Nut Trap

thingiverse

While tackling another project involving combining multiple prints into larger objects, I opted to forego gluing and instead look for an alternative method of joining them.\nWhat I sought to accomplish was printing parts with nuts embedded within them to secure them in place.\nTo this end, I utilize the M0 command (and others available in Marlin) and insert it at the relevant layer to pause the print so I can manually insert the nuts during the process, then resume the print to complete the job.\nAs such, I designed a test cube suitable for M4, as well as experimenting with managing angled bolts/nuts and figuring out how to insert them effectively.\nIn my initial attempt at this, I found too much play in the nut hole size, resulting in two of the three nuts rotating within the print when trying to screw them in.\nThis second attempt was more successful, with all three nuts screwing in perfectly and tightening without any issues, both the vertical and 45-degree angle ones performing without a hitch.\nI also incorporated recessed bolt heads into the design so they wouldn't protrude from the print after being tightened.\nTesting was conducted using both normal and nylock M4 nuts, and both worked seamlessly with the adjusted slop settings.\nThe variables used in this experiment are included in the OpenSCAD script (including the angle issue), but you can replicate this process using almost any other modeling tool - I simply chose OpenSCAD due to my preference for it.\nFor the pause scripting, I employed a solution from \nhttp://www.akeric.com/blog/?p=3473\nSpecifically, the layer replacement:\nG91 ; Switch to relative mode\nG1 Z10 ; Lower the bed by 10mm\nG90 ; Revert to absolute mode\nG1 X0 Y0 ; Zero (home) the X & Y axes\nM0 Click To Restart ; Pause and wait for user input\nG91 ; Switch back to relative mode\nG1 Z-10 ; Raise the bed by 10mm\nG90 ; Revert to absolute mode\nThis layer replacement worked flawlessly with my Simplify3D slicing of the model.\nPrint Settings:\nPrinter: CobbleBot\nRafts: Yes\nSupports: Yes\nResolution: .2mm\nInfill: 35%\nNotes: Printed so the hole faces upwards for testing purposes, ensuring that any auto supports do not get applied inside the nut trap area.