Abstract
The goal of the independent study is to develop a workshop that educates users on how to successfully incorporate 3D printed parts into functional prototypes. This independent study is a continuation of my independent study from the Fall 2023 semester: "Successful Functional Prototyping with 3D Printing." The workshop developed in this independent study includes functional prototyping aspects to consider, such as tolerances, material to material interactions, and differences from design to physical part. To start, online research was conducted on adhesives and fasteners. During this research, I identified adhesives to perform mechanical testing on, including ones available in the Spartan Light Metal Products Makerspace, such as cyanoacrylate, polyurethane, epoxy resin, and hot glue. Then, I performed mechanical tests on 3D printed specimens to characterize the effect of adhesives and fasteners on strength and extension. It was found that the specimens adhered with cyanoacrylate were significantly stronger than those adhered with other tested adhesives, which was likely due to it ability to form chemical bonds. For removable fasteners, I compared threaded machine screws either inserted directly into 3D printed parts or inserted into brass heat-set inserts in 3D printed parts. From the mechanical testing of the heat-set inserts, it was found that the use of a heat-set inserts was stronger than a connection with just a screw. However, for both the cyanoacrylate and the heat-set inserts, it was more likely that a 3D printed part would fail before the connection would. Finally, the culmination of the research and experimentation resulted in the development of a workshop that was held in order to determine how well functional prototyping with 3D printing could be delivered in an engaging yet educational manner. The workshop itself details various information regarding tolerances, material interactions, including metal to plastic and plastic to wood, and ways to address these situations. The participants then apply the information provided to build and evaluate their own 3D printed prototype.
Document Type
Final Report
Class Name
Mechanical Engineering and Material Sciences Independent Study
Date of Submission
5-9-2024
Recommended Citation
Xue, Amy and Okamoto, Ruth, "Assembly of Functional Prototypes Using 3D Printed Parts" (2024). Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science Independent Study. 267.
https://openscholarship.wustl.edu/mems500/267