【3D Printing News】A Collection of Structural Designs to Make Your Products More Flexible! (Part 2)
In the previous article, we introduced "single-use" interlocking structures that cannot be disassembled and reassembled. This time, we will introduce more advanced "reusable" structural designs and principles to provide you with more methods for product design structures. (Further reading: A Collection of Structural Designs to Make Your Products More Flexible! (Part 1))
Detachable "reusable" structures: suitable for applications such as casings, plugs, or top and bottom covers, typically used in structural designs that need to enclose the main body.
1. Detachable Snap Fit
This design allows objects to be tightly connected after assembly and can resist forces that would separate them vertically. However, they can still be easily disassembled by releasing the snap from a specific direction. This is commonly found in the top and bottom covers of electronic products, external casings for removable batteries, etc.
(The blue line drawing corresponds to the right component, and the gray line drawing corresponds to the left component, utilizing slightly raised triangles to form both a groove and a snap-fit design.)
2. Captive Screw
With this design, you no longer have to worry about customers losing important special parts inside your product! By adding a protruding ring around the screw, it not only allows for 360-degree rotation but also keeps the screw attached to one side of the casing even after it's opened. In addition to easier part preservation, it ensures correct product assembly, especially for complex components with many small parts.
3. Serrated Pin
This type of pin has a clearance of 0.05-0.1mm around it, used to assemble components by increasing friction. If you want to reduce friction, you can increase the clearance to decrease the contact area.
4. Locating Sleeve
This structure is both simple and effective, akin to the principle of a key and a lock. When the pin is rotated to the correct position, it can be pulled out, separating the components. If manufactured using a Sinterit Lisa 3D printer, this structure can be printed as a single piece, completely eliminating the need for separate printing or assembly.
5. Butt Joint Assembly
Large-area butt joint casings need to consider both the finished wall thickness and the direction of use, assembling them with a simple concept similar to a jigsaw puzzle.
Movable Structures: If your product prototype requires flexible operation, such as hinges or joysticks, then you absolutely cannot miss the following structures!
1. Ball Joint
This structural design provides a large rotation angle for combined components and is commonly found in action figures and character models. In addition to detachable open casings, it can also be achieved through single-print 3D printing.
2. Pivots or Hinges
This is also a common pivot structure found at the connection points of door panels, but in this design, it is detachable and can be printed in a single run on an SLS 3D printer.
Design Focus: Consider Stress and Tension
When selecting the correct interlocking structure, in addition to accurate dimensions and direction of action, another critical factor is all the forces applied to the components. If the model is designed for heavy loads, wider wall thicknesses or deeper grooves than shown in the examples may be required. SLS 3D printing technology is highly suitable for designs requiring high-precision interlocks and thin-shell designs, particularly for components consisting of enclosed elements that need minimal gaps and tolerances. All these examples are applicable with rigid molding powders such as PA12 Smooth or PA11 Onyx. For aesthetic considerations, an integrated assembly method would be ideal.
Follow ourfan page to stay updated:https://www.facebook.com/3dmart.com.tw/
Reference
Reference