The Latest Models from the Zortrax Library – Craig Barr’s Ear Bud Pod
Nowadays there are a lot of fancy gadgets on the market when it comes to such time and nerves saving pieces like ear bud holders. Various shapes, sizes and designs should probably make the choice easier, but have you ever managed to find a perfect model for you? Or maybe you have been considering making your own customized piece? If so, you will definitely find something interesting in the text below.
Gadgets for Geeks?
If you represent the type that wants to make things done fast and easy this project is for you, as it makes you forget about all the DIY activities that make you gluing, cutting assembling, and lots more just to end up with “close enough” results. On the other hand, if you belong to the second group of people who want to add some personal touch to their models and develop their projects by changing colors, shapes and the overall looks – we are sure you will also take benefit from our project.
EARgonomics
Let’s get to the point. In this blogpost we present you the model of a simple, but as many tangled ear buds owners will approve, extremely useful thing – an ear bud holder. This little piece will not only protect your ear bud wires and jack from tangling and tearing, but will also save you from a bit excruciating and irritating activity which is detangling the huge knot of wires just in time when you want to turn your mp3 player on and listen to your favorite song.
As you are probably among the users of earphones, or many other everyday devices you may know that apart from their appearance, price and design, the feature that gets the most important while using is ergonomics. The whole set of rules behind this term simply boils down to the comfort of use and the most optimum shape. These are mainly the factors that usually determine your model life span, so it is worth to have a device such as reliable 3D printer Zortrax M200 that allows you to make multiple testing and evaluating before launching the final product into mass production.
Into the Shape
The piece was created in the Autodesk Maya modeling software by one of the designers and contributors to the Zortrax Library – Craig Barr. The designer used Boolean tools to help him obtain the storage shapes for ear buds and the audio component. As he wanted to come up with the model that will also protect the jack, he created a kind of hollow tube inside the pod to allow the jack pass through it and tuck under the cable. However, if some of you are interested in creating similar ear bud holder, you’ve got a free choice as most of the modeling programs are compatible with the Z-SUITE slicing program.
Printing, Testing, Tweaking
Here goes the most interesting part of the project – the 3D printing time. Having a ready project, the next vital step is to export it to the Z-SUITE slicing program – an integral part of the whole Zortrax Ecosystem that is to prepare the model for 3D printing on Zortrax M200 3D printer. If some of you are not familiar what it is, the answer is it’s the system mainly responsible for making all the 3D printing process run smooth and fast. It includes Zortrax 3D printers, dedicated Z-SUITE software and compatible printing materials – all the components you sometimes have to bother about in case of other devices. Mentioning the Z-SUITE software, it is in fact the tool that allows you to set the parameters of your object including printing speed, support angle and layer thickness. Then you only have to let the 3D printer do all the rest for you.
Those of you who want to have their models not only smooth and precise but also extra shiny and sleek can apply post-processing. The one chosen by Craig Barr is both simple and effective – acetone vaporizing. This and some other common techniques for improving the surface of your models can be found on Zortrax Support Center.
POPular Items
The purpose of the ear bud pod is obvious, however on the basis of the example you can see how fast and easily you can design and obtain simple models. Of course these models can be used for various purposes. Thanks to the freedom of design you can use them as small promotional gadgets, for example by putting your logo on them – a really clever way to do it was presented in one of our previous posts. It is also a nice example of a small household piece that can actually give you a sense of knowledge about the level product functionality that can be determined by the particular shape.