3d Printing Brake Calipers

roomitch
roomitch Posts: 5
edited November 2013 in Road general
Just had a tasty little crash which has mangled my front brake calipers (mechanical). After replacing them with spares I got to wondering what it would be like if I 3d printed myself some new front brakes.

Currently I have access to free 3d printing and I was hoping that some kind soul might have some CAD files of front brake calipers or even some schematics of the calipers?

and before you say it... I know I know 3d printing such a vital component is a potentially dangerous idea. But my point is I have access to the technology and I am curious as to the results.

Regards

Ruaridh.

Comments

  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,667
    Yet another fantastic first post 8)
  • ugo.santalucia
    ugo.santalucia Posts: 28,272
    Most 3D printers use polylactic acid or polyacrilonytrile... unless you can print aluminium alloy, the idea is not worth pursuing
    left the forum March 2023
  • roomitch
    roomitch Posts: 5
    The general idea was to take the standard caliper file and play about with it to see how the caliper could be improved and generally tinker with it. Although the ABS would never meet the actual stress and strain requirements of a metal caliper it would at least allow me to prototype different designs and see what affect they have on the braking.
  • BillyMansell
    BillyMansell Posts: 817
    edited November 2013
    Titanium 3D printing is available - Charge frame components come to mind.

    EDIT: here's a link to an article about it.
  • dodgy
    dodgy Posts: 2,890
    Plastic will just bend, even if not visually, you'll have very little power left to be useful.

    Stick to pump holders, perhaps water bottle cages at a push.
  • MattC59
    MattC59 Posts: 5,408
    roomitch wrote:
    The general idea was to take the standard caliper file and play about with it to see how the caliper could be improved and generally tinker with it. Although the ABS would never meet the actual stress and strain requirements of a metal caliper it would at least allow me to prototype different designs and see what affect they have on the braking.

    How would you manage that if the plastic wouldn't stand up to the forces applied ?
    Science adjusts it’s beliefs based on what’s observed.
    Faith is the denial of observation so that Belief can be preserved
  • roomitch
    roomitch Posts: 5
    Well this is where it becomes interesting! I can use all those long hours sat in engineering lectures and put them to use and modify the calipers design to adjust for the strengths and weakness of the plastic.

    By all means this may not produce the most efficient or the best looking design, but I think it would interesting avenue to explore.
  • ugo.santalucia
    ugo.santalucia Posts: 28,272
    roomitch wrote:
    Well this is where it becomes interesting! I can use all those long hours sat in engineering lectures and put them to use and modify the calipers design to adjust for the strengths and weakness of the plastic.

    By all means this may not produce the most efficient or the best looking design, but I think it would interesting avenue to explore.

    If I recall correctly the ABS filament costs a lot of money...
    left the forum March 2023
  • roomitch
    roomitch Posts: 5
    Thankfully I will not be footing the bill for ABS.
  • cycleclinic
    cycleclinic Posts: 6,865
    If alumium powder is used and coated in nylon powder then you could use 3D printing to create the caliper. Then you would have to sinter it. Sintering alumium is tricky though and I am not sure it would work at all but it is the only way it could be done. I did some research on this a while back but to create porous structure i.e larger metal powders and not fully sintered. Fine alu powders coated in very fine nylon could make a dense enough structure for sintered product without porosity. Very expensive and tricky to get right. Go a few month and lot of cash.
    http://www.thecycleclinic.co.uk -wheel building and other stuff.
  • Biscuiteer
    Biscuiteer Posts: 143
    I have an old Townsend Beartooth "mountain bike" lurking at the back of my shed with brakes that are as plastic as they thought they could get away with. Ok, so it's got centre-pull canti brakes not a dual pivots like you probably want to make but I think the result will be the same - the brakes will bend, your knuckles will turn white and the bike will carry on regardless.

    The Townsend's brake levers are entirely plastic and the canti arms each have a small metal insert that sits inside a larger plastic moulding. Anyway, they're awful and I'd replace them with metal v-brakes if a set of cheap vees didn't cost more than I think the whole bike is worth!

    As thecycleclinic says, if you want to 3D print brakes, you're looking at sintered metal printing if you want something useful.

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