The Impossible Box

• kw87

For this project, we explored how different 3D-printing methods can bring “impossible objects” to life—shapes that would be a nightmare (or flat-out impossible) to make using traditional manufacturing. After wandering through Thingiverse, I landed on an impossible cube design that caught my eye. It had that perfect mix of geometric weirdness and visual charm, so I decided it would be my print.

I downloaded the file from Thingiverse (Link:https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:7084672) and opened it in Bambu Studio on the OEDK computers. Since the original model was much too large for the gumball capsule, I scaled it down to 40% of its original size. After slicing the file, I sent it to one of the FDM printers with standard PLA.

The print went surprisingly smoothly—no lifting, no weird overhang failures, and the supports held everything in place exactly the way the model needed. The only issue I ran into was that I tried to print the structure without supports the first time, and the print decided to fall over. The final result was clean, sturdy, and perfectly sized for the gumball. This meant I could move on to the harder part, which was the other 3D print style.

Instead of using the resin 3D printer, I decided to try something fun I had never done before: using the powder 3D printer in the wet lab. Besides the want for a little more of a challenge, I decided to use this 3D printer firstly because it didn’t require the creation of supports, and due to my thin and hollow design I felt that this would benefit the print, and secondly because with only 2 resin 3D printers that can print at a time I was worried that I wouldn’t have the time to get my 3D print done.

A couple of other people decided that they also wanted to use the powder 3D printer, so we all grouped our designs onto one design bed so that we could all get them printed in time. For anyone in the coming years who wants to use this printer, please get multiple people to use it with you because it is a very long and expensive process. The print took 11 hours to finish, mainly because it takes the machine about 5 hours to cool off since it gets so hot.

After the printing was done, the fun part can begin. Since the powder 3D printer works by filled the entire print bed with powder, we all got to play archeologist and excavate our 3D prints out of the powder. This process is quite messy, however, it was likely the most fun I have ever had in the OEDK.
After the excavating, these is how the 3D prints came out. I was really happy with the quality of the prints, they were extremely durable and had great structure to them. In the case of the two swirly designs as well, this was something that wouldn’t have been printable on a resin printer. After this I boxed all my prints with a tag of my name and the link to the print, and finished the project on time.
  Clean 3D print workspace
Cost Analysis:
Both machines free to use in the OEDK
(I took a rough estimate from the amount of power we used in the print from this bag)
estimate for my print $0.50
Labor – 2 hours at my OEDK pay of $14 – $28
Total = $78.50

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