Contents
Are 3D printed items durable?
3D printed parts are definitely strong enough to be used to make common plastic items that can withstand great amounts of impact and even heat. When you bump up the infill density, increase the number of walls, and improve the wall thickness, you’re adding to the strength and durability of a 3D printed piece.
Can PLA be used for gears?
It’s low friction coefficient, high inter-layer adhesion, and high melting temperature make it an excellent choice for 3D printed gears. PLA has high rigidity and superior wear properties over ABS which make it a better choice when application temperatures allow.
Which material is not used in 3D printing?
One of the more limiting and therefore less-used materials in 3D printing is resin. Compared to other 3D-applicable materials, resin offers limited flexibility and strength.
What filament is best for gears?
Nylon is the best filament to print gears with because of its strength, resistance to high temperatures and because it doesn’t require any lubrication for the gears to work properly. PLA is a close second in terms of strength, but it can’t withstand high temperatures and will deform when it reaches 45°C-50°C.
What should I know about 3D printing gears?
This Instructable is intended as a general guide for designing & printing FDM 3D printed plastic gears. The geared light switch cover is a neat example of something you should be able to design on your own after reading this instructable. For those of you who have a 3D printer: you can find the STL files attached to this step for free!
Which is better printed gears or injection molded gears?
Of course printing gears using the commonly available plastics is a sacrifice in surface finish and durability compared to injection molded or machined plastic parts. But when designed correctly, printed gears can provide efficient and reasonably high load transfer and are an ideal solution for some applications.
Which is the best application for printed gears?
But when designed correctly, printed gears can provide efficient and reasonably high load transfer and are an ideal solution for some applications. The majority of functional applications take the form of a speed reducer, usually for a small electric motor or hand crank.
What kind of nozzle do I need to print gears?
The standard 0.4mm nozzle is fine for most gears, such as extruder gears, GT2 pulleys, and the modular marble machine example, but for gears with tiny teeth, you’ll need to use 0.3mm, 0.25mm or even 0.2mm nozzle to print the fine detail involved. Of course, as always with 3D printing, there are trade-offs.