M5 T-slot nut substitute

thingiverse

To reduce costs, off-the-shelf T-slot nuts can be replaced with printed parts. These printed nuts mimic the functionality of traditional nuts while placing pressure on the printed part. This alternative solution involves placing a 1mm washer under load along with an M5 half-nut. The design prints without support and requires slicing at 0.2mm layer-height for proper fitment. This cost-effective substitute was utilized in a MendelMax build, employing RS Online nuts and washers alongside KJN extrusions. The OpenSCAD file incorporates parts of Catarina Motas Shape Library (http://svn.makerbot.com/users/hoeken/openscad/shapes.scad). To utilize this alternative, print multiple copies, insert nuts and washers, and enjoy the cost savings.