3D Printing - Cool Assembly Tools?

[jtb032295]

Hey guys, as some may know, I am a mechanical engineering major at Penn State and I will soon have access to free 3D printing.. I want to take advantage of this and the racer inside of me is coming out ... What would be cool to 3D print, focusing mostly on the SBC/ LS1? Our size is limited to 5" x 5"..

I was thinking lifters? Pushrod length checking tool? Something like this?

Thanks guys!

[jmarkaudio]

What material?

[jtb032295]

What material?

PLA

[Pro-SeriesFab]

Not automotive related per se but the last time I had access to a 3d printer I printed off several little bridgeport z-axis spline adapters to 1/2" stem . . . got tired of spinning the crank by hand when changing between a drill chuck and r8 collet since the drill chuck is a good 3-4" long and gets tiring after changing it out a couple of times in a day.

Turns out guys had been making/selling them for sometime after contemplating making a couple and selling them. Some guy even bothered to patent the idea

[jtb032295]

Sweet! I interested in anything automotive related and hey maybe it'll even lead to a design patent in the future .. I really just want to make something useful!

- You actually kinda sparked another idea... A SBC crank turning adapter for a 1/2" ratchet? I know they make these all over the place but I currently don't own one?

[A_VAS]

ring squaring tools for various bore sizes

tapered ring compressors for installing pistons. Might have to sand or smooth the inside surfaces a bit post printing

cam buttons for guys converting old non-roller cam engines

non-marring wrenches for aluminum AN fittings

[TMSJoe]

Print a tapered ring compressor. Not sure if it would be durable enough though.

[A_VAS]

the rings might bite into the material, depending on the hardness of his material, I agree.

I think a fixed bore tapered deal would be plenty strong...make the wall thick.

It's all for the sake of learning right? If it don't work throw it out

[A_VAS]

not a great pic but in the left side you can see a ring squaring tool I printed at work
flanged with a handle, and the bore size raised numbers to keep track of them

[jtb032295]

Wow! How did I not think about the ring tools? .. That is exactly the kind of stuff I'm looking to make! It's all for the learning and bettering my design skills.. So if it doesn't work, oh well!

I would be concerned about the rings digging into the PLA material? Maybe once smoothed, it would be ok?

[TMSJoe]

Wow! How did I not think about the ring tools? .. That is exactly the kind of stuff I'm looking to make! It's all for the learning and bettering my design skills.. So if it doesn't work, oh well!

I would be concerned about the rings digging into the PLA material? Maybe once smoothed, it would be ok?

If the taper is gradual enough I bet it would work fine. I like the ring squaring tool idea.

[TMSJoe]

Flow bench radius adapters. I make mine out of old cutting boards I get from the surplus store.
Carb air horns.

[jtb032295]

Well I began drafting the crank socket in Solidworks and the ring tools are up next! I'm definitely making the ring squaring tools as they will be helpful in my upcoming SBC build.. Im certainly going to try the ring compressor also and see how it works!.. What's the worst that can happen lol.. Paper weight?

[clshore]

Design the tapered ring compressors with 3 or more slots on inner taper, put pieces of drill rod into slots, so the rings bear onto the hard drill rod surface.

[Greg2]

Freeze plug tools? Kinda simple but might be a good starting point for practice.