3D Printable OBD2 Cover

[evanevery]

I have designed and attached a 3D Print File (STL) for an OBD cover for anyone who is interested in making sure the tech at the local shop doesn't inadvertently re-flash your ECU and lock it back down.

The STL print file should be importable into virtually any 3D Slicing Engine (for any 3D printer). Just print out the cover and put a "DO NOT FLASH" paper label on it...

It prints and fits perfectly when printed using ABS on my Replicator 2X...

[swifty]

Wow is this the future?

Imagine a member makes a file for diffuser and shares it with the rest of us.

Op, any advice on 3D printer to play around with. Always wanted to get one.

[GlazierGlaze]

That's awesome OP. I'd have been on this but I bought a $5 "No Flash" OBD cover for my car.

https://www.amazon.com/Daystar-KU711.../dp/B00ASKRKQY

[evanevery]

Originally Posted by swifty

Wow is this the future?

Imagine a member makes a file for diffuser and shares it with the rest of us.

Op, any advice on 3D printer to play around with. Always wanted to get one.

I've been using 3D printers (and CNC laser cutters, and CNC Plasma Cutters) for a very long time. I started by building my very own "Thing-o-matic" back when that was the great grandfather of all the current models which are now available...

These are all personal devices (not business owned) - so I'm a pretty big fan of designing and making stuff for yourself. 3D printers are NOT great because you download something you could otherwise purchase. They ARE great because you can design something that you need that might not exist anywhere else. The press doesn't get it, but the "maker" community does...

Anyway, I'm on my 6th 3D printer I currently have 3 different 3D printers up and running in my workshop. Each of these printers serves a slightly different purpose for me.

1. My Makerbot Replicator 2X is probably the most flexible and useful of the three. I use it to print exclusively with ABS - although it will print with PLA as well. (I also had a Makerbot 5th gen with the "smart extruder" but it was JUNK! I never got one single successful print without the extruders clogging. So I sent it back). I don't think you can get the 2X anymore (they sold it as "experimental" - so they didn't have to provide much support). However, there are a bunch of "clones" still available. I believe FlashForge makes one which is a pretty close copy (the 2X was an open source design): https://www.amazon.com/FlashForge-St...+printer+forge

2. I have a LulzBot Taz 6 which I use to print with PLA. PLA is better than ABS for printing things like project enclosures as it doesn't shrink during the print process. Making flat bottom enclosure with ABS can be a bit of a challenge as the corners will want to lift off the platform (heated or not) - but with PLA its pretty foolproof.

3. I have a Formlabs Form 2 SLA printer as well. The SLA printer excels at printing parts which require a high level of detail. It's an expensive printer, takes a relatively long time to print, has a relatively small print volume, but the results are very "clean" and detailed.

Its a bit of a learning curve to get comfortable with this technology - particularly if you are going to learn how to design your own parts - but its well worth it!

Take a look at http://www.thingiverse.com if you want to see the kind of things that folks are making (and sharing)...

Sharing stuff is part of the Maker Community ethos!

[evanevery]

Originally Posted by GlazierGlaze

That's awesome OP. I'd have been on this but I bought a $5 "No Flash" OBD cover for my car.

https://www.amazon.com/Daystar-KU711.../dp/B00ASKRKQY

Those are $15 - not $5... (At least they are now!)

[James0518]

Originally Posted by evanevery

I've been using 3D printers (and CNC laser cutters, and CNC Plasma Cutters) for a very long time. I started by building my very own "Thing-o-matic" back when that was the great grandfather of all the current models which are now available...

These are all personal devices (not business owned) - so I'm a pretty big fan of designing and making stuff for yourself. 3D printers are NOT great because you download something you could otherwise purchase. They ARE great because you can design something that you need that might not exist anywhere else. The press doesn't get it, but the "maker" community does...

Anyway, I'm on my 6th 3D printer I currently have 3 different 3D printers up and running in my workshop. Each of these printers serves a slightly different purpose for me.

1. My Makerbot Replicator 2X is probably the most flexible and useful of the three. I use it to print exclusively with ABS - although it will print with PLA as well. (I also had a Makerbot 5th gen with the "smart extruder" but it was JUNK! I never got one single successful print without the extruders clogging. So I sent it back). I don't think you can get the 2X anymore (they sold it as "experimental" - so they didn't have to provide much support). However, there are a bunch of "clones" still available. I believe FlashForge makes one which is a pretty close copy (the 2X was an open source design): https://www.amazon.com/FlashForge-St...+printer+forge

2. I have a LulzBot Taz 6 which I use to print with PLA. PLA is better than ABS for printing things like project enclosures as it doesn't shrink during the print process. Making flat bottom enclosure with ABS can be a bit of a challenge as the corners will want to lift off the platform (heated or not) - but with PLA its pretty foolproof.

3. I have a Formlabs Form 2 SLA printer as well. The SLA printer excels at printing parts which require a high level of detail. It's an expensive printer, takes a relatively long time to print, has a relatively small print volume, but the results are very "clean" and detailed.

Its a bit of a learning curve to get comfortable with this technology - particularly if you are going to learn how to design your own parts - but its well worth it!

Take a look at http://www.thingiverse.com if you want to see the kind of things that folks are making (and sharing)...

Sharing stuff is part of the Maker Community ethos!

I'm printing with PLA...have you printed this design with PLA yet? I'm going to give this a go this afternoon. Big thanks to the OP for the print! I don't think 3D printing gets the spotlight as much as if should - consumer manufactures are starting to get nervous.

Imagine you see something you want or need. You look up the design, send it to your printer, and have it in your hand within hours. This technology is almost limitless. People are already making food, small houses, industrial equipment and hell even human tissue.

I've been waiting for 3D printing to become more affordable and imo it is. Just picked up a nice starter 3D printer from Amazon for $200...I also just bought another home ink printer for $230 for some context here Now I'm really interested in the higher end 3D units. Some have a scanning function which just makes my mine swim with ideas!

[hotrod2448]

We have several printers at work. There is a decent amount of components on the race cars that are printed every weekend. We use windform a fair bit. We'll probably have a DLMS machine in the next year or two.

In my opinion as these become more widespread at some point we will likely end up with an online market place like Etsy or Ebay where those not inclined or skilled to make their own files will essentially buy the rights to print one of a given thing like a phone case.

[evanevery]

Scanning is useless... It REALLY is! Learn to use a CAD package. Google Sketchup is free and you can generate STL files for import into your 3D Slicer Engine (supplied with your printer). Once you get comfortable with Google Sketchup you can buy a full blown 3D CAD package (I Use TurboCAD 3D). Don't waste your time with a 3D scanner... Don't be fooled by their promises... They produce crap results...

You need to get familiar with your printer AND your slicing engine to get good prints. Then you need to get comfortable with some sort of a CAD package to be able to make your own designs. Google Sketchup is a good place to start but after a while you will find out that the models it creates are not universally importable/exportable with "real" CAD packages. (Its not a shortcoming of Sketchup, but more of a limitation in the way it represents solid entities). Anyway, get Google Sketchup and go nuts DESIGNING and making stuff!

ABS is more flexible than PLA and less brittle. Having a little flex in the print is better for stuff that uses a friction fit (like our OBD cover). ABS is also very nice that you can finish it and polish it (and even glue it together) with a little acetone. I would use ABS for everything except that it does have a shinkage issue and has a tendency to pull away from the print surface if the print has a large flat bottom... (Not an issue with the OBD cover).

PLA is easier, ABS is better... (IMHO)

I have attached a model I use with my PLA printer. The dimensions are changed just a bit (0.1 mm wider), but I think that's more related to using a different slicing engine (Cura vs Makerbot) than using a different material (PLA vs ABS). Anyway, here is the PLA version I have. Print 'em both. See which fits best!

[evanevery]

Originally Posted by hotrod2448

In my opinion as these become more widespread at some point we will likely end up with an online market place like Etsy or Ebay where those not inclined or skilled to make their own files will essentially buy the rights to print one of a given thing like a phone case.

http://www.thingiverse.com

Literally THOUSANDS of 3D printable designs available from that site FOR FREE!

You shouldn't need to pay for the rights to print anything! (Unless you have some service pint it for you). In fact, if you pay to download some print, what prevents you from passing that along to someone else for nothing? That business model won't work and "the maker community" will push it aside...

"Makers" are generally inclined to share their designs at NO COST. "Makers" don't make stuff for money - they make stuff for the shear joy and bragging rights! They generally share their stuff just to say "Hey! Look what I just made!"

[hotrod2448]

Originally Posted by evanevery

http://www.thingiverse.com

Literally THOUSANDS of 3D printable designs available from that site FOR FREE!

You shouldn't need to pay for the rights to print anything! (Unless you have some service pint it for you). In fact, if you pay to download some print, what prevents you from passing that along to someone else for nothing? That business model won't work and "the maker community" will push it aside...

"Makers" are generally inclined to share their designs at NO COST. "Makers" don't make stuff for money - they make stuff for the shear joy and bragging rights! They generally share their stuff just to say "Hey! Look what I just made!"

I'm talking more long term. I believe 3D printers will become more like typical home appliances and people who are not or do not wish to become "makers" are going to be using them to print goods they would typically buy.

I think at some point they will move past the maker community and you'll have something like the amazon printer that is connected to the amazon 3D store where you'll buy stuff and print it.

[evanevery]

Originally Posted by hotrod2448

I'm talking more long term. I believe 3D printers will become more like typical home appliances and people who are not or do not wish to become "makers" are going to be using them to print goods they would typically buy.

I think at some point they will move past the maker community and you'll have something like the amazon printer that is connected to the amazon 3D store where you'll buy stuff and print it.

Why would you print stuff if you could buy it? (Assuming you had to pay for it anyway...)

Your materials are limited as is your quality. Much better quality and cheaper if you just mold something out of plastic... And if you are simply selling that item then you can afford the $5K or so for an injection mold... 3D Printing is for prototyping and low volume production.

[hotrod2448]

Originally Posted by evanevery

Why would you print stuff if you could buy it? (Assuming you had to pay for it anyway...)

Your materials are limited as is your quality. Much better quality and cheaper if you just mold something out of plastic... And if you are simply selling that item then you can afford the $5K or so for an injection mold... 3D Printing is for prototyping and low volume production.

Yes, currently it is. Again I'm talking long term, where I can see this technology eventually taking us. The quality of printing, choice and cost of materials is going to continue to get better and close in on injection molding. When we print in windform, parts are already close to molded items in terms of strength and porosity but the cost per part is pretty high which is fine as most of what we are making with it have production runs of <10.

I'm envisioning at some point instead of going to the store and paying $60 for a phone case, or paying the same amount and waiting a couple of days for shipping you'll pay $5 for the rights to print that case at home and it have it in hand shortly. I can see smaller businesses liking this model as they could have much less overhead, no capital tied up in inventory, no tooling or production costs and could start making money as soon as they put the file up on the store.

It's probably quite a ways away if it happens at all but, it is just one of the places I can see this going.

[evanevery]

Yeah, but you material will have to be homogenous (plastic), the part has to be printable (no overhangs, etc), and its simply NOT cheaper to manufacturer these types of things using a printer. Molding is far more flexible, reliable, and cost effective.

The more complicated the process gets (multiple materials) then the more expensive the equipment gets and the more maintenance it requires. I can't see Joe Consumer maintaining, tweaking, adjusting a very complicated 3D printer just so he can print a plastic phone case. (There are hundreds of 3D Printable phone cases available for FREE on ThingiVerse in any case). Why would you pay for something you can download for free? Take a look!

Its like the promise of the Flying Car. No one seems to consider the operator. Oh sure, we can have a flying car in every driveway but no one considers that every operator of the Flying Car needs to earn and maintain a pilot's license.

No one is going to spend thousands of dollars on a 3D printer just so they can BUY and print a phone case. They can do that right now if they want for FREE. You're not going to print a toaster, or TV, or lamp, or a pair of shoes. What else are you going to buy? A soap dish?

3D printers aren't for the masses. The casual market you believe will exist doesn't have the patience or focus to maintain a 3D printer. Its simply not a mass market thing...

3D systems tried to make a plug-and-play 3D printer called the Cube3D. It used proprietary filament cartridges which was supposed to make it very easy to load and monitor filament usage. It used a proprietary slicing engine. It was trying to be the Apple of 3D printers. ...and it was junk. (I had one and gave it away to a local Maker*******. The printer failed in a big way. Makers pushed it aside because of all its proprietary crap. You simply don't sell maker products to "non-makers" (muggles?)...

The same people you want to sell a 3D Printer Delivery system would likely be the same people who don't own a saw, soldering iron, or drill. Just not gonna happen. Too few products which apply themselves well to this type of process and too few customers who would be willing to make the large up-front investment or maintain the equipment for minimal returns.

I love 3D printers. But the model you suggest is unworkable and unsustainable. I'ld be happy to be proven wrong though!

[mrbeefy]

Originally Posted by swifty

Wow is this the future?

Imagine a member makes a file for diffuser and shares it with the rest of us.

Op, any advice on 3D printer to play around with. Always wanted to get one.

Hey, i have several printers for several different things, but my fav is my makerselect v2, its real cheap very easily upgradeable and an absolute workhorse, It is the printer I suggest to everyone interested in 3d printing. heres a link https://www.amazon.com/Monoprice-Pri...gateway&sr=8-3