Umbrella / Parasol

thingiverse

Last summer, a trip to Hong Kong impressed me with the widespread use of umbrellas for sun protection. This inspired me to create an umbrella design for a 3D printer. After some time, I finally printed a small umbrella with a foldable canopy, combining my enjoyment of flexible structures and moving parts without assembly. However, the printed canopy is mainly decorative, providing little rain protection; thus, a version without it is also included to attach a more effective cloth or paper canopy. The umbrella was designed for a Makerbot Cupcake with 0.25mm layer thickness and 0.5mm line width. Joints are intentionally loose but adjustable if needed, and visual previewing of the gcode is recommended to ensure proper printing. Printing the canopy as the second layer on acrylic helps with removal, and raftless printing is suggested. The umbrella's dimensions are 89.5mm x 89.5mm x 86mm tall without its canopy, which stands at 89.5mm x 89.5mm x 5.5mm. A stand and a canopy test are also included in the design. Future improvements include a pattern for cloth/paper canopies, position holders for the slider, denser canopy designs, finials, and a larger diameter version.