Foldable Cube - Print Flat

30mm Foldable Cube that is printed flat and then folded into shape. Prints fast and all the sides of the cube are smooth. Can be used to explore the properties of a platonic solid or can make an LED light.

UPDATE: K12 Lesson ideas for this thing can be found at http://designmaketeach.com/2013/05/01/lesson-idea-the-3d-printed-foldable-cube/

Instructions

30mm Foldable Cube that is printed flat and then folded into shape. Must be glued or taped to create a permanent cube. Use rubber bands to hold design together while glue is drying. Can be printed with or without infill. Examples were printed with PLA.

The initial design consideration was to create a cube that had a smooth texture on all sides with accurate dimensions. Cubes printed as a single object on a hobby FDM printer can have a smooth bottom, layered sides and textured top. The foldable design ensures consistent, flat faces. An additional advantage is that the cube can be stored/transported flat then assembled later saving space.

Students can use the Foldable Cube to explore the construction of a platonic solid. The Foldable Cube can be placed over a light source or an LED can be added to make a small cube light. Crude example of LED bulb taped to CR2032 battery is shown.

Would like to increase the number of times the sides can be folded before it breaks. Current thickness of the folded edges are 0.2mm.

*Note for Printing on a Makerbot Replicator 2: The print must be oriented (rotated) on the build platform so the infill lines are as perpendicular as possible to the folds. If the infill lines are parallel to the folds the folds will crack. In an earlier version of Makerware the print could be rotated to the optimal 45 degree angle to create a hinges from the threads of plastic. New version of Makerware will cause the infill to run parallel to the folds at 45 degrees. We've had success rotating the print to approximately 30 degrees.*

Slic3r users have reported success with a concentric fill pattern.

Original design created by DesignMakeTeach.com using FreeCAD.

Category: Math