Main Description

After printing countless modular ears, we quickly realized that storing them all and lugging them all through the park can be a hassle. Normally, each ear prints an entire frame and needs its own magnets, which don't stack well in carry cases due to the magnet repulsion. 

Instead of printing a magnetic frame for every design, I designed a magnetic frame that leverages the layer lines of 3D prints to retain custom inserts. Now I only need to carry one set of frames for each headband, and a stack of much thinner inserts with designs on them. 

• These inserts do not have magnets, so they do not try to repel one another when stacked
• They print much faster because they can be much thinner and the frame does not need to print with every design.
• They allow for more color availability on single AMS printers, since the frame is not taking up a color slot.
• Since the frame is a separate part, designs can be placed in the center of the frame, so they look the same from the front and the back of the ears.
• The inserts even fit into the normal modular ears so you can print background or cover inserts for any existing ears that have designs through only part of the ear's thickness.
• The frames themselves also have properly sized magnet holes with lead-ins, so magnets can be easily installed. The magnets also have smaller holes that go clear through the frame so magnets can be pushed back out of the holes if insert them in the wrong orientation.

The main print profile contains one of each part variant. If you want a matching pair of ears, select one of the other profiles that have the specific pairs broken out.

• Plate 1 has the frames. One keeps the insert in the middle of the ear (in depth) and the other puts it at the back of the ear. The rear position is good for thicker designs or designs that need depth, and the middle position is good for flatter designs, or designs that you want to appear the same from the front and the back.
• Plate 2 has a blank inserts.

Additional Ear Designs:

I do not currently have additional insert designs, but I will add them here as I create them. 

I have also created a new headband design, which reduces pressure points on the scalp, and adds walls around the base of the ears to keep them from losing grip with the magnets. This headband is in the photos and can be found here: Improved 5 Magnet Disney Ears Headband - Free 3D Print Model - MakerWorld

For Makers/Designers:

A blank ear insert file has been added to the cad files section to make your own designs. Although the inserts in the example are full flat discs, any design that is at least 2mm thick and interfaces with the top and bottom curves should stay put in the frames. The image to the right shows the dimensions needed to fit into the frame reliably. As long as a design is cut with this shape and engages the frame evenly in multiple places, it should stay in place.

Since this uses the layer lines to stay together, all parts do need to be printed at the same layer height. I recommend sticking to the standard 0.2mm layer height to keep things as universal as possible. 

I found a 2mm thickness is a nice balance between print time and reliable retention. The thicker you design, the better the insert will connect to the frames. I do not recommend going below 2mm, but you may be able to go thinner if you oversize the profile to compensate. Only a 2mm thick insert will be truly ceneterd in the mid frames.

This design allows for a lot of flexibility in inserts. If you print 2 designs (with one mirrored) then they can be placed back to back in the frame and the design will have 3D texture when viewed from both the front and the back. Inserts can also be layered to create backgrounds or interesting effects. I plan to post more example prints to look at, and will update this description when I do.