Has anyone ever printed a LEGO Powered Up connector with a 3D printer? Currently, I'm using a modified SATA adapter for some LED lights on my train.
2 Answers
Yep.
See my writeup here: https://www.biasedlogic.com/index.php/lego-powered-up-connector/
Done that, works.
Are you talking the new 6 wire cables for the latest launched systems or the old two wire connectors like what was used on the Scout robotics controllers for sensors?
If you are talking the old two wire versions, you might be able to use conductive filament in conjunction with standard PLA to print an insulating strip between the two conductive halves of the connector and get it to work. If you stop the print in the middle and add the wires, the connection might be acceptable to have the wires 3-D printed into the connector.
I have used this method to make 3-D printed led holders that connect the leads of the LED's to the circuit by 3-D printing directly onto the LED's leads. I print the holder so the LED can be inserted into the holder, the leads bent to the surface and trimmed at the edge of the holder. Then when the rest of the holder is printed it melts the conductive filament to the leads and glues the LED into the holder permanently. I have tried insertion into tight fitting holes in the conductive material with poor results. I have tried wrapping the leads around posts of conductive material with moderate results. Melting the conductive filament directly onto the leads makes for the best connection.
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1With the OP's talk about a modified SATA connector, I think he's talking about the new system, possibly inspired by (something like) bricks.stackexchange.com/questions/10441/… Jan 2, 2019 at 8:16