The Complete Guide 2024 to 3D Printing Threads for Beginners
Creating a thread or screw system is an important part of any manufacturing process. You can create a thread or screw system with various methods in 2024, and one most common method is using 3D printing threads equipment coupled with 3D modeling or CAD software. This guide will teach you how to create external and internal threads for 3D printing.
Why Use 3D Printing Threads?
3D printing is a common rapid manufacturing process that allows you to create complex objects for your rapid prototypes, sheet metalwork, and components. The parts creation process with 3D printing is also quite easy, provided that you use the best software. The good thing about 3D printing is that most CAD software will support exporting the 3D design file to the 3D printer equipment. So, you can use plenty of software to create your 3D printing threads, whether it’s premium or open-source software.
Also, most CAD or 3D print service software available today have built-in tools to create threads for your hardware parts. So, it shouldn’t be difficult for beginners to apply both the external and internal threading for their hardware parts design, as the software will provide you with the ready-to-use tool.
3D Printing Threads - The process won’t involve any complicated steps for you to follow.
Step #1 - Choosing the Right 3D Printing threads Software
The first step you need to do is to pick the right 3D printing software you can use with your 3D printing equipment. A good 3D modeling software, such as AutoCAD, will support the 3D printing design creation. So, you can use this or any other CAD software you prefer to create your 3D printing threads design for your project.
The software will allow you to use various 3D modeling tools, including threading tools, to create 3D printing threads more easily. This software can create external and internal threading for your 3D printing design.
Step #2 - Creating 3D Printing Threads Design for External Threading
Most, if not all, CAD or 3D modeling software will support the 3D printing threads design creation for external threading. So, it should be easy for you to find the tool to create external threads in the tool section of your CAD software. You shouldn’t have any problem creating external threads for your design, no matter what CAD software you use. Here are some steps you need to go through to create the 3D thread design for external threading:
● Creating a circle.
The first step is to create a circle with the diameter you need for the threaded parts you want to produce.
● Transform the circle into a cylinder.
Then, you can extend the circle to create a cylinder. Again, you will need to look for the length of the cylinder and match it with your size requirements.
● Apply the thread.
Using the built-in thread tool in your 3D modeling software, you can apply the thread on the outer part of the cylinder. Just use the ‘create thread’ option on it, and you are done.
● Adjust the thread settings.
You can adjust various settings for the thread, such as tolerance class, pitch, profile, size, and many others. You can configure the details of the thread based on the design requirements, whether you want a wider or narrower thread.
That’s it. You created the 3D thread design for external threading using 3D modeling or CAD software.
Step #3 - Creating 3D Printing Threads Design for Internal Threading
The method to create the 3D printing threads design for internal threading is almost the same as creating the external threads. However, with the internal threading, you will need to pay much more attention to the threads you apply on the internal cylinder, ensuring that they match the external-threaded parts. Otherwise, you will have a problem using the hardware parts later. Here are some steps to create a 3D thread design for internal threading:
● Creating double circles.
The first step is to create two circles, one being the external circle and the other being the internal circle. For internal threading, you will need to apply the thread on the internal circle, not the external one.
● Turning the circles into cylinders.
Now, you can turn the circles into cylinders by extending the circles. Be sure to consider the cylinder length based on your design requirements.
● Using the thread tool.
Next, you can use the thread tool and apply the thread on the internal circle the same way you did with the external thread.
● Inspect the internal thread.
You can inspect the internal thread you have applied to ensure that it will match the external-threaded part you made earlier. Add some spaces between the internal and external thread at around 0.15mm to 2mm, depending on the thread design, whether narrow or wide.
Step #4 - Save and Export the 3D Design Files to the 3D Printer Equipment
You can save both parts in separate files after you complete the steps to create both the external-threaded and internal-threaded parts. Be sure to save the files as STL, as this is the file format that most 3D printer equipment can read.
Next, you can export the file to the 3D printing threads equipment and start the printing process. The 3D printer equipment will print the internal-threaded and external-threaded parts by following the 3D modeling design you have created.
Conclusion
You can follow these steps to make external-threaded and internal-threaded parts using 3D printing threads equipment. Most of the time, the steps involved in creating the threads on your hardware parts will be quite easy, as there are already various 3D modeling tools you can use in your CAD or 3D modeling software.
After getting the design printed using the 3D printer equipment, you will need to test whether the internal and external threads match each other. You can continue production if they are a perfect match. However, if there are some problems, you should recheck your 3D design and fix any potential problems there.
3D printing is one of our core services at TEAM Rapid, we help many customers to make their custom parts successfully at low cost by multiple manufacturing processes such as rapid prototyping, CNC turning, insert molding, vacuum casting etc. Want to learn more about our services, contact our team today!
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