Embedded Files
My Creality Ender-2 3D Printer assembled from a kit
My Prusa i3 MK3S+ in action printing a "3DBenchy"
During my time at E Ink I really enjoyed 3D printing parts that were used in the lab, either as parts for an assembly or standalone tools. I'm fascinated with taking a design file, sending it to the printer, and producing a tangible, functional part within hours. I knew I wanted to continue learning about 3D printing beyond E Ink.
My fascination with 3D printing led me to get my own 3D printer kit, the Creality Ender-2, which I needed to assemble myself. After a days worth of putting the pieces together, securing the belts and motors, leveling the bed, and testing it out, I had put together my own personal 3D printer. I knew how 3D printers worked beforehand but assembling it myself gave me a better appreciation for how printers function and how to troubleshoot them when you run into issues. I also had to install the slicing software and set the parameters for my printer based on the type of filament used, which furthered my knowledge about 3D printing and different filaments.
About a year after I started using my Creality Ender-2, I wanted to upgrade to a more reliable printer capable of larger and more robust prints. That's when I acquired a Prusa i3 MK3S+ kit and spent a few days assembling and testing it. The Prusa i3 was a much more involved, time-consuming: I needed to assemble the entire extruder and wire up all the motors and sensors to the motherboard, which I didn't need to do for the Ender-2. Since the Prusa i3 was more reliable, I could print more detailed builds and had greater control over parameters like extruder/bed temperatures and filament flow.
Like almost every engineer, I like solving problems. With my 3D printer, I'm able to design custom solutions to everyday problems I encounter, then see my design come to life in the form of a functional part. Although I like designing things myself, I also enjoy printing models I find online. Check out some of my 3D creations below.
Wireless Phone Charger Stand
Wireless Phone Charger Stand
Problem:
I started using a wireless phone charger to charge my phone at night, but I was constantly misplacing my phone on the charger so it wouldn't actually charge
By creating a housing for the charger that has a cradle for my phone, I could reliably align my phone on the charger
The three design considerations were housing the charger, securing the phone in place, and supporting both components
The three design considerations were housing the charger, securing the phone in place, and supporting both components
Action:
Designed the backing of the stand to snuggly fit my wireless charger at a position that would charge my phone
Designed the cradle to hold my phone in the proper location relative to the charger to make it easy to drop my phone in and start charging it
Designed the base of the stand to be a "Z" to make it a one-of-a-kind support
The stand allows me to drop my phone in and reliably align it with the charger to ensure a proper charge without having to check
The stand allows me to drop my phone in and reliably align it with the charger to ensure a proper charge without having to check
Results:
After a ~14 hour print I produced a stable, working stand for my mobile wireless charging that perfectly fit my phone
Now I don't worry about placing my phone perfectly on the charger to get a charge because it's automatically aligned when I place my phone in the cradle
Custom "SL" phone stand I designed for my brother Sam
Custom "SL" phone stand I designed for my brother Sam
Problem:
My brother had a nice desk setup with a laptop and monitors, but wanted a nice stand for his phone to put on the desk
The stand is small, yet supportive enough to hold a phone in place on a tabletop
The stand is small, yet supportive enough to hold a phone in place on a tabletop
Action:
Designed a stand with my brother's initials on the base to make it personalized
Added a front and back at different angles to holster the phone at a desired angle
Ensured it was small and convenient to use but supportive enough for the phone
The stand consists of the initials for the base and two phone supports (front and back)
The stand consists of the initials for the base and two phone supports (front and back)
Results:
Produced a convenient, reliable phone stand capable to supporting a phone on a desk for easy multitasking
Small yet supportive, which speaks to the reliability of my Prusa i3 MK3S+
In my apartment, the toilet paper holder in the bathroom was broken, and we didn't have any similar fixtures to replace it. Rather than wait around for my landlord to fix it, I decided what we needed was simple enough that I could design it myself and print a replacement within hours. Although the part became slightly warped by the end of printing, I successfully designed and printed a functional toilet paper holder for the bathroom, pictured above.
The first design consideration I needed to make was how to secure the roll of toilet paper without it falling off, so I just added a small vertical extrusion at the end, enough to prevent the roll from sliding off. Next, I needed to make sure different kinds of rolls would fit on the holder, so I took some measurements and designed it wide enough to fit the largest rolls. Additionally, I needed to ensure it would be secured to the wall, so I made the base thick enough to support a roll of toilet paper than made 3 through holes to allow for it to be nailed to the wall.
I was trying to hang a picture frame of mine on the wall but realized the frame didn't have any hooks or anything to secure it to the wall. I knew I needed a simple fixture so I designed a support bracket to secure the picture frame to the wall.
Two of these support brackets were enough to support my picture frame and secure it to the wall.
To design it, I measured the width of the picture frame and made a slot that would firmly grasp the frame while still being strong enough to hold it up. It could be modified to hold different sizes of frames.
Page updated
Google Sites
Report abuse