Modular Construction System

Update 09/04/2022

Fresh pictures with example bridges.

I would like to reach out to the community and ask about recommendations for printing ABS and TPU on an Ender 3. If anyone has any suggestions or tips drop me a message please!

Update 15/03/2022

First bridge building workshop with a local school on 11/03/2022. Students loved getting stuck on and had lots of fun. Lots of valuable feedback that has led to a redesign of the original cubes.

ModularCorner01,02,03 now obsolete but I have kept the files online for completeness.

ModularCorner04,05,06 is the result of the feedback from the bridge building workshop.

Update 08/03/2022

This is still in the very early stages of development.

I wanted to create a simple construction system that could be used as a teaching aid to demonstrate different concepts while also allowing students to develop their problem-solving abilities with a hands-on practical approach.

This specific design is to be used with 6mm dowel material that can be easily purchased from B&Q and cut to length. The dowel fitment is tight, but this is intentional as I want students to think about how this could be modified to suit their individual applications. For example, lightly sanding the outer diameter of the dowel material or gluing connections in place. It is totally dependent on what they are creating but the main aim is they have to try things out, make mistakes and make decisions on how to improve their design.

This will be expanded on as I experiment with new designs, filament materials and develop different construction plans for students to follow.

Settings should be tuned to your individual printer before mass production. I have included the basic settings I have been using with a 0.6mm nozzle. I can print successfully using a brim for bed adhesion and no supports. I am working on improving the print times.

The model has been designed such that it can easily be scaled to suit different connecting materials. 10mm copper pipe could be used if so desired. If anyone would like a specific size of block please let me know.

If you like what I do and would like to buy me a coffee.

https://ko-fi.com/kdesign