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Forum 3D printing movable & electrical parts (keyboard, for example)
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  • 3D Printing
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3D printing movable & electrical parts (keyboard, for example)

Former Member
Former Member over 10 years ago

Hello,

You can skip to the second paragraph, there is the main point image

I am enthusiast in learning 3D printing and I have been researching it for a long time but almost every tutorial on internet are based on immovable and nonelectrical parts such as sculptures. On the Ben Heck Show, 3D designs are usually made with Autodesk 123D Design which does not have any feature about electronics as far as I know, and there are a lot of 123D models that refer to moving parts but are empty inside, so I'm not sure if they are really movable. Because of my desire to create electrical devices using 3D printing, I started to use Designspark Mechanical -since it provides the opportunity to use electrical components in 3D printing- but it is far less user friendly than most of the 3D design applications and is poor in some designing features. I was amazed when I saw the Solidworks but it seems far more professional so I am not sure if I should use it for 3D printing. It's purpose is more likely to design projects for manufacturing.

 

What I want to know is just how to build a device that has moving parts in the first place, and then electrical parts. Electrical parts don't have to be 3D printed (I don't know if makerbot can 3D print electrical components anyway), my point is that I didn't understand the key to make objects movable and which 3D designing application to use for this desire. Let's say I want to make a keyboard where buttons are movable of course, and there is a pcb that communicates with computer in order to say "hey I clicked "K" button". Can you do this, and which app do you advice?

 

Thanks in advance,

Regards

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  • kouruu
    kouruu over 10 years ago +2
    First let me clear up by saying, I don't have a 3D printer myself. The more I watch videos on it, the more I wish I had one, but my budget won't currently allow it. That being said. Let me first off suggest…
  • clem57
    clem57 over 10 years ago +1
    muhsinfatih I would suggest to take an old keyboard apart to "see" how it works. That way you can design yours based on that. Clem
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  • clem57
    clem57 over 10 years ago

    muhsinfatih

      I would suggest to take an old keyboard apart to "see" how it works. That way you can design yours based on that.

    Clem

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  • clem57
    clem57 over 10 years ago

    muhsinfatih

      I would suggest to take an old keyboard apart to "see" how it works. That way you can design yours based on that.

    Clem

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  • Former Member
    Former Member over 10 years ago in reply to clem57

    Hello,

    Thanks for your answer, but I already did that and still I don't know how to make it. Which type of material should I use for making a button, will the makerbot print objects that are not in contact? I mean, what I know about making a movable part is that I should leave some empty space between the device and moving part to prevent them stick together. Furthermore, will it be flexible? I don't want to make a keyboard that I have to apply 500g pressure to click on it..

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