3D Printing of Production Vessel Lid

[waboni]

Thank you I agree!
I just got the 3D printer and want to tinker around with it
It’s mostly to print out my own electronics project boxes .

Thanks again .

Hi, probably yes, but I'm a little bit concerned about if your PLA filament is food safe and how much temperature it may withstand (just in case you decide to use while on heat-plate).

waboni

[Pemf silver]

This is my 3D printed version of a Lid for 2000ml Beaker
And this is the 3D printed lid for my project box

[Gene]

PLA is actually an organic plastic made from CORN. Yes, that funny yellow stuff that comes on long ears (wink) - at least some constituent part of it.

PLA == PolyLactic Acid

Its supposed to be biodegradable though I doubt seriously if you spit on it it will dissolve right before your eyes (wink).  I'd think the concern would be it biodegrading gracefully in a landfill over 5-10-20 years.

You CAN get OTHER plastic filament but how you print with it, speed,... differs (as is to be expected).  I don't know, since I don't own a 3d printer, if any of the filament is considered food safe so someone is going to have to look.  I can't see how PLA wouldn't be given the source but stranger things have happened.

What I'm going to do (you'd laugh if you saw my electrode holder right now - gotta put a picture of that up some day for posterity) is take a 1/2" HDPE disc I have left over from hole sawing a hole in a bigger piece. I'm going to mark a few different rings  on it that coincide with the diameters of a couple different size jars I use on occasion. I'm going to take a dremel tool with a ball end milling bit in it and carefully make a 1/4" or even 5/16" deep channel following each circle so it'll fit on the various jars.  Then I'll drill some holes, put electrode holders in that are adjustable and I'm good for the long haul for next to nothing in cost.

People always look at me like "you're saving THAT? Why?".  Oh boy, let me tell you (wink). Without fail you need it the day AFTER you toss it. We've all been there.

[Pemf silver]

My 1st 3D test print , a control knob for my Dr Bob Beck Blood electrification device, know that I have the printer dialed in , will print out my Lid for my 2000ml Beaker 👍🏼
It’s lots of fun !

[waboni]

Hi Folks, just in case you are interested in printing or modify my cap I have decided to post the editable files for Autodesk Inventor and the PDF drawing for the brass inserts (if you decide to print it as is you would need to select "3" in "modify part" option at the xometry.com website.

If you want it printed at Xometry you can use this link https://mbsy.co/llm2Z to sign up, it would give you $50 usd plus free shipping (I will also receive $50 as part of the referral program, this will also allow me to test new stuff that I use to share in some public places like this).  You will end paying only $6.94 (the whole total before applying the Credits at checkout is $56.94)

Then you will need two 10-32 screws to hold the troy, sheet or wire silver anodes using regular alligator cables or 10-32 banana audio plugs (I can share the digi-key.com part numbers) for using with banana plug cables.

Cap CAD file link. https://1drv.ms/u/s!AmZp7IlYKBU2mLs4nP4x0IM6TOihkQ?e=20DFyT

PDF drawing link. https://1drv.ms/b/s!AmZp7IlYKBU2mLs3APWl_uG6cFvQ_g?e=PuxfUZ

[Gene]

Just make sure that whatever plastic filament you use to print your beaker lid (I assume electrode holder?) that its a food grade plastic.  Why? Because as you run the cell, water vapor (if you're heating) will condense on the bottom (inside) side and water will either drip off back into solution or run down the inside of the container back into the water. You don't want the condensate to pick up something you wouldn't want to ingest.

I'm not sure PLA is food grade.

Polypropylene is, HDPE, polystyrene maybe a couple others.

Also, what seems to be becoming a standard "go to" 3d cad/modelling package for making 3d printed items is Fusion 360 by autodesk.  Its free to use and it stores the data files in the cloud and yes, you can back it up on your hard drive on your PC if you choose to.

I don't have a 3d printer so I haven't used it yet but a friend does and the things he's shown me that he's done with it are amazing. He also has an NC controlled mill - a BIG one.  The bed on that thing is easily 3 feet square, maybe bigger.

[waboni]

Just make sure that whatever plastic filament you use to print your beaker lid (I assume electrode holder?) that its a food grade plastic.  Why? Because as you run the cell, water vapor (if you're heating) will condense on the bottom (inside) side and water will either drip off back into solution or run down the inside of the container back into the water. You don't want the condensate to pick up something you wouldn't want to ingest.

I'm not sure PLA is food grade.

Polypropylene is, HDPE, polystyrene maybe a couple others.

Also, what seems to be becoming a standard "go to" 3d cad/modelling package for making 3d printed items is Fusion 360 by autodesk.  Its free to use and it stores the data files in the cloud and yes, you can back it up on your hard drive on your PC if you choose to.

I don't have a 3d printer so I haven't used it yet but a friend does and the things he's shown me that he's done with it are amazing. He also has an NC controlled mill - a BIG one.  The bed on that thing is easily 3 feet square, maybe bigger.

The default material I use from Xometry (included in the price I posted) for my cap and the ones I printed for my friends, is PA 2200, also known as Nylon 12, It is for SLS technology not FDM PLA, I attached the spec sheet, there you can verify that is bio compatible and approved for food contact.

"bio compatible according to EN Ionic Silver Oxide 10993-1 and USP/level VI/121"
"approved for food contact in compliance with the EU Plastics Directive 2002/72/EC (exception: high alcoholic foodstuff)"