3D printer to produce coil housing

[ian_in_the_midlands]

Has anyone tried to produce a search coil housing using a 3D printer?
What were the problems encountered? Weight? Porous? Easily damaged?
Does anyone have any existing CAD drawings?

[Skippy]

I did wonder if 3D printing technology had improved enough to achieve this, myself. My own experience of 3D printing goes back to the early 1980's, when long-term stability was a problem, they shrunk,warped as they 'dried out'. This would be useless for an IB coil, it would go out of balance in no time, but I have seen more modern printed samples that look like they could do the job. I wonder if the major manufacturers use it during development?

[ian_in_the_midlands]

This is for a PI coil so stability not such an issue.
At the moment the only thing I know about 3D printing is I have access to a printer.

[Pennypacker]

Learn how to use Trimble Sketchup, you can export your images to CAD, it's very easy to use.

[sinclairuser]

Saw this and thought i would reply, my personal view is that while 3d printers seem cool, low cost/build your own ones are a bit of an oxymoron, as they can be still expensive and compared to proper ones can be quite limited.
Another issue i found was the cost of getting stuff made this method was prohibitive, but then i have the skill and tools to prototype the old fashioned way, and as a result if i had one i don't think it would really be any easier/quicker.
So from my point of view, if you have access to one or someone you know does try it and let us know.
A couple of things i thought of was, using this method to make the molds for coils to use in vacuum forming, and making the stronger plastic bits like the u shaped arm rest and indeed any other hard plastic part needed for the detector.

[Pennypacker]

That's right, it would be useful to make molds with.

[hispalba]

Hi. No problem with abs.
look this

[Carl-NC]

We use 3D printer models quite a bit. The wet-method produces pretty robust and tough models, often good enough for limited production. But they are pricey, and I still wouldn't trust them for a high-impact loop cover. Dry-method 3D is what most of the lower-cost printers use like RepRap and Z-Corp. The models I've made with this method tend to be more brittle.

For loops I would definitely recommend vacuum-formed sheet plastic which is thinner, lighter, & stronger.

[ian_in_the_midlands]

I may not invest too much time in this then, and instead look at vacuum forming. Thanks for advice

[Overtheedge]

ian, besides what is already posted on this site, here is another source of info.
http://blog.makezine.com/search/?q=vacuum+forming

Vacuum thermo-forming is a lot cheaper and far faster to get a usable product.
eric

[6666]

What is supposed to happen on that link ?

[6666]

When I click that link and then hit search nothing happens.

[Overtheedge]

Not sure why your problem.
I click on the above link, wait 10-15 seconds (I have slow dsl) and it returns a whole bunch of vacuum thermo-forming articles on makezine.com

Here is another site. A bit different emphasis on the thermo-formed product.
www.TK560.com
eric

[Kjamesgraham]

I am thinking of using it to proto type coil housings. I think it would make a great cast to vaccum form with. The material I investigated wouldn't stand the abuse in the field. That being said use it as a form. You could glass it to beef it up.

[sinclairuser]

In regards vacuum forming coil shells with molds made with this method, if you add a lip just bigger that the thickness of the plastic used around the bottom of the mold, you can turn it upside down so you can form coil covers for your coils.
Unless you plan to make a separate mold for the covers, i wasted a few sheets before i realised that the covers needed to be slightly bigger to fit properly over the finished coil !.