Microwave Number Dial to help visually impaired

thingiverse

Hello, my 80-year-old father has poor eyesight, making it difficult for him to read the small, dark number dial on our microwave. The dial itself was barely legible due to its tiny size and grey color on a black background. To help him out, I designed a custom number dial that can be placed over the existing knob and securely attached to the microwave using glue or double-sided tape. This solution ensures that it doesn't interfere with the original markings on the legend plate. I printed this design in white PLA plastic and then used a waterproof black marker pen to fill in the numbers and markers. Alternatively, you could use black paint for a more permanent solution. The dial is specifically designed for our microwave's 10-minute increments, but I only went up to 10 minutes, while the next index is at 15 minutes. Each number represents an increment of 20 degrees around the dial, which seemed to match up fairly well. The numbers are approximately 10mm high (some are slightly smaller at 9mm to fit snugly on the dial). To ensure easy removal and placement, I added a cut-out and chamfer on the back right-hand side of the dial, allowing it to clear the edge of the microwave casing. Additionally, there's a small cut-out on the left-hand side to accommodate the door frame of our microwave. For those who want to modify this design, I've uploaded the original Solidworks file as well as an .igs file for easier editing and customization. Since the numbers are unlikely to be in the same position on every microwave, these files will allow you to make necessary adjustments. In a few days, I'll update the information about our microwave's make and model, along with some photos of the actual part in place.