Toyota Tacoma Center Console Latch

thingiverse

My wife's trusty 2010 Toyota Tacoma center console latch had seen better days - the tiny metal pieces that held it together had snapped off, rendering it useless. I quickly sprang into action, grabbing the broken part and a set of calipers before plopping down at my computer to bring out my CAD skills! After a few trial runs, I landed on a new design that fit perfectly in place. It was also an excellent chance for me to get up close and personal with Fusion 360! I initially printed the part using PLA because my Prusa grey matched the interior's tone beautifully, but it didn't take long to realize that this choice wouldn't last in a vehicle during the sweltering summer months - it would warp beyond recognition within 30 minutes. I quickly switched gears and reprinted it with PETG, which has been holding up wonderfully so far. I'm still curious about how ABS might perform. For ease of design, I omitted the original piece's curved surface feature, but to my surprise, this simplified version worked just fine. All in all, a great learning experience for me!