Rocking Compression Mould for the Apple Lightening Cable

thingiverse

This project brings cutting-edge production techniques straight into your own kitchen! In the industry, they call it desktop manufacturing. At Sugru, we pioneered this innovative rocking compression mold specifically for the most popular cable in the universe: the Apple Lightning to USB Cable. Now you can experiment with this exciting technology too. Whether it's just a fun project or the starting point of a thriving cable repair business, professional molding is easier than ever before. To create high-quality strain relief for your cables, all you need is a 3D printed mold, a pack of Sugru, a paintbrush and some dish soap (washing up liquid). There are several options to get your hands on a 3D printed mold without owning a single printer. You can choose from: Ordering the parts directly from Shapeways.com, where they print in an incredible range of materials and resolutions, ideal for achieving a perfect surface finish - though this does come with a higher cost. Alternatively, you can order the parts from a local independent 3D printer through 3DHubs.com, which is the fast and budget-friendly option we use all the time and love it. Or, download the free open source file from ThingiVerse and get a friend to print it or bring it to your local Hack Space. STEP 1: Paint your mold with a light coat of soapy water (a single drop of dish soap in water) and shake off any excess. STEP 2: Use half a pack of Sugru - roll it into a long sausage roughly the length of the mold. Press the Sugru flat. Wrap the Sugru around the cable, pressing it into a rough shape, ensuring there's more near the connector end of the cable. STEP 3: Place the cable into the mold and then put the top of the mold on. Press the two parts of the mold together and rock from side to side. The mold form will be created, and the excess Sugru will be pushed out - in professional compression molding, this is called flash. STEP 4: Lift off the top of the mold and trim the flash (excess Sugru) off. Apply more soapy water to the mold and repeat the molding and trimming process. Then, leave it to set.