Word of warning, 3d printed cases are a bad idea. The plastics don’t actually absorb the impact like a real case would, and so they break often and don’t actually absorb the impact and protect your phone. Every time I’ve used one I’ve ended up with damage.
I somehow got addicted to making phone cases for friends and family since I successfully printed TPU the first time.
Submitted 10 months ago by Gorroth@lemmy.world to 3dprinting@lemmy.world
https://i.imgur.com/NC1oahK.jpg
Comments
Jumper775@lemmy.world 10 months ago
Gorroth@lemmy.world 10 months ago
Did you use TPU for the prints? If you used PLA, that really was a bad idea. With TPU my drop tests (not on purpose) were successful and the phone without damage everytime (so far)
Jumper775@lemmy.world 10 months ago
I used nylon carbon fiber.
kek_w_lol@lemmy.one 10 months ago
It depends how thick and soft the tpu is. If you have a thick enough and soft enough case, it will absorb an impact. Just like silicone cases do. And they are also solid.
UsernameIsTooLon@lemmy.world 10 months ago
This is how it starts. Next thing you’ll know you’ll be optimizing phone shapes, learning physics about drop protections, and soon starting your own case company.
Gorroth@lemmy.world 10 months ago
You might be right, I looked up a lot how Spigen gets their cases durable recently in order to create a really rugged version :D
koolkiwi@lemmy.world 10 months ago
That honeycomb design is sick, almost makes me wish I had an iPhone :D
Gorroth@lemmy.world 10 months ago
What phone do you have?
koolkiwi@lemmy.world 10 months ago
Xiaomi Poco X3 NFC. Doubt there’s enough people running around with this this that it’s worth putting time into making a case for it :D
schwim@lemmy.world 10 months ago
Those look super nifty. It makes me wish I had a printer.
Gorroth@lemmy.world 10 months ago
Thank you!
Gorroth@lemmy.world 10 months ago
BTW… In the process of designing these there were made a few prototypes. They all are not perfect, but if someone (from Germany) wants one, here is my stock :D If you have questions on a specific one just ask. I would give them away for shipping+packaging cost.
iPhone 13 (regular):
- blue Mama Version
- big MagSafe Cutout Bumper
iPhone 13 Mini:
- slim hex back yellow
- thicker round hex cutout transparent
- rugged small hex back yellow with grip pattern
iPod Classic 5G:
- neon green case with hex back
SkySyrup@sh.itjust.works 10 months ago
This is amazing! Well, great excuse to buy more TPU :)
Gorroth@lemmy.world 10 months ago
Oh you are so right :D I bought 3 rolls last week… Using this one for my cases btw:
SUNLU TPU Filament, 1KG Flexibles 95A TPU 3D Drucker Filament 1.75mm Maßgenauigkeit +/- 0.03 mm, Hohe Liquidität und Elastizität, 1KG（2.2Lbs) Spule, TPU Filament für FDM 3D Drucker,TPU Gelb amzn.eu/d/872AVs6
SkySyrup@sh.itjust.works 10 months ago
Thanks for the tip!
redcalcium@lemmy.institute 10 months ago
How soft/bendable is it compared to silicon cases?
moody@lemmings.world 10 months ago
It’s flexible enough to get a phone into it, but it still feels pretty stiff, depending on thickness and infill settings. It’s flexible but not really stretchy.
redcalcium@lemmy.institute 10 months ago
As long as it’s flexible enough, it’s probably enough to protect the phone when falling on a hard surface. Just another reason to get a 3d printer. I’m having a hard time finding cases that I want and never thought it’s possible to make one using 3d printer.
Gorroth@lemmy.world 10 months ago
redcalcium@lemmy.institute 10 months ago
Ah that’s way better than I expected!
user1234@lemmynsfw.com 10 months ago
I’ve had pretty good results with TPU as well. However I recently found some filament called soft PLA which has been similar structural properties to TPU, but seems a little more forgiving with print settings.
Gorroth@lemmy.world 10 months ago
Interesting, could you share a link please?
user1234@lemmynsfw.com 10 months ago
Here’s the stuff I used.
beeng@discuss.tchncs.de 10 months ago
Enjoying the paracord, I might give this a go on my current case. How does the connection look like?
Gorroth@lemmy.world 10 months ago
RamSwamson@lemmy.sdf.org 10 months ago
Damn, I was hoping that was a jump rope.
StorageB@lemmy.one 10 months ago
How much more difficult is it to print TPU compared to PLA?
Gorroth@lemmy.world 10 months ago
I would say that depends on you, your printer and the used filament.
On my Voxelab Aquila out of the box with official slicing Software I could print PLA without issues, but with TPU it would have been impossible. Now I use Astroprint.com for slicing where I control print settings in more detail than it would be possible with Voxelab’s slicer. So that was the first step to take. Also I upgraded my printer to DirectDrive and DualGearExtruder. I then needed a new fan shroud, because the one I used before didn’t fit anymore. Then I had to learn about e-steps, because somehow I went into Unterextrusion (after switching to the dualgear Extruder you need to get the e-steps set new depending on the new extrudergear thickness. Luckily it was mentioned on the package it came in). Then the TPU started wrapping around the extruder gears. Turns out I printed too fast and so on…
Long story short. Depending on your printer, I would suggest at least switching to DirectDrive if your printer doesn’t have it. Also print very slowly, like 20mm/s slowly.
GingeyBook@lemm.ee 10 months ago
How well does the Lego one work with actual Lego bricks?
Gorroth@lemmy.world 10 months ago
Perfect! I used the actual Lego dimensions. Made that one for a friend who owns a Lego store
pwalker@discuss.tchncs.de 10 months ago
What modelling software are u using?
Gorroth@lemmy.world 10 months ago
I am using fusion360
pwalker@discuss.tchncs.de 10 months ago
ah this is the professional CAD tool from autodesk. I only used the minimalistic web version of Tinker CAD, probaly enough to do small customizations on cases
moody@lemmings.world 10 months ago
Have you tried printing with infill but no top or bottom layer? You can get a pretty nice look with stuff like exposed gyroid infill.
Gorroth@lemmy.world 10 months ago
I did this for a few inserts for like glasses holders and stuff, but not yet for smartphone cases. Wouldn’t it then also expose the top of the edges? Also I think it would probably collect very fast, very much dirt in my pockets :D
moody@lemmings.world 10 months ago
It depends how thick the top edge is. You can also enable ironing to smooth out the top and make it less visible.
I don’t think it’s much worse than your examples with holes in them.
Magrath@lemmy.ca 10 months ago
What orientation do you print these in? Looks like you’d need supports and I’ve had trouble getting nice finishes on the side that needs the supports. I’ve only printed with PLA though.
Gorroth@lemmy.world 10 months ago
I printed most of them laying on the back to get this nice PEI printbed finish. The only one I printed upside down is the LEGO one, because I was afraid the back would look ugly if supports where on it. Of course you could print all of them facing the back up, so the „ugly“ supported sides are inside. You obviously will need more filament that way because of the supports, but it should work just fine.
BUT…
I highly recommend printing these in TPU, not PLA. I don’t know if you will even be able to get your phone in these, as they get a bit around the phone and PLA is not really flexible. And even if you get it in, it will possibly brake fast and not protect your phone they way it should.
Magrath@lemmy.ca 10 months ago
Oh of course I’d print them in TPU. I was just saying that because I have no experience with printing it and if the ugly side is as ugly with TPU. That’s my only concern with printing a phone case. I’m pretty new to 3d printing so I only just learned some the limitations and the ugly side of things lol.
Gorroth@lemmy.world 10 months ago
If interested, you can find most of the designs above on my Printables profile for free:
www.printables.com/de/@Gorroth1007/models
pineapplelover@lemm.ee 10 months ago
Amazing work man! 👍
Gorroth@lemmy.world 10 months ago
Thank you!
quicksand@lemmy.world 10 months ago
I read Pinterest instead of Printables at first and got ready to shit bricks and throw tables. What am I gonna do with all these bricks and tables!?