produce a unique Fathers Day themed print including additional challenges.

Background: This was one of the first of the next level challenge of designs for Fathers Day.   You can click on the link here to view some of the students coasters initial ideas and the development of their prints that followed.

This student when presented with the option wanted to look for something different that he could adapt or manipulate.   This print represented something that he felt represented his father and also something he felt would be different from the standard coaster.   There are a number of pre-made designs that feature from the Tinkercad design page (accessible from the search option).   The student selected one of the diggers from this page.

The student concerned attempted to import this into Tinkercad (successfully) and then attempted to AR/VR the image. This proved not possible due to the detail.   Following an evaluation of the detail it was decided that the print, while it was detailed and creative would not be a workable 3D Print (as it had a collection of levers, wires and general detail that would require very accurate rafting removal and also would require minimal handling).

A second digger file was located and the student felt that this would be more workable and also could be modified easily to clearly meet the 'Fathers Day' brief.    The student then made the decision to personalise the design by adding the addition of the lettering/message around the edge of the body of the crane.

Resources Used to Complete this Print: iPad, Tinkercad, Bambu H2D, Bambu Filament.

Level of Difficulty: Low - this is not a students design they have taken the design from the main Tinkercad page and are merely adjusting it by adding the lettering.   An extreme challenge would have been to build something like this from scratch in an original sense which would have been possible using the basic shapes.

Size: The print has some interesting dimensions based on its size.  The tracks measured 80mm long and were 30mm high.   The base of the design was of similar length but had the addition of the cab which was 20mm by 40mm.  The arm of the digger was 30mm wide and consisted of three sections being 60mm long each.   Finally there was the scoop which was 30mm across and 40mm wide.

Cost/Price: The print used 75g of PLA to complete the print.   This gave the print a price point of $1.49c.

Timeframe:   The total print time for this design was three hours and fifty three minutes which included the regulation time to warm up.

What we would do differently/Next steps for the students:   This design at the moment has the approval of the student however there is an issue with the arm of the crane and the join point for it.   There is significant small amount of 'rafting' that needs to be moved from around the print.   This needs to be removed by the teacher not the student as it is in places that would require a sharp object.   There is of course the opportunity to increase the level of personalisation and details - and again as touched upon there is the potential that we could have students create their own versions using the main interface.