Repairing my Target Archery Equip using 3D Printing
*The article and images are original from the author and not by Curiosity3D
How can I acquire a certain part which is made in a different area of the world without having to spend a huge amount of money on just shipping?
This is the question I was presented with when I wanted a small nut for an American-made telescope. (Target Archery Equipment).
Now since a different standard of nuts, bolts and threads are used, no Nut available in India can possibly fit into that threaded rod. This made me quite anxious. The only way I can get those nuts is by ordering them directly but that would have cost me a ton.
The solution to this problem was found by the end of this exciting journey.
My Story in a video - How I 3D Printed the solution to my Archery Equipment problem
Hello everyone,
My name is Taresh Gupta, a 3rd-year student of Maharaja Agrasen Institute of Technology enrolled in B.tech (MAE) program.
How did I get involved with 3d printing?
During the strangeness of 2020, I was exploring new things and focusing on my interests to expand my outlook. 3D printing was introduced to me when I attended a webinar that was made compulsory by our professor.
P.S some webinars are actually helpful….I was familiar with 3d printing from very intriguing time-lapse videos and beautiful models made via 3d printing but the working of the machine itself was quite mysterious to me.
My interest made me learn more about 3D printing from Raunaq sir and it led me to the decision to take an ADVANCED 3D PRINTING COURSE with their company CURIOSITY3D.
In layman’s terms, 3D printing is an additive manufacturing process unlike any other traditional manufacturing process which carves up the part from raw material, the 3D printer adds the material in a 2d x-y plane up to a height of z to make a 3d object from a digital file.
My experience with the program
The program is structured in a very organized manner with each day assigned to perform some specific tasks but also leaving plenty of time to experiment on things you would like to make.
Raunaq sir was clear on his method of teaching i.e giving 2 -3 hours of time to one topic, avoiding the hassle of multiple theoretical classes so that we focus more on solving problems.
From completing every task to making parts for my own project, I faced numerous challenges such as Bed leveling, improper extrusion, layer shifting, etc. Solving problems with the printer really made me more confident and cool-headed when encountering more problems. Mentor also regularly took note of our progress.
I encountered some very difficult problems along the way nonetheless I found a way around those. It was a learning curve seeing as the fact that with every attempt at a print the quality of tasks enhanced greatly.
These are not failures, just experiments to success and your ‘mehnat’ (hard work)
The Solution to the Nut Problem
I 3D printed the nut and attached it to the telescope. I saved a whole lot of money. This problem reminded me of the story of a digital file Nasa sent to ISS for a ratchet. I 3d printed a completely different nut that follows a different measuring standard(10-32 unf).
Future of 3D Printing?
A few strong points emerged when I thought about why we need 3D printing and the need to pursue/develop it further.
Firstly, a clear sense that unsurprisingly, we need to see many different kinds of innovation working in parallel to help drive the positive shift towards better manufacturing processes. There is NO SINGLE solution to a sustainable and no wastage manufacturing system. In each scenario, the relevant innovation will work best if strides are made in other areas as well. So introducing 3D printing with existing manufacturing systems can start a gradual shift towards more innovative ways of how we make things.
Secondly, I think 3D printing can be a bridge to a better manufacturing system. We can think of this in this way how 3D printing can lead to a process that is more efficient in the manufacturing of products.
This can lead to new business models, more than one solution to existing problems and possibilities, it's not wise to put all your eggs in one basket anyway.
Final remarks
To anyone who is even slightly interested in 3D printing, a piece of advice from me, that I' d’ like to pass on is that you should definitely take this chance to experiment with the things you like doing and this course provides us with just that.
As we got to know on the last day of the program, 3D printing is much more than just making models, it is a custom manufacturing revolution.
We are just touching the tip of the iceberg, (we should definitely 3D print more icebergs )
New and exciting technologies are emerging from existing technologies of 3D printing and making things that were once not possible; POSSIBLE.
