Hydraulic ram seal

thingiverse

I've often wondered if it's possible to 3D print engine and hydraulic seals as they are normally so expensive, and for many people in remote areas, they're difficult to get. When I blew a seal on a machine last week, I decided it was time to give it a try so I got a roll of TPU from www.blueprinted.com.au and gave it a go. I am really pleased with the way it came out. The finish isn't a problem because the radial rings defining each layer work in our favour creating many lips to seal on. This seal is a rod seal and the O ring, (which is not meant to be round in cross section), is inserted into the groove of the main seal with the flat facing out. It's 38 x 54 x 12mm. I installed the first prototype and ran the ram at full bypass pressure with no sign of any leakage. Only the durability has yet to be proven. This project begs for someone to do a customizer version to vary the sizes easily. At least I now know that it's easily achievable. 6 March, 2016. Put another couple of hours run time on the machine again today. The 3D printed seal is still holding up well. Printer Settings: Brand: RepRap Printer: Prusa i3 Rafts: No Supports: No Resolution: 0.15 Infill: 100% Notes: 110 bed, 220 nozzle, and 15 - 30mm/sec print speed.