Steel pin replacement
I need to 3D print a replacement for a steel pin with a diameter of 5 mm and a length of 130 mm. It is part of a hinge mechanism for a piece of furniture, so rigidity is a critical factor.
I’m wondering which filament, if any, would be suitable for this task. Do you think a reinforced nylon, such as PA12+CF15, could handle the job?
RE: Steel pin replacement
Why not just buy a piece of steel rod and use that? A quick look on ebay indicates a suitable bit of stainless steel would be less than €5 and mild steel even cheaper
RE: Steel pin replacement
Agreed, I would never print a hinge pin like that for anything with any load. No matter what material. Just too weak across the layer lines and no plastic filament is going to be rigid enough at those proportions.
RE: Steel pin replacement
Or buy a piece of drill rod. Cut to length and it´s easy to harden and temper down with a blow torch.
RE: Steel pin replacement
I have to agree with my esteemed colleagues. Sure, if you have PCCF, PGCF or PACF lying around, sure why not give it a try. Make sure you use plenty of perimeters. But if you have to order it, between the time it takes to arrive and the fortune you have to pay for the small amount of filament you need, you might as well drive to the nearest Home Depot and buy a small metal rod and cut it to size
Formerly known on this forum as @fuchsr -- until all hell broke loose with the forum software...
RE: Steel pin replacement
Thank you for all the advice!
Yes, the simplest solution would be to buy a steel rod and cut it to the appropriate length.
I already have a roll of PA12+CF15 and several rolls of PC blend lying around (since I print drone parts), I will test the strength just for the sake of it, but I will use the steel rod for the permanent solution.
RE: Steel pin replacement
If you want to try using filament then lay the rod down so the layers go along the rod rather than across it. You will probably need to put a small flat along it to lay it on so it prints OK but it should still work in the hinge. If you print it vertically to get a round cross section it will just shear along a layer.
RE: Steel pin replacement
I was thinking the same thing. Printing vertically, in this case, is definitely a no-go. Inter-layer adhesion is often a weak point.