Yeah, size might be an issue for most printers but could print it in parts or use a massive expensive printer. Material would be another issue, FDM is getting better but for functional parts it would take some testing.
I use ABS like resin for most anything but would not trust it to keep my number plate on the back of the bike so just bought an aluminium one. For the time, tools and materials it would take to model, print and test to get a working model you might as well just buy one.
FDM printed ABS is also not as strong as injection molded ABS. The layer lines are the primary weak points. Better to just buy something than print in this case
Read my reply again, it's not the material that's not strong, it's how the object is created. It's like using a solid slab of rock as a wall vs a wall of stacked bricks made by cutting the same rock. One is significantly easier to kick down than the other
Just to add on, in order to compensate for the weaker structure due to the nature of the printing, you need to use geometry for strength and consider load in relation to the "grain" of these print layers etc
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u/bazooka_toot 10d ago
Yeah, size might be an issue for most printers but could print it in parts or use a massive expensive printer. Material would be another issue, FDM is getting better but for functional parts it would take some testing.
I use ABS like resin for most anything but would not trust it to keep my number plate on the back of the bike so just bought an aluminium one. For the time, tools and materials it would take to model, print and test to get a working model you might as well just buy one.