Threads and screws are present all around us. You have them in our bathrooms, kitchens, gardens and in your cars, even in our computers. These small components are important cogs that run the world. But 3D printing screws and threads that fit properly might feel like a daunting task. That is why we have this simple guide to learn how to design and 3D print online screws and threads.
3D Printing Screws and Threads – What Are They?
Before we begin with this 3D Printing service in India, you need to know the exact difference between a screw and thread.
Well, ascrewis the fastening element that is used to form a joint, such that it can be dismantled if the need arises. Whereas athreadis the main fastening feature of a screw. It is defined as a ridge of uniform section in helical form on either the external or internal surface of a screw. That said, threads are not an exclusive feature of screws. You might have seen them on pipes, worm gears, and many other devices with 3D Printing services. Every thread is a continuous helical groove of a specific cross-section.
Most commonly, the cross-section is either triangular or trapezoidal.Triangle thread formsfind their use as fasteners, while thetrapezoidal thread forms areused for power transmission purposes and as linear drives on lead screws. To make things a little bit specific, in this article we’ve discussed the triangular-shaped threads only, but everything applies to both the types for online 3D Printing services.
The triangular thread forms can be further classified on the basis of the shape of the triangle and the pitch of the helical curve. On this ground they can becategorized asmetric threadsorinch threads. The former is used in Europe and Asia, while the latter are used in America and the UK. Next, we’ll be taking a look at the fundamental knowledge one should have before designing and 3D printing screws and threads.
Metric threads:The ‘M’ designation of a metric thread in online 3D Printing India indicates the nominal outer diameter of a thread in millimetres. For example, the M4 thread has a nominal outer diameter of 5 mm. The nominal outer diameter is the same as the major diameter, In an external thread at a good 3D Printing quote. Whereas, in an internal thread, the nominal outer diameter has to be determined by measuring the minor diameter and consulting a metric thread table.
Inch threads:Inch threads of 3D Printing service in India are denoted using a number of standards, the most prominent being Unified Thread Standard (UTS). It uses numbers to name standard thread sizes for example #4. The two most significant measurements in the UTS are the major or minor diameter in external or internal threads, respectively, and the threads per inch i.e. TPI.
Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aGWrFeu8Hv0
Before we Begin
There are concepts of online 3D Printing Bangalore we need to make ourselves familiar with, before we start designing threads at 3D Printing companies.
External or internal thread:An external also known as ‘male’ thread extends from a cylindrical surface. An internal or ‘female’ thread is the exact opposite of an external thread in terms of orientation, in that it is carved into a negative cylindrical surface. Bolts are a good example of employing external threads, while nuts make use of internal threads to 3D Print online.
Thread axis:In online 3D Printing India, this is the central axis or imaginary line that runs through the centre of the cylinder around which the thread is formed.
- Root:This is the bottom of the groove which runs around the thread body.
- Crest:The topmost point of the thread profile is known as crest.
Major diameter:The diameter of the cylinder that encompasses the crest of the external thread or the root of the internal thread, is known as the major diameter in the terminology of online 3D Printing India. This cylinder is coaxial to the thread axis.
Minor diameter:The diameter of the cylinder that encircles the root of the thread in an external thread or the crest in an internal thread. This cylinder is coaxial to the thread axis and the major diameter. The minor diameter is also referred to as the ‘drill size’ diameter with relation to inner threads with 3D Printing services in India.
Pitch:The pitch is the distance between corresponding points on adjacent threads. Such as the length between two neighbouring crests of a triangular thread is referred to as the pitch for 3D Printing services in Chennai.
Planning and Crafting Threads
Let’s get down to the task at hand now. Let us demonstrate the process of designing external and internal threads using Fusion 360. We chose this software of online 3D Printing Bangalore because it provides a simple-to-use thread generation function for 3D Printing screws and threads.
There are other CAD programs having tools of varying degrees of similarity. But, the most important thing is to familiarise yourself with the basics, we discussed in the previous section of 3D Printing service in India. With that knowledge, it is easy to use any capable modelling tool and provide the necessary and accurate values to create the desired threads.
Let’s begin with the external thread of a bolt with 3D Printing services in India.
External Thread
- First, draw a circle. The diameter of the circle is taken as the desired thread’s major diameter.
- Then make it into a cylinder by extruding the circle to the required thread’s length.
- Move your cursor to “Create”, then select the “Thread” option from there.
- Finally, select the cylinder you just created to make sure that the “Modelled” checkbox is ticked or checked. Then, set the thread parameters as desired. Hit “OK” after it is done.
And, Voila! You have created your external thread! To make it into a fitting bolt, you’ll have to attach it to a bolt head suitable to your needs.
Next, let’s get down to designing the nut with an internal thread.
Internal Thread
- First of all, you need to draw a hexagon. Only for this tutorial, just make sure it’s bigger than the thread you want to create.
- Then go ahead and extrude it to the desired height, like we did for the external thread.
- Go to the “Create” menu and make a hole in the centre by selecting the “Hole” option there. The hole diameter should be the required thread’s major diameter while 3D Printing in Chennai.
- Highlight the internal surface of the hole you just created then go to “Create”, and select the “Thread” option.
- It is important to always remember to check the “Modelled” option. Set the thread parameters such as size etc. Click “OK”.
With that your first thread is all ready to get printed. All that remains is printing it. Then you may marvel at your creation with 3D printing screws and threads.
Is Your Printer up to the task?
While we might have made it seem simple, printing threads isn’t always easy, especially if you are working to get small diameters.
Let’s say for example, you’re working with a 0.4-mm nozzle and a 0.2-mm layer height. With that, the smallest possible pitch you’ll be able to print will be somewhere around 0.5 mm±0.1 mm. Such a pitch is good enough to get an M3 thread and isn’t much of a problem if you’re trying to print an internal thread in a comparatively larger part. That’s because the thread will have plenty of time to cool down while the nozzle is working elsewhere with 3D Printing online.
But things get a bit trickier if you want to create an external thread on a screw or a bolt, for example with 3D Printing service in India. In such cases, your nozzle doesn't have a lot of space to travel around to go, this means that you’re probably in need of some extra cooling. Hence, it is important to properly test your printer beforehand. Then you may decide to print many thin external threads with 3D Printing Chennai.
