500ML Syringe Mini-Press/Compactor (Revision 2)

prusaprinters

UPDATED JUNE 20: Added Revision 2... *This revision has not been printed or tested yet. Use at your own risk. Slight redesign to improve strength of the syringe holder, (At the cost of more material, obviously), as well as a concept for a stronger, more rigid joint between the syringe holder and the pressing chamber. Print with supports to prevent the circle in front from collapsing; this circle holds the syringe in place to help prevent failure. Additional security is still recommended, though. To use the Revision 2, print the "r2" parts, and also the "Extra Parts". However, DO NOT print the small rectangular parts in the Extras, as they are no longer necessary for Revision 2. Ever wanted to be like the Hydraulic Press Channel? Unfortunately, this is not the Thing for you if that's the case. BUT... if you need a small hobby press for something, you've come to the right place. This is a pneumatic/hydraulic press, designed to fit a 500 ML extra-large syringe, such as this one: https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B07L14NXZS/ Did you actually give this Thing a try? If so, PLEASE post a Make! Makes are a useful way for me to see how my designs are actually being used, so I can see any potential design flaws, and in turn improve the design, as well as future designs! Print Settings Printer Brand: Creality Printer: Ender 3 Rafts: Doesn't Matter Supports: Yes Resolution: 0.2MM Infill: 20% Minimum (More is Better) Filament: CC3D PLA Silk Black Notes: The "Body" assembly is designed to more or less fill the entire bed on an Ender 3. There is some extra space for a brim or a very small raft if needed, as this is a large part and warping is possible. After printing the body, print the "Extra Parts". Separate Revision 2 STL's are now provided for the syringe holder and pressing chamber if both parts combined don't QUITE fit your printer. However, DO NOT PRINT THE PARTS VERTICALLY! THE JOINTS BETWEEN LAYERS ARE THE WEAKEST PART OF A PRINT, AND THE PRESS WILL BE SIGNIFICANTLY WEAKER, REGARDLESS OF INFILL! Post-Printing WARNING: If you're using compressed air to power the press, test the press at the maximum pressure you plan on using it, from a safe distance or behind something before actually using it. If your print isn't strong enough, the press will break, resulting in an explosion of shattered plastic, high-pressure air, and an air-spring-loaded syringe flying at your soon-to-be-former face. If you choose to use hydraulic power instead, this will be far less spectacular, but depending on the nature of the print and the forces at play, shattered plastic could still fly in any and all directions in the event of failure. Always use eye protection (Preferably a face shield, or even a remote camera) when using this press, as failure can be violent and unexpected. I'm not responsible for anything that may happen from your use of this press. Assembling the Body In the "Extra Parts" print, you'll see two small, thin rectangles. Those are used to attach the syringe to the actual chamber where the pressing will occur. First, insert the syringe. You won't be able to insert or remove it after the next step. Sandwich the small "Tongues" sticking out from the body and chamber between the rectangles, and use super glue (Or your own personal favorite brand of inexpensive cyanoacrylate adhesive) to glue it all together. This will permanently fix the syringe holder and chamber together, through the all-new, entirely unpatentedSuperglue Sandwich System! See the images for more information. FOR REVISION 2 For the Revision 2 components, the syringe holder and the pressing chamber should now slide into each other, no extra parts required. You may need to adjust your printer, sand the chamber a little, or apply some force, as the parts were modeled to fit with ZERO clearance, to assure the best possible bond when using superglue. Just apply superglue to the syringe holder anywhere where it fits into the chamber, and press it in. Joining the syringe holder and the chamber via my Superglue Sandwich System. Also, apparently these captions are only available on the mobile app, so hello mobile users~! Installing The Plunger The square thing with a circle cut out of it is the plunger. It's designed to fit precisely over the circular plunger on the syringe, and keep the syringe in alignment within the chamber. Add some epoxy to the inside of the circle, then using a small amount of air pressure, push the syringe to the limit of its travel, so it's pushing against the end of the chamber. This will be the pressing force that holds the plunger of the syringe into the plunger of the press while the epoxy sets. You can also use small C-clamps if desired. Using The Press You can get forward-reverse motion using two 3-way solenoid valves, as shown in the below diagram. A small gear pump can also do the job without any valves, just a way to reverse the motor. In my tests, I used 20% Gyroid infill, and a low-power compressor from a nebulizer I found in the trash. The only caveat here is that the pump must have connections to the outlet AND the inlet. If your compressor or air supply is more powerful, more infill will be required. Tip: The press has a tendency to arch upwards under stress, which will result in failure. In order to counter this, use something sturdy such as a metal pipe strap to securely attach the syringe side to a wooden base, near the connection between the syringe and the chamber. If you glued the joint well enough, it should be stronger than the plastic around it, and it will hold all of the stress. Don't drive screws through the base of the parts, as this creates weak points. See the below diagram for how to configure two 3-way valves (Such as these ones: https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B07W841LM1 ) for forward/reverse motion. Configuring two 3-way valves for automatic forward-reverse motion of the syringe. Category: DIY