3D Printed Customised Electronic Protection Boxes

 

In the past we've been working on a variety of projects in New Zealand and used our 3D Printers to create customised perfect fitting containers or protection for electronic circuits.    

One of the advantages for this type of creation with 3D Printing is that the PLA has shown to not deteriorate over time, as is evidenced by our evacuation signs which have now been exposed to the elements as a 3D Print for several years, since 2018,  without any indication of damage or suffering the ill affects of being directly exposed to the weather.  This makes them ideal tools to create customised small scale boxes to house or protect elements of the 

We have been involved in a significant project locally focussing on using electronics and technology to improve the effectiveness of pest (predator) trapping in New Zealand specifically stoats and brush tailed possums.   This work is detailed on our other significant blog Soundluresnz.blogspot.com

This example is of a small electronic motor that needs to be able to be protected against the elements as it is part of a wider trap and circuit.   As our students are developing their details with the motor including adding additions to it we would be looking to use the printer to print its protection rather than buying something which would then become obsolete if we decide to adapt the box or the motor further.

We are continuing to refine this project as this is a prototype and we will be continuing to focus on using our 3D Printing capabilities to ensure that the overall unit can be completed, made weather tight and used to add value to the electronics component of the build and the project.

3D Printed Customised Sound Lure Case

Above: Design shown in profile with light sensor option.

Challenge: To produce a sound lure case with 3D Printing that would protect the electronic circuitry but also allow a sound lure to operate.
Background: This is part of a major project that our classroom of students are involved in, producing sound lures to attract pests to conventional traps.   Since we started on the project our students have made significant progress.   The initial designs focused on inserting Three Watt speakers and electronic circuits which, with a motherboard would produce a sound, that was ideally operating by detecting light levels and working in conjunction with a power source.   The Department of Conservation in New Zealand supplied us with a working example, our student spent time breaking down the components and brainstorming ideas about how we could improve on this.     Our initial designs were based around a larger speaker with our component parts assembled.  As we moved into the project we were able to locate Arduino kits that were already assembled that could produce some of the functionality that we were looking for. 

Above: Design shown from above.

One of the first chips that we identified was a chip that had a suggested use of being sound for a greeting card, this was suggested to operate as the sound source.   When this arrived as ordered we were then able to significantly change the design of our boxes to reflect the size of the chip.    We need to waterproof these boxes as the intention is to deploy them outside and in location when they can get wet, which could potentially be disastrous for the electronic circuits that we are using.     We know already from our 3D Printing numbering for the school that has been outside exposed to the elements for an entire calendar year and yet to show any sign of wear or damage.   We of course are also able to custom make boxes of the exact size that we need with the exact components to suit the circuitry that the students from the classroom are creating - it is also introducing another problem for our students to overcome, as we are producing a sound box that still requires the sound to be easily

Above: Design with potential computer chip placement

emitted and produced but also there needs to be protection for the internal parts of the box.  This is an ongoing project that will keep our students working and problem solving for the remainder of the school year.   I have inserted a new tab into this blog with the overall project which you can locate by clicking on this link. 
Level of Difficulty: Medium/High - this concept and idea is proving challenging because of the specifics of the electronic componetary and needing to be exact to complete the task successfully, and also (eventually) the full water proofing of the design so it can operate regardless of the weather.    While the students involved in this are ten and eleven they are experienced students who have used the 3D Printers throughout this school year.   There is no teacher input into this process or any of these designs, with the students working in groups of four to complete this.
Size: 100mm wide, 70mm wide and 20mm high.   The internal platform in the middle of the design is of a similar dimension and the four corners feature four points which could be potentially drilled into.
This is reflected by the size of the sound board, which the print is intended to protect.
Time frame: Three hours on the regular default settings - 8mm nozzle and a 20% infill.
What we would do differently/Next steps for students: This needs to be completed with a lid, and then the students need to carry out a series of testing to ensure that the speaker produces a clear and audible sound, preferably as loud as possible.

3D Printed Pest Control Sound Lure

Background/Details: This is an update of a previous post featured on this blog.   In this project we are partnering with a number of local groups and government organizations to produce a sound lure.   The sound lure is to attract pests (Brush Tailed Possums, Stoats, Weasels and Ferrets) to a standard or traditional trap.   The benefits of the 3D Printer with this process is that it is allowing flexibility for the selection of the speakers to be used.  We have ordered a variety of different sized speakers online (from primarily Aliexpress) and these have varied in size (deliberately on our part).    We are looking for combinations of features such as power use (solar) or different sized batteries (A4 or 12 Volt).  We've been in contact with the Department of Conservation about the lures that have been deployed in the past, they've had a buzzer sound to attract pests and a ten to twelve day battery lifespan.   Our students (who are ten and eleven years old) have spent the last four weeks looking at

considerably improving on the existing design. 

• They are replacing the battery with a lithium battery or a solar panel - this should extend its operating life considerably
• They have already spent time looking at replacing an industrial buzzer noise with an authentic Kiwi sound recording, which should make the lure more effective   

The 3D Printer is key to this design - it allows flexibility with the creation of a variety of shapes and designs to accommodate the different sizes of speakers that have been ordered but can also mean that the speaker will be water proofed to protect it from the elements.  We have conducted a running experiment with having the assembly numbers for the school in case of an event outside and exposed to the elements for over a year.    These designs are showing little evidence of any degradation in the PLA from being exposed to the outside environment .   Once completed these sound lures are being deployed in the environment they are going to be deployed in conjunction with regular traps to remove local pests.    (For our international visitors New Zealand has significant pest problems from introduced species - these are predominantly the Brush Tailed Possum but also Stoats, Weasels and Ferrets, all of which spread disease and prey on the native species of New Zealand.   Further details about these pests can be located on this Department of Conservation website.

Top: original speaker limited by size

The initial design was able to house the smaller speaker, however the students have been looking at refining the design, improving it (introducing the drill holes that are shown in the print above in the four corners of the device).   

As shown left the initial two watt speaker is shown above and the second three watt speaker shown below.    The initial supplied box design would not fit with the bottom speaker as its too large, this is not the problem for a custom made box to suit the second speaker, which is created by the 3D Printer.

This is a considerable long term project that is is the very definition of the term 'cutting edge' as the sound lures are very much in their infancy and our students are able to use the technology that is available to them to improve and create, the 3D Printer is a crucial aspect to allow the flexibility and creativity to work with the project.

3D Printed Sound Lure - Draft

Original Design on left, student 3D Print on the right

Challenge: To produce a box (water-proof) that could be used as a sound lure.
Background: Our students have begun to undertake a significant project, the creation of a sound lure to be used in predator trapping in New Zealand.     We have been supplied an original device (see photo) and the students were challenged to use technology to produce their own version.   The 3D Printer is a s key component of this project as the sound lures ultimately are intended to be deployed outdoors in the New Zealand environment, this means that they need to be water proofed, which the 3D Printer is ideal to do.     The design is very straightforward as it is essentially a box shape, and so students who had the original device were simple looking to copy this design.    The sound lure requires it to be drilled and mounted on either a trap or a location close to where a regular trap is deployed (essentially the idea is that the sound lure is more effective than a meat or bait lure and it will attract the pest from a larger range making the trap more effective).    The 3D Printer is crucial in this design as it will be more adaptable - in this case if we have to modify the size of the speaker for

Design with lid

instance, to increase its effectiveness, then we can simply take the 3D Printed design and modify it.   The PLA has proven to be durable and long lasting and weather proofing is a simple matter, and this crucially meets this need.    This will be a significant ongoing project moving forward with particular input from 3D Printers to allow our students to produce something that can be used in the outdoors successfully.   
Level of Difficulty: Medium - while the initial design appears for all intent purposes to be a basic box design (which it is at present) there is considerable design features that will need to be added to the design.    (see the what we would do differently section below).
Size: The current size of the box is 80mm long, 50mm long and 30mm high - these are the specific dimensions of the current sound lure that the design was looking to emulate.

Above: the completed project

Time frame: Three and a half hours for both parts of the design, the box and the lid.  These are specific to the component parts of the sound lure and the flexibility of the printer allows them to be easily changed to modify to the respective size of additional speakers etc.
What we would do differently: Next steps for students.   The original design featured an ability to have screws mounted in the lid and the base to secure it closed.   We experimented with making these options available, however made the decision to drill directly into the print when it was completed to allow perfectly adjusted screw sizes.   We have completed this task in the past and the PLA has maintained its shape without damage.   We will be experimenting with this with the next phase of the print and also including screw options and locations into the design.   This will involve considerable testing at this stage to move forward.