Printable Version | Subscribe | Add to Favourites
New Topic New Poll New Reply
Author: Subject: 3D printed dashboard
Mr Whippy

posted on 4/10/21 at 12:20 PM Reply With Quote
3D printed dashboard

Hi,

I was just wondering if anyone has 3D printed their dash or instrument panel? was also wondering if you have, was the heat of the sun an issue seeing how low PLA's softening point is. I can't print ABS btw.

Cheers

View User's Profile E-Mail User Visit User's Homepage View All Posts By User U2U Member
David Jenkins

posted on 4/10/21 at 12:26 PM Reply With Quote
The trouble with PLA is that it has a limited lifecycle - it becomes very brittle as it gets older. I've had models that fell apart after a couple of years. I have also heard of people who left things made from PLA on their parcel shelf in full sun and they've found them all warped and spoilt after an hour or two.

ABS is more durable, but a PITA to print without a special enclosed printer. PETG is almost as good, but finnicky to print (has to be slow, or it gets all stringy and/or blobby).






View User's Profile Visit User's Homepage View All Posts By User U2U Member
Mr Whippy

posted on 4/10/21 at 12:45 PM Reply With Quote
Thanks for that.

hmm ok does not sound the greatest idea then... maybe I'll use it as a mould instead to cast a resin version. I've printed a lot of PLA models now but
always paint them which will hopefully help them last. I've got the hang of designing models and thought it would be nice to make a custom dash for the car

View User's Profile E-Mail User Visit User's Homepage View All Posts By User U2U Member
harmchar

posted on 4/10/21 at 06:39 PM Reply With Quote
I printed bezel covers for my gauges as IVA man would probably have an issue with the raised edge on them. I used PLA for my prototypes then swapped over to ABS. I didn't really get on well with the ABS quality so ended up sanding and painting them. Now I use PETG as my go to material. PLA is not advisable for anything outside the house. You can't even leave it on a window sill.
What type of printer do you have Mr Whippy?

View User's Profile View All Posts By User U2U Member
David Jenkins

posted on 4/10/21 at 07:07 PM Reply With Quote
One route is to make patterns using pla, fill & polish them so they're nice and smooth, and cast moulds from them. The can be used to make items using a more durable resin. This is also a good way to make things in castable metal.

[Edited on 4/10/21 by David Jenkins]






View User's Profile Visit User's Homepage View All Posts By User U2U Member
watsonpj

posted on 4/10/21 at 08:26 PM Reply With Quote
Petg is good for this application once the settings are good..I print it about 20% slower than pla which is plenty fast enough. I have printed bonnet vents, full headrests, wheel centres and a dash surround. Petg is fine in full sun.
I print at 245c with an 85C bed, speeds will depend on.your hotend but I find the first layer needs to be slow(50%) to get good bed adhesion. If your going too fast you see failures on large internal corners as it shrinks and detaches before it gets to stick. Too hot and your get loads of stringing.
If you have a glass bed (like me) use pritt stick as Petg sticks to the glass really well and has been know to pull chunks out.

View User's Profile View All Posts By User U2U Member
sdh2903

posted on 4/10/21 at 09:12 PM Reply With Quote
Try ASA, similar properties to ABS but easier to print.
View User's Profile View All Posts By User U2U Member
bi22le

posted on 4/10/21 at 09:20 PM Reply With Quote
As I think you may already be aware, UV light is a big contributor to destabilise the molecular plastic bonds causing it to become brittle. As long as the heat cycles stay below 60% of the melting temp you may get away with just painting the plastic after to protect it from sunlight.





Track days ARE the best thing since sliced bread, until I get a supercharger that is!

Please read my ring story:
http://www.locostbuilders.co.uk/forum/13/viewthread.php?tid=139152&page=1

Me doing a sub 56sec lap around Brands Indy. I need a geo set up! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EHksfvIGB3I

View User's Profile View All Posts By User U2U Member
Slimy38

posted on 5/10/21 at 10:21 AM Reply With Quote
Probably not a great deal to add based on previous comments, but I did print a PLA phone mount for my tin top. It only needed a slightly sunny day for it to deform and stop the phone from fitting. The interior temperature was maybe the low twenties?

I printed the same with an 'ABS Pro' filament and it was fine, it's now gone through a hot summer and it still takes the phone. This ABS Pro didn't need much of a temperature change and didn't need an enclosure either. I had to reduce the speed, and the bed adhesion could have done with some refinement, but it worked enough to make the mount.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Steadytech-Premium-Filament-Multiple-Available/dp/B07LC1D9ML

(Unfortunately this one is out of stock but hopefully you get the idea)

View User's Profile View All Posts By User U2U Member
David Jenkins

posted on 5/10/21 at 11:29 AM Reply With Quote
quote:
Originally posted by bi22le
As I think you may already be aware, UV light is a big contributor to destabilise the molecular plastic bonds causing it to become brittle. As long as the heat cycles stay below 60% of the melting temp you may get away with just painting the plastic after to protect it from sunlight.


Not only UV - I had a model on the shelf in front of my desk, and it ended up quite brittle after a couple of years - indoors, so no UV, just general indoor atmosphere in a shaded area.






View User's Profile Visit User's Homepage View All Posts By User U2U Member
BenB

posted on 5/10/21 at 01:51 PM Reply With Quote
I was going to suggest PETG also. It oozes quite a bit so on a complicated part the retraction settings can be tricky and you'll get some stringing but it doesn't pong like ABS or delaminate in the same way.
View User's Profile Visit User's Homepage View All Posts By User U2U Member
Half Finished

posted on 6/10/21 at 08:40 AM Reply With Quote
I saw a large format 3d printer in a hacker space recently. It could print a full meter cubed. Do you think 3d printed cycle wings would hold up too.
View User's Profile View All Posts By User U2U Member
Werner Van Loock

posted on 7/10/21 at 11:45 AM Reply With Quote
Use ASA as stated before, similar properties to ABS but UV resistant and easier to print, even without enclosure.

I print a lot in ASA mainly Voron parts but also houshold utilitie thingies.





http://www.clubstylus.be

View User's Profile E-Mail User Visit User's Homepage View All Posts By User U2U Member
stevebubs

posted on 7/10/21 at 01:45 PM Reply With Quote
I've successfully used PETG to help a mate fix a few bits on his daily driver including a cover/clamp for his electric windows.

The PETG window part has lasted about 12 months without issue so far....seen a PLA bracket deform just sat on the side in my cabin on a warm day...

View User's Profile E-Mail User View All Posts By User U2U Member
stevebubs

posted on 7/10/21 at 01:50 PM Reply With Quote
Interesting reading...

https://filament2print.com/gb/blog/52_petg-abs-asa.html

Summary:

quote:
After all the information cited above, we can say that ABS is a material used in many fields of industry: helmets, power tool housings or even in LEGO blocks. The ASA will increasingly be used to manufacture external parts such as car mirror housings. And PETG will continue to evolve, especially to make prototypes and containers for food


Looks like ASA is worth a look as Werner's recommendation....


[Edited on 7/10/21 by stevebubs]

[Edited on 7/10/21 by stevebubs]

View User's Profile E-Mail User View All Posts By User U2U Member
David Jenkins

posted on 7/10/21 at 02:24 PM Reply With Quote
I've not had much experience of ASA filament - I have a heat-bed that can handle 100C, a hot-end that I've routinely taken to 240C, but it looks like ASA likes 250C to 260C, something I haven't tried.

My printer is also an open frame, and the text suggests that an enclosed printer is a good idea... not sure about that.

I want to make some brackets for a "frunk" in my EV tin-top (a 'front trunk' under the bonnet, for cables, etc). I could use PETG, which would probably work OK, but that means a slow print to avoid stringing and/or blobbing. ASA sounds interesting...






View User's Profile Visit User's Homepage View All Posts By User U2U Member
obfripper

posted on 9/10/21 at 02:23 PM Reply With Quote
I have printed quite a few things with mitsubishi/verbatim durabio, which is a polycarbonate type filament made from isosorbide with very similar physical properties but a lower print temperature and decent uv resistance.

I print it at 230-250°c with an all metal hot end (but should also be ok with a ptfe lined hot end at the lower end), and 80-100°c build plate.


I use petg quite a bit and find a slow (5-15mm/s) first layer is key to getting a good print, once that layer is done the print speed can be brought up.

Petg is not as rigid as pla, so structural things may need modification to take this into account.

All these are printed in petg, i used a virtual extruder in the slicer to do the multicoloured prints with manual filament changes.

Description
Description


Description
Description


The foglamp here is a touareg foglamp led module rehoused, the original lamp sits too low and was broken off a couple times.

Description
Description


Another key thing for good prints is to ensure the filament is dry before printing, as it affects the interlayer bonding and causes the bubbling in the print surface as well as overextrusion and oozing from the hot end when not extruding filament.

Every material has different requirements for this, in lieu of a dedicated dryer, a food dehydrator or oven with accurate temperature control will do the trick.

Dave

View User's Profile View All Posts By User U2U Member
David Jenkins

posted on 9/10/21 at 02:27 PM Reply With Quote
quote:
Originally posted by obfripper
I have printed quite a few things with mitsubishi/verbatim durabio, which is a polycarbonate type filament made from isosorbide with very similar physical properties but a lower print temperature and decent uv resistance.



Eek! £40+ Pounds for a 500g spool! That's a bit steep for me, no matter how good it is...






View User's Profile Visit User's Homepage View All Posts By User U2U Member

New Topic New Poll New Reply


go to top






Website design and SEO by Studio Montage

All content © 2001-16 LocostBuilders. Reproduction prohibited
Opinions expressed in public posts are those of the author and do not necessarily represent
the views of other users or any member of the LocostBuilders team.
Running XMB 1.8 Partagium [© 2002 XMB Group] on Apache under CentOS Linux
Founded, built and operated by ChrisW.