M3 Bolts/Nuts Tolerance Multipurpose Tester

thingiverse

I had to tackle this challenge because I was hired for a design job, but another company was handling the prints. It was frustrating trying to grasp their printer's printing offsets/bias regarding screw holes (bolts / nuts). To avoid similar headaches in the future, I decided to send out this test element to print before starting any project. The test element is designed to provide valuable insights into a printer's performance. On the left, next to M3, we have a regular 3mm hole (H) with a 3.55 nut (N). Below it, on the edge, there's a half-hole with the same H and N dimensions and a depth of 3mm (D). At the top, a threaded hole extends through the entire tool with a 3mm thread (T). The next set of settings is located after a small gap. From left to right, in millimeters, we have: A second vertical line of holes features H: 3.1 / N: 3.56 / D: 3.1 / T: scale factor 1.1. A third vertical line of holes has H: 3.2 / N: 3.57 / D: 3.2 / T: scale factor 1.2. The fourth vertical line of holes shows H: 3.3 / N: 3.58 / D: 3.3 / T: scale factor 1.3. The fifth vertical line of holes has H: 3.4 / N: 3.59 / D: 3.4 / T: scale factor 1.4. The sixth vertical line of holes features H: 3.5 / N: 3.60 / D: 3.5 / T: scale factor 1.5. If you, like me, need to see exactly how your prints will turn out on a specific printer, this could be an invaluable tool. Once you've fitted real M3 screws, you can report the slight bias/offset in your entire design. This ensures that the print produced by the print provider matches your vision, with M3 screws securely held in place. I plan to create versions for other sizes: M2.5 / M4. If this is a good idea, please let me know in the comments. This test element was inspired by two designs on Thingiverse: https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:2347149 https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:3418808