Miniature 3D Printed Pump using Up! (PP3DP) Printer

Weee, found that I had a crap load of spare motors hanging around from a mini motor shopping spree at Shenzhen in China last year so I thought I’ll give the Up! 3D Printer a workout printing mechanical bits.

So far most of the demonstration models on the internet of this wonderfully “affordable” commercial ready-to-print 3D printer has been of decorative pieces and figurines etc.  The usual impressive stuff to try out on a 3D printer (guilty of printing an Elvis head/bust as my first test pieces).

What about Engineering prototypes though?  Will the accuracy of the printer suffice?  Are there any tricks?  Short answer is, yes it will work but there are tricks you need to know to work around the quirks…

What quirks?

1)With all FDM extrusion type printers, you’ll have to print support material.  The Up! printer’s in built software does a wonderful job of printing lovely automated support structures that snap off easily most of the time – but there are times where the support structure is a PITA to remove and/or affects the accuracy of the model.  Trick?  Orientation matters!  Orient the model to minimize support structures or to avoid requiring support structures in small cavities that will be difficult to clean later.

2)Up! printer quirk, solid is not solid.  The top surface of any model if it is ‘flat’ will not be a solid fill.  Not will any ‘bottom’ surface.  If you need a smooth surface, make it on side.

3)Erm I’m too lazy for a semi-decent post.  How about just a picture and a video to show it works eh?

Pumps Pumps P.... Actually there's only 2...

The impeller diameter is 17mm, so it is a pretty small motor.  Modelling took 30 minutes.  Printing too forever since I use 0.2mm and Fine settings on the printer.  Screwing up the impeller direction the first time because I didn’t check, and having too tight a tolerance (17.8 diam in a 20mm hole) on the original impeller didn’t help the print time (re-print time…)

Wee it works… now the micro 3d printer pump (Shapeways) and the micro 3d water jet pump (Speeding Rubber Ducky!!!)…

Update : Made an even smaller one here :- http://www.madox.net/blog/2010/11/22/super-miniature-3d-printed-pump-using-up-pp3dp-printer/

6 thoughts on “Miniature 3D Printed Pump using Up! (PP3DP) Printer”

  1. Oh now I remember why I pulled off the rubber (Sugru)

    John C Pumping pump pump… not deep enough… need to go deeper… pushing it in REALLY hard…
    Monday at 10:38pm · Like · Comment · Hide Feedback (10)
    Andreas S my dirty mind feels mightily pleased that it knows you did this on purpose! nevertheless i lean back and enjoy MY pictures in MY head now 🙂
    Monday at 10:43pm · Like
    John C Meh, just 3d printed a centrifugal pump but the pieces were just a bit tight 😛 I should have opened with “very tight, had to get it wet before it would fit in…”?
    Monday at 10:46pm · Like
    Andreas S yeah, even better with “lubed up2 or something though 🙂
    Monday at 11:21pm · Like
    John C I used some rubber too… pics tomorrow
    Monday at 11:24pm · Like
    Andreas S hm.. thought you were one of the “less safety – more fun” 🙂
    Monday at 11:25pm · Like
    Kin F You are finally printing your own xx toys. couldn’t find a size that fitted your massive manhood?
    Monday at 11:43pm · Like · 1 person
    Marge K you forgot vaseline, or if all else fails babyoil 😛
    22 hours ago · Like
    Andreas S babyoil would destroys the rubber and cause leakage 😉
    22 hours ago · Like
    Marge K not really destroy but might dislocate the rubber ^^
    20 hours ago · Like
    John C I pushed really hard and I got it in, I pulled off the rubber as you all suggested and my thing is squirting now! Oh so wet… http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H102VH8a8bM

  2. Sobrado mi hermano genial es lo mejor que he visto aquí hecho por la UP 3DP.

    Felicitaciones .

    Josejuako

  3. Hi
    I came across your minature pump after hours of searching the internet for a pocket sized centrifugal pump – I’m no geek either engineering wise, nor IT, and so I’m not entirely sure is this an actual pump or something else? (the many references to 3D printing confused me!)

    Can I get hold of one of these pumps (I dont need the motor)?

    Thanks

  4. Did anybody (beside of the Author) managed to re-produce the Mini pump?
    I really want to try it (with my students – I a teacher), but zero info about the motor does not help.
    Any help appreciated,

    HG

    1. Hi, there are some derivatives on Thingiverse that use CDROM motors etc.

      You can buy cheap small motors from China http://www.goodluckbuy.com with free shipping. I’ve also got designs that’ll suit ‘toy motors’.

      I am more than happy to adapt the design for you to help with your teaching 🙂

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