I currently have a job lined up with a welding company as a Mechanical Engineer upon graduation and thought about how male electrical receptacles were treated. Female ends/outlets for welders already have covers for their receptacles. When a plug gets wet or dirty, the operator typically blows it off; this plug cover mitigates the causes for this need. This cover is for a NEMA 6-50 plug.
Bill of Materials
- Any filament works
- A 3D printer
- A computer
- Open source file, stl, and used g.code can be found on YouMagine
Tools needed
- MOST Delta RepRap or similar RepRap 3-D printer
Skills and knowledge needed
- Basic 3D printer knowledge
- Basic slicer knowledge
Technical Specifications and Assembly Instructions
- Download STL, or customize a new model and download
- Slice STL file in slicer of choice (10% infill should be sufficient)
- Print part (print time is about 1.5 hours)
- Insert NEMA 6-50 male plug into printed plug cover
Common Problems and Solutions
The main issue would be from tolerances. Current design has a 0.5mm tolerance for the plug. This may need to be adjusted if the cover falls off or does not fit.
Cost savings
A cover like this cannot be found easily on the market if at all, but this print would cost $0.42 if a $20 1kg spools of PLA was used.
Benefited Internet Communities
- Weldingweb Forum
- Hobart Welding Forum
- Miller Welding Forum
- MIG Welding Forum
- Metal Fabrication Forum
References
No references due to this being a new idea.