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Hi everyone,
I have a model I'm making that I will need to install heated inserts. My question is how big should I make the hole where I will be installing the inserts? How much smaller should I make it than the insert itself?
Also I haven't been able to confirm this but I need the walls to be solid around that area, but I'm not sure how thick the surrounding area should be. If anyone has more information regarding this that would be great.
I've used inserts that have to be heated to be installed. I would not call them heated inserts, however, as they are cool when in use. Because the heat of the insert melts the plastic surrounding it, the hole should be slightly smaller than the outer diameter of the insert. If it was exactly the correct size, there would be minimal adhesion to the insert. Even if the hole is 0.1 mm smaller than the insert, you'll get bonding. I tend to use 0.2 mm smaller diameter, giving a 0.1 mm melt-zone. The inserts I use are cylindrical with a larger diameter knurling. I use the dimension of the cylinder, which provides a greater melt-zone grip range as well.
With respect to the wall thickness, consider that you'd want at least two layers beyond the melt zone to remain secure. If you have a 0.4 mm nozzle, allow for one layer to melt, plus two to secure the previous layer, for a minimum of three. I tend to use four layers, but often enough my model overall is using five layers anyway.
Some people will use a soldering iron to place the inserts. I've found that the tip of the iron will allow plastic into the threads. I've had greater luck with placing a bolt in the insert and using the iron to heat the bolt and by conduction, heat the insert. It also allows for straighter placement of the insert, as one can see the angle of the bolt with respect to the part.
Hi Sinub
I posted a few minutes ago but realized my reply was likely too specific. If you Google "McMaster Carr" and then when that page opens type in Heat Set Brass Inserts in the search bar there is a page with all the info you will need. We found that a wall thickness of 1.20 MM around the insert was good.
If you click on a part number there is a "Product detail + CAD logo" box that pops up.
You can download the heat set CAD file and import into your own file.
I hope this helps
also curious about 'heated inserts'.
Are they inserts that will be heated or things you heat and insert.
Heat Set Inserts (Brass) For Plastics (McMaster Carr) are very useful especially when connecting two parts together or holding a part in place (in our case a half size circuit (thin) breadboard). They are made in metric sizes and imperial sizes - we usually used M3 size thread.
You heat the insert with a soldering iron with a pointed tip (if young please ask a parent to help).
When heated you push the insert into the opening on the 3D printed part you have made and almost impossible to remove afterwards.
As mentioned earlier one can download CAD files for each insert McMaster makes.
We designed posts for the M3 insert - 8MM in diameter/ wall thickness 1.2MM. Suggested hole diameters on the site.