How a 3D Printer Could Help Solve All Your Car Problems

I’m seeking to get again into motorcycling, and that implies digging out my Shoei RF-1200 helmet from the major shelf of my closet. It’s a terrific helmet, snug and protecting in equivalent evaluate, but it has a flaw that I’ve usually hated: A ridge, managing throughout the front of the chin bar, that helps make mounting a GoPro up front difficult.

That ridge suggests the bar will not in good shape a flat-surface mount, so you require to come across the closest location on the helmet that can — above on the facet, inches back again from the front of the helmet. That implies making use of a patchwork of connectors, a menagerie of joints, to finagle a digicam into a rather acceptable posture.

Or, you can just invest in a 3D printer, and your troubles are solved.

Mounting one precise motion digital camera on just one certain helmet is an absurdly market use scenario. No enterprise would get the time out of its working day to layout, fabricate, and market a distinct mount for my Shoei — the sector merely isn’t there. But if I can make a bracket myself, I’m not reliant on any company with a revenue motive. I can just clear up my dilemma.

These minor nagging difficulties are some of the most aggravating pieces of performing on automobiles. The small plastic trim pieces that have not been in creation considering the fact that the nineties, the oddly-formed wrenches wanted to obtain tucked-absent oil filters. These components are so unique, so tricky to provide, that organizations will in no way clear up your challenge. Other fans, however, will.

I solved my very little helmet digicam challenge by printing out a design that someone else experienced already designed. A straightforward GoPro clip, shaped to in shape the curves and ridges of my comprehensive-confront helmet. It’s the same method I employed to repair my Miata oil fill dilemma, my filter wrench trouble, my heart console delete trouble. It is the similar process you could use to repair your E36 trim clip challenge, your B6 cellular phone mount dilemma, or your Chrysler TC By Maserati gasoline door launch problem.

3D printing untethers you from economies of scale, and permits you to develop authentic, tangible objects that no corporation would ever deliver. For cars and trucks, that ranges from many years-previous clips to personalized-healthy equipment, all ready to assist you out of a remarkably specific jam. 3D printers can be as affordable as $100 (for the correct unit I have, I may well incorporate) and can save you a world of headaches when the ultra-unique device you need to have out of the blue seems on your print mattress. Pick one up. You are going to thank me later.