How to insert electronics during the printing process

[patrickcage]

How can I include electronic components in a 3D printed model (such as a drone)? Is there any possibility to insert them during the printing process?

Basically my question is: Is it best to print multiple parts one at a time, or is it possible to 3D print the drone in one go, while pausing the print to insert the wires, etc.

[Mirth]

Yes. You can. With certain slicers (Mattercontrol is my personal favourite) you can pause the print and insert a piece.

But honestly, I’d make it easily inserted and disassembled, you don’t want the electronics to fail and have to scrap it, being able to maintain stuff is the best approach.

Small holes and channels, make screw holes for wide-brim screws so that you can screw between some wins and the head locks them down.

Its why standard plugs are better than moulded plugs

[Regulus3D]

Interesting Idea, and I have thought about this one as well, and think it would require stopping the print part way through in order to place the electronic on the enclosure, and then continue to print!

[Mirth]

Precisely! in MatterControl you can tell it what layer to stop at and it will ,you put your part in and press go. However, again, being able to remove things is very handy. If its nuts you want to install then consider heat-insert threads.

[kemfic]

Can confirm, I’ve done this before. I had needed a certain decoration in an art contest a few months ago, so I used translucent and clear filament for my print and put LEDs and an arduino inside my print so it would look like it was one piece. Made a really nice clean look.

[Mirth]

Oooh nice! Sounds pretty

[toybuilder]

If you are certain about the reliability of the electronics, then you most certainly can and would benefit from encapsulating your electronics in a 3D print. On Marlin-based machines with LCD displays, putting in a M600 change-filament/pause gcode is probably the easiest way to accomplish this. Make sure you design your toolpath to ensure that your head does not come into collision with your electronics (easiest would be that you insert the electronics with the blank side up).

[Regulus3D]

Basically it boils down to having complete control over your printing - i.e. having access to your GCODE. Something that the UP! Box doesn’t allow for. (Really must get my Ormerod back working!)… With this in mind, got me thinking as well about being able to then print with a flexible filament sealing gaskets in place around ports!

[patrickh1978]

I think with the right machine/software combination and foresight on your behalf in terms of design, i think it is very much possible. Which printer do you have or have access to?