P&G Fader knob 3D print

[ruffrecords]

@MidnightArrakis I have just been printing some samples of the P&G knobs from the STL file you provided.

The default orientation in the 3D drawing of the knob is on its side. I assumed this was perhaps something to do with making the 3D print work properly. However. the large overhang this creates where the fader tang is inserted sagged enough to create some very difficult to remove swarf.

The second print I did was therefore with the knob face down - the orientation it would be in on a fader. This avoids the long overhang and gave a much cleaner print expect the top surface is a little more granular. However the tang would not push into the slot.

Next I scaled the width by 5% to widen the slot for the tang. This printed OK and the tang would fit in to the slot but the slot was not quite long enough.

Lastly I increased the length of the knob by 5% to increase the length of the slot. This last print looked OK and the tang fits snugly.

I notice this design of knob has an arrow on the left and right sides and a line across the centre. The 'real' P&G fader knobs I have lines down the sides and one across the centre - not really an issue, there are probably many variants. As I printed in only one filament, none of these were reproduced. To create the central line I need to find the layer in which this is printed, pause the printer at that point, change filament colour, print the line, pause again, change the filament back to the original colour and complete the print. This many changes in such a simple part is a PITA. I might try printing the knob in the line colour up to and including the line and then change the filament to the base colour unless there is some other smarter way I can achieve this.Fortunatel the knob is small so even on my small printer and can print probably a dozen at a time.

You asked if the printer worked with plain and/or binary STL files. The answer is neither. Before printing, the STL file is sliced into layers for the 3D printer to print and then each layer is converted to gcode which is what the printer understands. So it is the slicer that needs to understand plain or binary STL files. Fortunately it seems happy with either (and a whole lot of other formats too).

Cheers

Ian

 

[MidnightArrakis]

That all sounds really good!!! I'm glad that you were able to get things all figured out.

>> I do hope that you understand that while I am more than happy to share with you all of these items that I happen to stumble across, since these STL files are all from various third-party sources, I have have absolutely no idea about anything concerning any of these files. Anything about how the STL file was created, its orientation, its dimensions, etc., etc., etc. are all beyond my control and certainly beyond my knowledge concerning this specific topic. I'm happy to share with you any audio equipment design items just because I also simply enjoy working with you on these types of projects. That's about it!!!

Going back to the fader knob.....from what I have seen on a few online fader knob catalogs, the various manufacturers of these fader knobs seem to offer like 12 different models of a single type of fader, just to accommodate all of the various dimensional variations as you described. Meaning, in other words.....before a specific fader knob can be selected for any type of linear-fader, you need to know the "tang" height, material thickness, length, etc. in order to correctly match a fader knob to a specific linear fader assembly.

So.....I suppose that if you were to provide me with those dimensions on the types of faders you use within your equipment designs, I could then keep my eyes peeled for any fader knobs that meet those criteria.

[As I printed in only one filament...To create the central line, I need to find the layer in which this is printed] -- Again, I don't know anything about how all of this 3D-printing stuff works, but.....since the P&G fader knob that I provided you also had 4 separate files, one of which was a "Line" file, isn't there some way for your printer to print that geometry separately while also using a separate filament and that separate filament would be "BLACK" instead? Actually, I was imagining you sitting at a brightly lit workbench with a box of freshly-printed fader knobs and you're sitting there holding a fader knob in one hand, while peering through a lighted magnifying-glass and holding a delicate teeny-tiny artist paintbrush with your other hand and ever so carefully painting in the black-stripe on each and every knob!!! HOW MUCH FUN WOULD THAT BE?!?!?!?!?!?.....

Whenever I import a -- STEP/STP -- file of an electronic component, I have noticed that their incoming orientation can be "all over the map"!!! As an example, the TAKACHI enclosure imports with its "rear-panel" as being on the bottom and the small "front-panel" as sticking up into the air. The NEUTRIK connectors import in as being oriented "every which way" but making any sense depending upon the model type!!! And, while I can rotate a component around to an orientation that "makes sense" visually, even when I save the file into my SolidWorks file format, the components' -- creation orientation -- still remains the same regardless of my new rotational orientation. And, I don't know if that is a changeable feature or not. So.....I can't help you out here in this department.....yet.

ENJOY!!!

/

 

[grid_stopper]

i feel like this is the exact kind of task a resin printer would excel at. they are unfortunately a lot bigger PITA to use.