3D Printed Mechanism | Spring [Not yet parametric]

🛠️ Introducing a new 3D Printed Mechanism: the Compression spring! 🛠️

First of all, let me explain that this is not my own creation. I took the idea from a youtube video from the creator HeyVye and wanted to port it to MakerWorld. Go and give the creator the support he needs (however I modified it adding keyholes at the top and bottom ends for attachment to other parts):

Making a 3D Printed Spring, Modelling in Fusion 360 (youtube.com)

Hello engineers and makers,

I'm excited to share with you a nice project: a highly functional 3D printed compression spring. Leveraging the capabilities of 3D printing technology, this spring is designed to meet the demands of various applications. Here's what makes it stand out:

🔧 Utility and Applications:

This 3D printed compression spring is engineered to provide reliable performance in diverse mechanical and structural applications. Its unique design and material properties offer several advantages:

• Customizable Stiffness: By altering the material, the infill density and pattern as well as the length, width, thickness and diameters, you can customize the spring's stiffness to meet specific load requirements.
• Prototyping and Testing: Ideal for rapid prototyping, this spring allows for quick iterations and testing in product development.
• Lightweight Design: The use of PLA ensures a lightweight yet sturdy structure, making it suitable for applications where weight reduction is critical.
• Versatile Use: Suitable for a range of uses, from damping and vibration absorption in machinery to custom suspension systems in robotics and automation projects.

🖨️ Print Properties:

• Material: Matte PLA from BambuLab // Tonweiß matt from DasFilament (material changed spring properties considerably)
• Nozzle: 0.4 mm stainless steel
• Layer Height: 0.2 mm
• Infill Pattern: Linear
• Infill Density: 15%
• Supports: No (⚠️ATTENTION: Please don't add supports, the supports are already added in the .stl)

🖨️ Printing and Removing Supports

When slicing please do not add supports, the supports are already designed in Fusion360. The supports will need to be removed after the print starting through the hole in the middle. Some slices have been done in the support structure to help removing them. Here is a before and after of the supports:

📏 Material Properties

When designing and using a 3D printed spring, it's crucial to consider how material properties and dimensions impact its performance. So far I only did two test of the same size spring (the one in the .3mf) with two different materials but the differences were quite considerable. The PLA matte from DasFilament resulted in a much stiffer and brittle spring. 

For reference, the best results were obtained with BambuLab Matte PLA, which has the following mechanical properties:

This provided a flexible spring that adapted well to other mechanisms.

📐 Dimensions

All the dimension test were done with Tonweiß Matte filament from DasFilament (since I ran out of BambuLab's filament and there are no more restocks)

Test 1:

This resulted in a working spring that opposed a good force (unfortunately I do not have a test bench and cannot calculate weight)

Test 2:

This resulted in an extremely stiff spring that opposed a too much force. It turned out unsusable and ended up breaking at the base:

Test 3:

This resulted of a softened version of the initial spring, supporting less weight but being more resilient.

🔧 Parametric design [To be implemented]

I am working on making this design parametrical, but I learned that can only be done from open SCAD and I have no clue how to program in it. I will have to learn but please feel free to give me advices and techniques or learning material.

🔍 Check Out My Other Designs

Pans & Lids organizer: https://makerworld.com/en/models/519634#profileId-436020