just wanted to show you my PLA test print with an integrated washer disc.
This sometimes is really helpful, for example in construction situations like this:
There you see an integrated washer disc at the bottom plate. The purpose is to be able to thighten this one long screw really hard, so that it can support the shaft well. If I would only use the hexagon nut, there would just be to little contact surface to prevent the PLA from yielding.
My test specimen was a really big washer disc with 37 mm diameter and 3,1 mm thickness. I applied one layer of double adhesive tape on top, so that the PLA would stick there (other wise it will just cause spaghetti). The washer disc was at room temperature ~25°C.
I just made up some primitive cylinders in orca slicer, enabled precise Z-height, deactivated “thick internal bridging”. Actually I would have liked to deactivate ANY bridging, at least for this area, since, in this case, it is not necessary. Unfortunately there is no such option.
Hi, if I understand you correctly, you are describing two things: one, how one can use a washer to apply counter pressure on a part that is to be tightened via a bolt and nut that doesn’t have enough grip or contact area to tighten properly for the use case. Ok, nice mechanical tip.
The other is that you are describing a method of printing PLA onto a metal surface. You indicate that you used double-side tape on the metal part (a washer) and printed PLA onto that, otherwise there would spaghetti. OK, that is something to try out when printing on metal (smooth) surfaces.
I use 3D LAC (hairspray) to provide the obligatory adhesion and separation layer for various prints. Typical would also be the use of glue stick and liquid glue.
Have you tried using any of those options in oder to print PLA onto the metal (stainless steel?) washer?
I should add: because the part is metal, and on the print plate, it is interesting to speculate if hairspray / glue stick would indeed have helped because of the contact with the build plate. Otherwise: removed from any heated source, indeed I could see how double-sided tape is an interesting option to provide adhesion.
@RenHoek That is correct. First description was the application, where a washer disc could be needed. But until now I didn’t know if large metal surfaces could easily be integrated in printed parts.
No, I didn’t test hairspray or glue stick. I just thought in terms of thermal insulation a “thicker” layer like double sided tape would be better to prevent the PLA from cooling down too fast.
Fun fact, regarding the slicer photo: because there is a hole in the middle, the “bridge” really is first printing some circles literally “in the air”
You’re correct as far as the glue stick goes. I regularly print a model that has a piece of plexiglass encased in PLA (Side note, if someone came up with a truly transparent filament they’d make bank!) when the print pauses I put the plexiglass in with glue stick applied where the filament is going to be laid down. Works absolutely great!
This is an interesting solution. I haven’t needed to do that yet, but I find it valuable to read about practical experiences with printing directly on and combined with other materials.
