3D PRINT USB SHELL

In this exercise I had to use 3d printing technology.

I toke my old broken USB as an inspiration and decided to make a new shell for it. I wanted the shell to be like an LEGO-brick. You can download the real LEGO-brick from the internet as an .stl file, but I wanted to make it myself to practice my Solidworks techniques.

The shape is really easy to make and you have to extrude cut the holes. Be careful to measure the usb exact as possible because otherwise it won’t fit in the shell. Also the gap could be too big so the usb won’t stick in the shell but hang loose.

After that I draw the extruded circles on the top of the shape en extruded them.

I decided to print it two ways; 1. With the big 3D printer and 2. With the Ultimaker, to see the difference.

1. Was first ready and I unfortunately noted that the shell was to small for the usb. I made a mistake with the dept. So I I changed the Solidworks file in the right dimensions and later on I printed it again, but then with the 2. Ultimaker.

I was not thinking, because the Ultimaker is made for rapid prototyping, so I should have first printed it with the Ultimaker and then with the big 3D printer as final result.

IMPORTANT ADJUSMENTS IN CURA:
– Support type – Everywhere
– Support fill – 10% line structured (so you can remove the support material easy, or else it will get stuck)

The other settings you can see in the screen shot.

When I saw that the prototype worked I decided to make more models. I wanted to try my logo on it. So I exported my logo in Illustrator as a .dwg and imported it on the top surface from the shell.

Also I prepared a file to print for my nephew. He is 13 years old and I showed him what I made with the Ultimaker. He said he really liked it and wants his own usb shell with the logo of the band KISS. I just have to print it...

With this basics you can actually make your own usb shell with the shape that you want.
That’s why I tried to make a gold brick and a gun.

The gun I didn’t print before the deadline. I just want to show with this examples/project that you can make you own usb (shell) with whatever shape you want. Just build/download it and cut the right gap in it to fit in the usb. Once you have the right measurements, the opportunities are unlimited.

I didn’t put the measurements because this is an old usb, I don’t even now which brand or type and there is no standard measurement for this, so the best thing to do is to measure it yourself.

In the end I decided to make a cap for the usb, so It doesn't get damaged. It’s just an extra option because it’s not a big problem if you don’t have a cap on you usb.