Aluminium T-Slot Extrusion - 8020 derivatives - 1-8 Slots

As part of a project I undertook to DIY (design-it-yourself) a modular EggBot-style robot from scratch using some parts I had on hand, I decided to use T-slot 8020-style profile as my base to allow for adjustments. Two issues were immediately apparent: First - I needed more slots than on standard 8020 extrusions. Second - I didn't want to spend nearly the amount of money needed to purchase actual aluminum extrusions. Lo-and-behold, I realized I have Fusion 360 and a 3D Printer, so here we are.

As part of my iterative design process, I kept re-deciding how many extrusion slots I needed for this project and future projects down the line. So I have a few different designs with varying number of slots (1-8 slots) which are included here.

Secondly, I couldn't quite decide the best orientation to print this. I have a Prusa Mk2.5, so the print orientation with the longest available length is to have the long axis of the extrusion aligned with the x-axis, necessitating the extrusion to lie flat on the bed. This meant that I would have a need to support overhangs. I decided to use a sacrificial bridging layer for this instead of have a bunch of support material to remove from the slots. It is up to you how you print this, either lying flat or standing on it's end. I've included two versions of each extrusion size: one with the sacrificial layer, and one without.

Additionally, I designed this with a 25cm length as it fit for me. If your maximum printer dimension can't handle the length, I suggest non-uniform scaling in the long direction to meet your desired length requirements.

Due to the hole in the center of the profile, it is also possible to connect multiple pieces end to end fairly securely if needed.

I hope you find these useful and happy printing!

P.S. - The parts for the full EggBot model will be posted once I have tested them myself!