A clever application in 3D printing is the embedding of magnets in printed parts. This enables exciting functions such as form-fit connections or moving parts. In a new video, YouTuber Jesse Pickering from the DraftID channel shows how small magnets can be integrated into 3D prints with little effort.
According to Pickering, commercially available neodymium magnets with diameters between 6 and 6.3 mm are used. In the 3D modeling software, corresponding recesses are provided for this purpose, which accommodate the magnets in a form-fitting manner. Pickering uses several test prints to determine the optimum fit so that the magnets sit securely but can still be inserted without a great deal of force.
A special trick is the targeted interruption of the printing process through built-in pauses. The user can then insert the magnets manually before the remaining layers completely enclose the magnet. According to Pickering, this process also enables the correct alignment of the magnetic poles in multi-part prints.
The YouTuber mentions possible applications for the embedded magnets, including jewelry boxes, refrigerator magnets and form-fit connections. In his video, he demonstrates the implementation using an example of a two-part tin.
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