print a slide holder using a 3D printer
Posted by LC | Filed under lab
This project is inspired by Kurt's note.
I bought an open-source 3D printer and print a slide holder to fulfill current microscopy needs
Below was what I did:
(1) use openscad 2013.1 to generate the model (.stl file)
(2) use ReplicatorG 0040, to convert .stl into .gcode; change the plate heating temperature to 115 degree (M109 S115)
(3) export .s3g file and copy it into a SD card; load to the machine and go
FYI, the model script
// in millimeter
// Liang Cai, 2013-5-7
holder_x = 159;
holder_y = 109;
holder_thick = 3;
coverslip_hold = 0.5;
short_open = 68;
open_width = 50.8;
long_open = 78; // 3 inch, 76.2 mm
lower_z = 7;
lower_spacer = 15;
letters = " actin.cn 2013";
/* do not change things below */
use <MCAD/fonts.scad>;
thisFont = 8bit_polyfont();
x_shift = thisFont[0][0];
y_shift = thisFont[0][1];
theseIndicies=search(letters, thisFont[2], 1, 1);
difference() {
translate([-holder_x/2+7, -holder_y/2+7, 0])
minkowski() {
cube(
size = [holder_x-14, holder_y-14, holder_thick]
);
cylinder(
r = 7,
h = lower_z
);
}
union() {
translate([-short_open/2, -open_width/2, 0])
cube(
size = [short_open, open_width, coverslip_hold]
);
translate([-long_open/2, -open_width/2, coverslip_hold])
cube(
size = [long_open, open_width, holder_thick + lower_z]
);
translate([-holder_x/2, -holder_y/2, 0])
cube(
size = [lower_spacer, holder_y, lower_z]
);
translate([holder_x/2 - lower_spacer, -holder_y/2, 0])
cube(
size = [lower_spacer, holder_y, lower_z]
);
translate([-holder_x/2 + 1.5 * lower_spacer, -holder_y/2, holder_thick])
cube(
size = [holder_x - 3 * lower_spacer, holder_y, lower_z]
);
}
}
translate([-holder_x/2 + 4, -holder_y/2 + 7, holder_thick])
for( j=[0 : (len(theseIndicies)-1)] ) {
translate([j*x_shift, -y_shift/2])
linear_extrude(height = 1)
polygon(points=thisFont[2][theseIndicies[j]][6][0], paths=thisFont[2][theseIndicies[j]][6][1]);
}