3D printing spare parts using Alumide
You might have heard the expression “eat your own dogfood” that refers to having companies consume their own products in some way. At i.materialise we have an expensive camera tripod. A lever that you use to adjust the height of the camera broke off. We were unable to obtain a replacement and so we asked a colleague Staf if he would be so kind enough as to 3D model a replacement lever. We 3D printed it using an EOS p700 machine 3D printing Alumide and were able to replace the part at very low cost without leaving the building. The lever is functional and although the Alumide material, a combination of aluminum and thermoplastic powder, can be brittle the part is strong enough to do service as a lever. You can see some wear but the lever thingy has now been functioning for two years.
