【3D Printing News】Single-Print Support-Free, One-Second Retractable Sword!
The Prusa i3 MK3S 3D Printer is widely recognized by makers worldwide as a high-value machine, offering a reasonable price and excellent quality. Today, we'll be testing a new sample: a retractable sword. Who says single-extruder 3D printers can only print models? With good design, minimal errors, and high quality, you can also create functional parts! Our regular followers would have seen this at the recent 3D Printing Exhibition. If you missed it, here's a look at its effect:
From a hilt to a long sword in just one second! If you've used a retractable telescope as a child, you'll understand the concept of telescopic cylinders. We put this sword's 3D print model into the Prusa Slicer software and discovered its secret lies in the handle. (Further reading: Free Resources Unveiled! The Top 5 3D Model Libraries are Here!)
You can see the circular annual ring structure that the Prusa i3 MK3S is 3D printing, which forms the main body of the telescopic cylinder. Through a gradual change in aperture from large to small, each structure interlocks, allowing for free movement without coming loose due to the force of a swing.
We printed many colors and styles, and also tested several 1.75mm PLA filaments. The light blue Duke's sword was made with BotFeeder Sky Blue. It met its tragic end during a "duel" by 3DMart staff. I observe three seconds of silence for its short life. Here's a beautiful posthumous photo to remind everyone that if you plan to use it for high-impact stress tests, you might need materials other than PLA or post-processing to avoid a similar tragedy.
In addition to blue, we also tried two other 1.75mm BotFeeder materials: Cola Red and Lemon Yellow. The results were also excellent, with even the subtle patterns at the bottom printing perfectly. The curved parts of the rapier printed smoothly even without supports.
There's only about a 0.5mm gap between each tube, with the inner gaps becoming progressively smaller, posing a challenge for 3D printers in terms of precision. The photos show some FDM 3D printing textures on the surface, which don't affect functionality or overall appearance. However, industrial-grade Ultimaker still offers superior perfection. But for a 3D printer priced under 50,000 NTD, the print quality of the Prusa i3 MK3 is incredibly satisfying.
To fit it into the studio for filming, we adjusted the length of the retracted sword, making one into a short sword. Since each layer prints directly on the base, no support structures are needed, making modifications very simple. It's a very clever design.
Excited? You can order the genuine, imported Prusa i3 MK3S 3D printer now. It's ready to print out of the box, with no assembly required. You won't have to worry about counterfeit parts or installation issues, ensuring peace of mind when buying and printing! Additionally, for makers or studios with molding needs, you can also purchase the value-packed complete set that includes a vacuum forming machine!
Click here for a free download and give it a try!
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