December 3, 2023
Description
I had some feedback that for some of you guys the bigger boxes were difficult to print without the longer wall sections bulging outwards. I therefore adapted the design and added some ribs to the walls to reduce the bulging. Attention: I have not tried to print any of these new, version 2 boxes yet! Let me know how they behave during printing. The boxes are of course fully interchangable between the versions. The Dimensions have not changed.
Alexandre Chappel has designed an ingenious case in which all kinds of standart parts or other material can be systematically sorted and stored. 3D printed boxes are used for this purpose which are placed in a wooden frame. The boxes are based on a modular system of square cross-sections with a side length of 55mm. Depending on the size of the goods to be stored, larger or smaller boxes are printed. The assortment boxes can all be combined with each other in whatever combination suits your needs. The system is even clever enough to also allow for only one small assortment box in the case. It is held in place by an 3d printed grid at the bottom and therefore can not move or spill its contains even when the case is put upside down or shaken vigorously.
This is a very good idea and I used it a ton in the past. But the parts needed also do take a long time to print and therefore use a relatively large amount of material. Therefore I have developed Alexandre's idea further and adapted the design so that the boxes can be printed in vase mode. This reduces the printing time and material consumption many times over. The boxes have the same external dimensions as Alexandre's, so they are compatible with his existing frames (cases, drawers, etc.). My design also eliminates the need for the grid at the bottom. Instead, my design uses pins which are placed in designated holes in the bottom part of the wood frame. The pins can either be 3d printed or one can also use woodern dowel pins (diameter of 5mm, 10mm long, chamfered) to further reduce printing time and filament consumption. To properly position the pin holes there is a template that can be used.
The assortment boxes are named as follows: “Assortment_box_75mm_5x3”. 75mm represents the height of the box. Right now all boxes are 75mm high, but I might add a shorter version in the future. 5x3 at the end of the file name represents the x- and y-dimension of the box (see below). 5x3 means 5 units wide in x-direction and 3 units long in y-direction. One unit is always 55mm, meaning the total size of the box is 5 x 55 = 275mm in x-direction, 3 x 55 = 165mm in y-direction and 75mm in z-direction.
As of now there are all possible combinations available from 1x1 up to 5x5. On one of the sides in x-direction there is a cutout included which has two functions. First, it is a simple handle like feature which allows you to grab the box easily when installed in a full drawer or any other frame. Second, it is meant to provide surface area to put a label to remember which items are stored in the box.
In general the printing of the parts is super easy. Choose any material you like. PLA as well as PETG did work well for me so far. Make sure to check the two or three specialites below that are requiered for best results.
The assortment boxes are meant to be printed in vase mode. This is possible regardless of the nozzle size you are using. Make sure to set the speacial settings as listed below in your slicer before printing to ensure a proper result:
| Setting | Value |
| Spiral vase (mode) | Activated! |
| External perimeter (width) | 0.4mm nozzle = 0.6mm 0.6mm nozzle = 0.8mm 0.8mm nozzle = 1.0mm |
| Slice gap closing radius | 0.024mm or smaller |
The pins are straight foreward to print. Just make sure they are printed in the right orientation (see screenshot below). A brim is not needed for PLA. Make sure you print enough of them. For one case you need 30 pieces.
The template is also easy to print. It is designed to be only 0.6mm thick. So choose the layer height accordingly.
The following assembly instruction is ment for the assortment case designed by Alexandre Chappel which is designed for a total of 7x6 assortment boxes. You can either drill the holes first, before you assemble the case or do it the other way around. Feel free to adapt it to your own creations. The hole spacing allways has to be 55mm by 55mm.
I am in no way affiliated with Alexandre Chappel and do not derive any financial gain from the provided models or links. I am merely excited about his designs and appreciate the content he creates. I have never been and am not currently in contact with him and I created these models from scratch on my own. Out of respect for Alexandre, I will not transfer all of his ingenious boxes into my new desig. I will leave it with these simple rectangular designs. But I will gladly send him my data so that he can apply his many ideas to this system if he would choose to do so.
License:
Creative Commons — Attribution — Noncommercial — Share Alike
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