Tried using a 3D printed part for my bilge pump and it melted after 20 minutes of running

Honestly, I figured a 50 cent piece of PLA would hold up fine, but that hot motor just turned it into spaghetti and now I'm out $12 for the OEM bracket anyway, anyone else had cheap plastic parts fail on you?

2 comments

2 Comments

cora4009d ago

My bilge pump bracket started drooping after maybe 10 minutes of running, and I thought it was just a bad print (you know, layer adhesion issues) but nope, the PLA was literally deforming from the motor heat. I tried PETG next and it lasted about an hour before it turned into a limp noodle too, so I'd say skip all the cheap filament stuff and just go with ABS or nylon if you really want to 3D print it. Actually, I ended up buying a metal bracket from Amazon for $8 and it's been solid for months now, not even a hint of melting. The problem is those little electric motors get way hotter than people realize, especially in a closed bilge compartment with no airflow.

felix_coleman879d ago

What's wrong with just springing for the metal bracket? I learned the hard way too, PLA is useless near any heat source. Save yourself the headache and buy the real part.