3pin Connector (Sensors, LEDs, etc)

thingiverse

I agree that this design resembles a Lightning connector; it can be easily modified for reversibility as well. I plan to make the necessary adjustments later. I was working on an Arduino project and discovered that no one had attempted to create a small connector for Thingiverse yet. This particular model is designed specifically for a DS18B20, a digital temperature sensor that communicates via One Wire Interface (i.e., VCC, ground, and a data wire). As it turns out, the connector works incredibly well with it! PRINTING The dimensions of these connectors are extremely small. To ensure a perfect fit, I increased the female connector hole by 0.2mm in both directions and set the horizontal expansion setting to -0.05 mm on Cura (only for the female). As a result, it fitted perfectly on the first try. You may need to experiment with horizontal expansion or scaling until you achieve the desired outcome, depending on your familiarity with your printer. I printed these connectors using a 0.4mm nozzle without any finesse at all. While smaller nozzles would yield better results, this was sufficient for it to function properly. Print all the pieces simultaneously or print multiple ones at once so that they have enough time to cool down. Alternatively, blast the layer fan at them; I'm not entirely sure which method is more effective. For the MALE connector, I used a paper clip with a 0.75mm diameter. You can use any solid wire you prefer. Simply bend the tip 90 degrees and cut it almost flush, leaving less than a millimeter to secure it to the connector body without passing through it entirely. Solder the wires to the paper clip pieces before assembling them. The FEMALE connector is slightly more complicated since the contacts need to be flexible. My approach worked flawlessly; I used PSU wires (20AWG, many strands of copper) and passed them through the connector, then soldered the tip to keep the strands together and bent them over through the recesses in the connector. A small amount of cyanoacrylate glue keeps them from moving, and it's complete. The lid serves as a cover for the paper clip-wire connections and adds stability to the entire assembly. I secured it using cyanoacrylate glue, which you can also use if you prefer.