# thinking of starting a 3D model design firm for midrange\tweeter housings



## req (Aug 4, 2007)

hey there everybody.

its been a thought in my mind to design and sell 3D printed tweeter and midrange housings for attaching to A pillars and such.

i am not sure what the costs would entail, but i know to have the pods printed would be fairly inexpensive, and i have the design background, expierence, and software for CAD work.


would any of you be interested in having a sealed tweeter and\or a midrange pod made for a speaker of your choosing, then having a 3D-printed plastic (possibly even in a metal-kind of resin) enclosure for it?

what kind of price would you think this kind of service would be right?

this is seriously a feeler. i dont know if there will be enough want for something like this. but it would be along the same lines as what is seen in this thread - but it would be WAY more affordable and easily adapted for many different speakers.

http://www.diymobileaudio.com/forum...um/100541-feelers-aluminium-tweeter-pods.html


let me know


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## cajunner (Apr 13, 2007)

in my humble opinion, you'd have to make it less expensive than having pillars done at a shop.

most shops will do them for 500, color-matched and speakers installed, hooked up. (just guessing here from discussion on this board)

so, you deduct the "install yourself" labor part, have to come in under the fully custom fiberglass shaped models, still need to devise an attachment method that is durable, doesn't interfere with airbags, and offer in a wide array of colors.

maybe 275, for gray white or black, and 300 for custom colors?

can you make it on that, we're talking about 5 ounces of resin each, then some finish foam and deadener for the larger pods, maybe just a tweeter bump and neutral color flocked could go for less?


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## ISTundra (Jan 3, 2009)

I've looked into this before. Even made several pods for various tweeters/mids, here are some examples:










































































Here's where you run into problems...

Nobody really wants to pay for your design time -at least not to a point where it would likely be worth your while. I was ok with this because I like doodling in SolidWorks on fun stuff like this, and as an ME who's moved into project management in recent years, it helps keep my design/CAD skills from getting rusty. But tell people you want $50 for the design on top of what it will cost to manufacture and most will balk. Also, most people want something that looks cleanly integrated into their pillars, so you'll end up spending more time creating a custom design and the back & forth that goes along with it. At that point, your targeted labor rate is in the toilet.

3D printing charges usually reflect the build time and material consumed, which could be larger than than most realize. Plus, a very thinly shelled pod won't have much rigidity to it, so once you start adding wall thickness the cost goes up. Also, some resins won't hold up well to heat or UV in the car environment, and the metal deposition options are not yet consumer friendly cost-wise. And then... except for high-end precision (i.e. spendy) printers, 3D printing isn't quite there yet to deliver a product that doesn't require some additional finishing to make it install ready. You'll likely have to sand/polish/drill/tap holes/paint etc. Some people will want a finished product in-hand after forking over a fair amount of $$.

My pods were all machined/turned from aluminum or plastic, because I have an after hours machine shop available to me at work. Even so, I can only do basic cuts/holes etc. so I have to pay my machinist a fair wage to make these for me, so the manufacturing cost isn't as cheap as most envision either. I've had several inquiries in the past about my pods but once I suggest a selling price that doesn't even net me a profit for my troubles (or maybe $20) -then most people move on. I even had one dipshit on here argue with me that I had to be making good money in the deal for a $150 set of pods, so I decided it's not worth the hassle.


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## cajunner (Apr 13, 2007)

I think someone who can access a hi-res scanner, and who can talk a good game at the dealerships so they can get some measurements/scans done for newer model vehicles, can sit in their chair and design appropriate-looking pods for various car models, by tweaking an already near-universal base code.

in on the ground floor, your day consists of mornings taking scans of cars at dealers, picking up resin and getting lunch at noon, coming home and putting a printer into production while you program a couple of new models by 6 pm.

pull out a bottle of scotch and have a drink, then get on diyma and post "print logs"


haha..


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## Chaos (Oct 27, 2005)

I recently sat through a powerpoint & sales presentation on the merits of 3D printing for use in rapid prototyping, and for a unit that is large enough to render objects on the scale you are talking about the processing time alone would probably drive the prices way to high to be reasonable. Unless you already have access to the appropriate hardware, the startup costs alone would be approaching six figures.

Something like a single A-pillar pod would take several hours to run, especially if it is intended to be strong enough for actual use. Come to think of it, I don't know that anything rendered on a 3D printer would be resilient enough to be installed in an automobile without needing reinforcement, which would only mean more time and money.

Don't get me wrong - I think this is a great idea and I am certainly no expert, but everything I do know about this subject leads me to believe that 3D printing tech is not quite ready for actual manufacturing yet. If it was, 90% of the stuff at Walmart would already be getting printed out in China like photocopies.


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## diy.phil (May 23, 2011)

Usually we do this CAD stuff for our own cars/whatever for the love. Sometimes it may be difficult to make money unless we have dubai-style customers that want renderings and exclusive designs such that there can be no second copy on the planet. Anyways @req make one for your car and do a time/labor and material cost study. The time/labor might cost a fortune for the first prototype since it's always this way. Then do 2 or 3 sets for other people (this may be slightly faster even though it's for different vehicles). Best is have them pay so that you know the limit on what a person will happily pay. If nobody gets mad at each other, go for it - you're in business! Most importantly don't let anyone try to tell you no - all successful people do things that others say it cannot or should not be done. Just have to take some calculated risks, check the gains, cover your costs, make some money and go from there. best wishes...


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## rton20s (Feb 14, 2011)

You've already received lots of great information. I would add this...

I think what you are considering would be viable. But, only as one aspect of a broader business model. Check around your area and see if there is anyone offering "rapid prototyping" or other 3D printing services in your area. This is a market that has a pretty good potential for short term growth in my eyes. I say short term as prices for equipment drops, companies are more likely to bring the tech "in house." But if you get a solid company established, it could certainly outlast the commoditization of 3D printing. 

I certainly wouldn't limit myself though. Market locally to as broad a range of businesses as you can. And definitely market yourself online. The online market may be more flooded with competitors, but maintaining a solid web presence is cheap.


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## req (Aug 4, 2007)

thanks for the feedback guys.

1- i think the ~$500 price point for a custom fiberglass pillar build is on the conservative side. considering that, i am thinking this "service" would be in the $100~200 range for a finished product. but this is purely speculation at this point.

2- the mounting to the pillars\dash would be built into the model. it would be a 1-piece print that would have a non-removeable ball joint (at least thats how it is in my head). all that would need to be done is drill a single hole and run the wires.

3. im kind of tipsy right now.

4. im in the process of making some 3D enclosures for the FR88EX that my bro has. his will be a specific use, not particular to what we are speaking about in this thread - but i will build a pod for those speakers at the same time to be printed to show off here.

5. i do not know if i will be buying a 3D printer for my own home to prototype products in-house... but depending on weather this works or not will depend on the that particular future. right now - im looking at a simple pod for tweeters and maybe midranges - starting with the most popular products on the market and working my way down list. 

this is what im looking at building.
http://i1255.photobucket.com/albums/hh623/ISTundra/Tundra new tweeter pods/P1020489.jpg

thank you for the input guys\gals 
-andy


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## plcrides (Mar 21, 2014)

i would seriously like to have a set of these.i just bought some ground zero uranium's so i can't spend anything in the next few weeks but i really do need some,mine would be mounted to my kick panels more than likely.its either these or a pvc pipe end let spray painted black. sporting some very classy german built tweeters,thats no good !!! not for the father land haha.


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## [email protected] (Nov 7, 2010)

Didn't the paper somebody posted in another thread say that the cylindrical shape was the worse one for response? Maybe you could spin off of that and instead of it being a cylinder, be some shape that would also have accoustic benefits? To add value...


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## req (Aug 4, 2007)

any shape i could do j0ey.

a sphere, or a bullet. or a combo of the two is whati was aiming towards. but pillar mounting made easy was the goal.

i have some more design work to do. let me see if i can churn something out tonight.


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## ErinH (Feb 14, 2007)

[email protected] said:


> Didn't the paper somebody posted in another thread say that the cylindrical shape was the worse one for response? Maybe you could spin off of that and instead of it being a cylinder, be some shape that would also have accoustic benefits? To add value...


I haven't seen the thread you're referencing but odds are that paper was in regards to baffle step, which is something that's of no concern in a pillar mounted mid because the 'baffle' is so small. In that case, the baffle is the speaker itself.


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## [email protected] (Nov 7, 2010)

It was this one, I thought it would be relevant.. maybe not?


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## quietfly (Mar 23, 2011)

Was there a link in your post Joey?


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## [email protected] (Nov 7, 2010)

quietfly said:


> Was there a link in your post Joey?


There should be a PDF attachment?


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## quietfly (Mar 23, 2011)

ah... i swear that wasn't there when i asked the first time......


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## ErinH (Feb 14, 2007)

[email protected] said:


> It was this one, I thought it would be relevant.. maybe not?


not the same document, but the same content I'm talking about.

that discussion is more in the vein of driver placement on a speaker. it's talking about baffle step and diffraction due to the placement of the driver on said baffle type.

in a car, we don't have the luxury of real baffle. at best, we have a mounting ring next to another surface: pillar, windshield, dash, door panel, etc. The closest you actually have to a baffle, enough in the sense of it to effect the output, is the door. with pillars/dash install, there's no sense in even worrying about baffle effects other than the loss you get due to the lack of reinforcement caused by not having a baffle.


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## req (Aug 4, 2007)

good to know erin.

either way - i was able to get my softwared re-downloaded this morinig after trying all night and i will be messing with some stuff tonight.

im thinking of trying to making something for the fountek FR88 and the tangband W3 bamboo midranges first.

any recommendations on internal volume or anything? i dont want to make them too huge.


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## cajunner (Apr 13, 2007)

I'd be more interested in the horn/waveguide thing with 3-D models that could be tried for specific positions in the car.

you want to direct the sound as much as possible and if you're straying from under-dash, you could develop a horn that uses reflectors or lens assemblies to break up that first bounce off the windshield, and maybe affect the comb filtering that results from the waves being slammed right back into the dash before exiting into the listening space...


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## ErinH (Feb 14, 2007)

For waveguides, look in to the offerings from diysoundgroup. 

Andy, most people here are crossing the founteks around 250/300hz which is enough above resonance the spring factor of an enclosure not to matter.


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## req (Aug 4, 2007)

awesome - thanks erin.

i could literally make anything within reason of size. the issue with "car specific" is that i do not have a 3D scanner *yet*.

the price depends on how much material it uses. i could theoretically make it hollow with like 2mm thick walls - and then make a pour hole and fill it with resin & BB's or something hah.

heck i could even make the lens' from the Sausalito Audio Works waveguides like this thread 

[yes i made the 3d render below]










i could easily make horns and stuff like that. it all comes down to the design of such things though. i am NOT a good horn or enclosure designer like erin or patrick bateman lol.


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## FUKAZ28 (Jan 9, 2014)

My F150 is trimmed in the woodgrain looking plastic. Wonder if something like this could be turned out of wood using a lathe to match the trim?


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## ErinH (Feb 14, 2007)

Those lenses look simple but have a lot of engineering behind them. So if you're looking to do something like that it'll need to be driver specific. And you'll need a way to test the before and after.


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## SQram (Aug 17, 2007)

I modeled up some horn throat adapters in another thread and it wasn't cheap to have them printed by Shapeways. About $100 a piece. They were approximately the same size as your model above.

Do you have a line on cheaper 3D printing?


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## diy.phil (May 23, 2011)

^just do it! Custom stuff is always expensive. Lots of hobbies are expensive too - just don't find too many projects in the same week.

Check if your local library has a bunch of 3D printers. It's free for use if you have a library card. Someone here mentioned it before this and some cities/libraries indeed have it.


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## Victor_inox (Apr 27, 2012)

I wish you luck in your endeavors. 3d printing getting more cost effective. 

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I527 using Tapatalk


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## Victor_inox (Apr 27, 2012)

Library printers! That would be great if you can spend hours waiting for it to print. 

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I527 using Tapatalk


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## req (Aug 4, 2007)

like i said, its all about material used, NOT size.

if you make the lens using a thin wall versus a solid piece - it will be MUCH cheaper.

again, i have no idea what kind of prices we are looking at - yet - let me do some design work i finally was able to get all the software downloading today - i realized i deleted it a while back because of hard drive space, now ive got it on another drive.


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## thehatedguy (May 4, 2007)

**** my local library is lucky to have books that have been printed since the 1990s...much less 3 D printing.


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## ryyo (Jun 29, 2009)

Depending on cost, I might be interested in this if you decide to pursue it.


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## ECLIPSEsqfan (Sep 2, 2007)

req said:


> like i said, its all about material used, NOT size.
> 
> if you make the lens using a thin wall versus a solid piece - it will be MUCH cheaper.
> 
> again, i have no idea what kind of prices we are looking at - yet - let me do some design work i finally was able to get all the software downloading today - i realized i deleted it a while back because of hard drive space, now ive got it on another drive.


Not sure what program you are using, but I use Autodesk Inventor (I am certified) and have found it to be a very flexible program. Depending on what additional packages you have (I have all of them if you need any) you can even do structural integrity testing if you know the material properties, so you could test flexion, tensile strength etc. if you were so inclined.

To touch on what you are talking about in regard to "thickness", it isn't really how thick the piece is really. It has to do with Infill. There are a LOAD of ways to keep or increase structural rigidity and strength without having to do 100% Infill. You can use honeycomb structures or the like to maximize strength and still have the ability to use much less material internally.
If you did a single A-Pillar using 100% Infill, it would cost you at least $100 in raw materials (ABS, PLA, Wood Composite).
Hopefully that makes sense. 

To touch on Cajunner's comment in regard to "tweaking an already near-universal base code" Brother, there is no such thing. 
And when you combine the variables of different drivers that are not OE into the mix, it isn't simple. You have to start from scratch anyhow.
Also, last I checked, a High-Res handheld digital scanner is in the 4-7k range. And for a start up or hobbyist, that is way too deep to test the waters. A skilled 3D Modeler/Cad user can achieve an amazingly high level of precision as long as all the correct information is there. Not to mention that typically even with a scanner, there is always a lot of "cleanup" work to be done with the image/wireframe anyhow so starting from scratch amounts to about the same thing.
Now, if you had access to a high res scanner and cleaned up a library of images/files or had them on hand and you could tweak them at your lesiure, that would be great. However most vehicle manufacturers don't tend to share that data, in my experience.

Great ideas though and Rec, if it is something you are passionate about and have time and energy for, then follow up on it. "No" is only an obstacle as long as you let it be one. 

- Mario


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## cajunner (Apr 13, 2007)

thehatedguy said:


> **** my local library is lucky to have books that have been printed since the 1990s...much less 3 D printing.



haha..

it was a peach when they started faxing from the library. You used to have to go to an office supply store's back room to get it done, back in the day.


now they have computer classes and stuff, the oil patch is helping out with the public resources down here on the bayou but the influx of Mexican "periphery" that comes with all those oilfield workers in the area, makes it a challenge to get to some of these resources.

as far as the promise of 3-D printing goes, I believe everyone that has some imagination can see an up side, but the reality is that people want access to the technology so they can build themselves a life from it, they want a piece of the public expenditures to provide them with a private capitalist angle.

Not that starting your own business based on 3-D printing is a bad bet, but it only illustrates the necessity of having a good idea in the first place.


If req could make a few dozen sets of the Sausalito lens, based on a tested, proven driver/lens assembly, it's likely he could make a few dollars before the intellectual property lawyers used the internet to build a case against him...

so what I'm saying is req would either have to get open-source ideas and people who make them, to allow their use, (a-la Geddes and his Oblate Spheroidal horn contour) without them then demanding compensation, or req being required to license every little printed item that comes his way in "paper napkin" formats.

It's going to be sticky going, and everything put out online is fair game for lawyers.

I've got some ideas I would love to have 3-D printed, but make no mistake, I wouldn't want to have someone take my ideas and start profiting off of them somewhere on the Asian continent.

or worse, here at home, and even worse, someone who got my idea from reading a thread here in DIYMA's little enclave of audio misfits.


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## ECLIPSEsqfan (Sep 2, 2007)

Cajunner,

I have personally created more than a couple electronic and mechanical devices and never seen a penny from it. All my time, effort, imagination (Don't ever let ANYONE tell you that imagination is not a commodity!) and work... stolen. Almost all of it by unscrupulous partners.
But you know what? I can't honestly say that I regret it. Because I AM the one who created and put new things out into the world. Even if I didn't profit from my designs as I had hoped to, not one other person on the planet can say that they made them. That distinction is solely mine.
My situation was because I didn't have tons of money and a lawyer on retainer and they did. But hey, you only get to kill your golden goose once and they are no longer producing anything new. Which essentially leaves them dead in the water. So, Karma I guess.

That is neither here nor there though. My point was, that to fear the unknown and not go for it while you are able only amounts to a list of regrets. I am sure that Rec would get his house in order if her were to offer something.
But to call a circle or a pod with a few threaded holes in it cause for lawsuits (Unless it directly infringes on another's IP) is a bit much. Besides if it had prior art, it would already be available. You can always search the patent database to check if you are ever in doubt as well. Or better yet, if you have the funds, hire a patent lawyer to do it for you. If you plan to go all the way with it, that is.

Just my $0.02


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## cajunner (Apr 13, 2007)

ECLIPSEsqfan said:


> Cajunner,
> 
> I have personally created more than a couple electronic and mechanical devices and never seen a penny from it. All my time, effort, imagination (Don't ever let ANYONE tell you that imagination is not a commodity!) and work... stolen. Almost all of it by unscrupulous partners.
> But you know what? I can't honestly say that I regret it. Because I AM the one who created and put new things out into the world. Even if I didn't profit from my designs as I had hoped to, not one other person on the planet can say that they made them. That distinction is solely mine.
> ...


it's an enlightened era, to be a part of this communal pot of music sampling 'artists' and a generation behind, the days when having an original idea meant you could profit from it without some huge production facility in China putting it into production before you even had a chance to let the ink dry on the prints.

If req started printing Sausalito mock-ups, you don't believe someone who saw that going on, wouldn't issue a claim for patent infringement? Is Bang and Olufsen paying for those rights, and why would they get it for free?

if my ideas create possible profit streams that I choose to discard, that's another thing entirely but if I create something and am actively in pursuit of the American dream, and someone on the internet swipes it and starts manufacturing it cheaply and with inferior results, what would you think?

I have several "market ready" ideas that IMHO, can't be shared based on my perception that once released I am no longer able to defend my rights to their invention, or even defend my creativity value, as it were. It's gotten to where if I did publish something notable, I actually expose myself against lawsuits that I stole the idea from someone else, and it doesn't matter if I have proof that I am the proprietary creator! You can sue anyone for anything, and if you can't afford a defense, you can kiss your pot of gold at the end of the creative process, good bye.

now, req won't be dealing with these issues so much, since his service is mainly a copy shop's role in producing products that the prior art is coming from the outside. You can't sue Kinko's for printing up copies of Van Gogh's starry skies, and the person who contracts Kinko's for their service, then goes and sells them without penalty or legal culpability.

so, I see the benefit in saying you put something out there that nobody else did, but if you have to spend money in courts to defend your right to say so, and you didn't make anything off the venture, except that good feeling that you're important in that non-compensated sort of way...


well, I'd just as soon not put it out there, is that selfish of me?


there are people out there right now who probably have a cure for cancer but they are sitting on it because they don't know how to get fairly compensated and protect their interest, is that wrong?

and I'm just having fun, right? I don't mean to make it so dramatic, but if I gave req the rough draft, "paper napkin" ideas of mine, and he does the dimensional draw-ups and converts the idea to a coded entry in the printer's servo scheme, what does he deserve for his part in creating the product that comes out on bottom of the plastic feed heads?

just thinking about it, is the actual money in being able to convert ideas, instead of having the hardware physically available?

sort of how engineering the miniDSP to do what it's chip sets potentially could have programmed is the key to producing a commercially viable product?

it's not the hardware, it's the geek programming it that matters?


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## req (Aug 4, 2007)

its a little bit of both cajunner.

i also use inventor, while im not a liscenced pro, i have gone to college for it and so forth.

but when it comes to the person with the idea and the person with the knowledge to implement such an idea, they are both important pieces in the puzzel to that pot of gold. if the second step, lets call it prototype\design never happens, and it sits on the "paper napkin" in your bedside drawer until someone else invents the same invention - then it is, in effect, just a paper napkin with some ink stains on it.

like eclipsesqfan said, not doing anything is the only block in the road. sure, you have to find partners that are not thiefs - and in this day, thats a a tough nugget.

i dont mean that all i am going to do is copy\paste the sallisautio waveguide from b&o's car audio\home audio design into our forum. but i may play with things in a not-for-profit kind of way if things turn up. who knows. cant sue me for not selling anything lol.

my main dish is something else entirely, but this is my hobby - so why not include it? i did some playing around last night - and things seemed to go well. im a little rusty with my inventor skills so it took some time. i have a cool idea for my buddys FR88's and the install as a whole to make it a little unconventional - so thats where this idea first spawned from.


as far as the 3D scanner, the tech is becomming more and more viable every day. just like 3D printing. hell, if i felt sassy, i could use my xbox kinect sensor and some software and build my own 3D scanner. diyma, right?

as far as the inflow\solid fill kind of thing - i was thinking about that yesterday... it mostly depends on what im making - but a large honey comb interior did come to mind, as well as a sort of lattice that could be back filled with resin for a super solid finish. pricing on a 3D printed part has to do with how much material is used, NOT how long it takes to print, nothing more. heck, you can upload a design to shapeways and it will tell you within 5 minutes how much it costs. and i know a simple tweeter cup for a flush mount like they usually come with can be as cheap as $3 in a raw format.


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## quietfly (Mar 23, 2011)

A while back I had a thread talking about the merits of a "club based" 3d printer where members buy usage rights in ex change for a fee. the biggest issue seems that no one wanted to give away their own IP or design time for free so having a repository of designs became almost a pipe dream. FYI i'm still open to the idea if any one wants to make a go of it i'd be completely up to investing the time and some of the starting capital.


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## cajunner (Apr 13, 2007)

I would think that developing honeycomb lattices that are impossible to do in a conventional build, are exactly the sort of thing 3-D printing would excel at, and the dimensional priority of building intricate things, would have trumped the plastic costs in mass weight used.

if that's a fair summation, you could leverage the unique properties of various skeletal structure for their effect on sound, you could do the liquid polymer in crystal form with it's natural sonic benefit, but implement it in an engineered sense, that could only be dreamed of without 3-D tech's input into the scheme.

imagine a speaker cone, made from dual density substrate but so finely manipulated it would bring new dimensional properties, you could do alternating hard and soft resin, like Damascus in steel. You could do a melting polymer inside a cellulose base, you could do honeycomb where every third cell was filled with foam, or lattices of UHMWP like spectra.

It's a new working world when you can design in the deflection properties, and design them out. You could produce titanium stiffness in a dome that has better than phenolic forgiveness, you could do catenary profiles not just from thickness, but stiffness as well, you could produce a mid-bass dome like the old Infinity Poly-Graph, but with real results because the grid would be embedded instead of embossed or painted on.


the way 3-D printing is able to turn future improvements into an incremental successive cavalcade of progressively more superior designs, bodes well for the audio industry, fraught with examples of material limitations at every turn.


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## ECLIPSEsqfan (Sep 2, 2007)

[QUOTE = Cajunner] I see the benefit in saying you put something out there that nobody else did, but if you have to spend money in courts to defend your right to say so, and you didn't make anything off the venture, except that good feeling that you're important in that non-compensated sort of way...[/QUOTE]

I don't think I am important, or more precisely I don't have an overblown ego. I suppose I am just trying to make the best of a bad situation. My goal was to make an income based on my work. 
My point though, was that you shouldn't give up on something before you at least try.
That was all. 

Rec, if you went to college to learn Inventor, you should have gotten a code or student key. Depending on how long ago it was, you should be able to log on to the Autodesk website and freely DL full versions (Student ones are still full ver. but have a watermark that says student) of any programs that interest you. This will give you a great opportunity to play with new tools and learn your way around them. If it has been longer than a year, I am sure if you speak to the professor you had, they would give you a new key to use.

All the best.


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## req (Aug 4, 2007)

thanks eclispse.

thats how i downloaded my software 

just my college email was being a chump and not recieving my verification info.

*-REQ*


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## ECLIPSEsqfan (Sep 2, 2007)

Awesome 

- Mario


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## req (Aug 4, 2007)

soooo, after too much brainstorming and getting sent to california i spent a few hours trying to figure out how i would make this work... this is by far NOT a final product - and i dont know how heavy it would be. walls at 5mm thick at the moment.

FaitalPRO | LF Loudspeakers | 3FE22










i dont know how big i need to make the ball joint at the base of the pod. the speaker is realtivly light, and i dont know how strong the plastic would be - how long the arm has to be to hold it, all kinds of stuff lol. i might see if there are some hardware parts that can be purchased already-made that would work for a mounting thing - and the pod would just have a ball on the side of it. it would make things a LOT easier hehe.


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## req (Aug 4, 2007)

i shortened the base for this one, and added a clamp-style thing. i think im going to have two of these printed. the overall diameter is a bit bigger than the fr88 because i used the base of the 3fe22 i built first and just changed the mounting provision. i have two of these speakers at my house, so i figure its a good speaker to start with.

Fountek FR88EX 3" Neodymium Full Range Driver | 296-719


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## req (Aug 4, 2007)

i just placed an order for the fountek pods. should be here may 15th.

this is totally sweet lol.


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## Infinity (Jun 28, 2005)

You have my interest piqued


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## ECLIPSEsqfan (Sep 2, 2007)

Unless the base with the ball joint threads in to the main body, getting those rings screwed in to the mount point may be a real problem.

Also, if they use ABS for the material choice, it is fairly heat resistant and would work fine in an automotive environment and as long as the neck before it flutes into the ball joint isn't too thin, you should be fine.

Nice work.


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## req (Aug 4, 2007)

like i said, i still have to tweak the design. the thing at the base will shift down a lot in order to fit a screw, plus its at an angle so i think they will fit.

again, its a 2 second modification to make the ball joint's shaft longer.



what do you mean screw the ring into the mount point?


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## ECLIPSEsqfan (Sep 2, 2007)

Also, they do have metal hardware captive ball joints that you can purchase so that you only have to know the interior thread size to cut into your model. Though that option is limited to what is offered on the market and may not suit the goal for your current design iteration.

Not nitpicking, just trying to lend a hand. Again, nice job man.


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## ECLIPSEsqfan (Sep 2, 2007)

Sorry, I forgot to address your question about the rings.

It seems there is a captive ring on the shaft behind the ball joint. (I know it sounds dirty but whatever.) As it appears in the picture, with such little clearance, you would have a rough time getting a driver in there to secure it to the lower ring/mount.

However, I also realize that this is easily mitigated by going with a hex head machine screw and using an angled allen key to secure it. So, problem solved.


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## req (Aug 4, 2007)

Yeah I was hoping to use a chamfered Allen head screw


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## quietfly (Mar 23, 2011)

it might be more efficient to use an existing ball capture system that can fit into your pod design, also allowing more flexibility. McMaster-Carr is every DIYguys friend...


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## diy.phil (May 23, 2011)

can't run a wire inside/thru the McMaster one


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## rton20s (Feb 14, 2011)

diy.phil said:


> can't run a wire inside/thru the McMaster one


Says who?


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## quietfly (Mar 23, 2011)

rton20s said:


> Says who?


yup,love me some drill pressery....


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## Patrick Bateman (Sep 11, 2006)

bikinpunk said:


> I haven't seen the thread you're referencing but odds are that paper was in regards to baffle step, which is something that's of no concern in a pillar mounted mid because the 'baffle' is so small. In that case, the baffle is the speaker itself.


No way. It ALL matters. Right down to the dust cap.

The only time it doesn't matter is if the frequencies are larger than the baffle. For instance, if you have a 3" speaker and a 4" baffle, anything below 3250hz will largely be unaffected by diffraction.

When I see people put midranges and tweeters in PVC end caps I cringe, it's a diffraction nightmare. Having said that, I put my own midranges in PVC end caps because they're strong. But I'm only playing them in one octave, 250hz to 500hz.


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## sirbOOm (Jan 24, 2013)

I'm happy to have you do my car first for a free test run.


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## req (Aug 4, 2007)

Patrick Bateman said:


> No way. It ALL matters. Right down to the dust cap.
> 
> The only time it doesn't matter is if the frequencies are larger than the baffle. For instance, if you have a 3" speaker and a 4" baffle, anything below 3250hz will largely be unaffected by diffraction.
> 
> When I see people put midranges and tweeters in PVC end caps I cringe, it's a diffraction nightmare. Having said that, I put my own midranges in PVC end caps because they're strong. But I'm only playing them in one octave, 250hz to 500hz.


do you have any recommendations on design to combat any of these problems?

or did i do it somewhat well?


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## Notloudenuf (Sep 14, 2008)

Andy, I'm not sure if you have a lead on a 3D Printer yet but I saw that Monoprice will be making one available.
3D Printer and Accessories - Monoprice.com

Preorder price is $1200. Best of luck to you.


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## req (Aug 4, 2007)

thanks for the link sir!

after getting some quotes back for these types of pods from outsourcing firms, it looks like its going to be way out of the price bracket i was hoping to shoot for - basically undercutting the cost of a shop to do the custom work, but being better than PVC caps and some misc hardware.

i was origionally having a problem that when i exported the file to the type the firm wanted for printing, it would scale the workpiece down 100% and use centimeters instead of milimeters. after finding the option to set the default size for the file type, i finally got my quotes for 3D printing the pods. 

it looks like custom speaker grills will be possible - but i am not certain how much it would cost, i need to design some and see if its worth it.

i did design a 7" LCD holder that drops right into my VW radio housing for my carPC and had that ordered. i gotta get it here in about a week. i know it would be a small market for a specific LCD+bezel only for mk4 golf\jetta with a carpc lol... BUT - i think i should be able to tweak this specific design to hold an ipad mini - but i dont have one to use as a measurement tool, so yeah.

if i got my own 3d printer, id have to see what kind of costs for materials, electricity, and man hours it would be... what a bummer


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## Infinity (Jun 28, 2005)

What if you did a standard DDin housing, and let people use an install kit?


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## req (Aug 4, 2007)

thats what i am thinking - but i need an ipad or similar tablet to use as a basis of measurement. i have a nexus7 that i can try and see if it will fit in a standard opening, but i dont own any apple products lol


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## rton20s (Feb 14, 2011)

You might be able to find a physically accurate "dummy" display model for just a few bucks.


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## Notloudenuf (Sep 14, 2008)

req said:


> thats what i am thinking - but i need an ipad or similar tablet to use as a basis of measurement. i have a nexus7 that i can try and see if it will fit in a standard opening, but i dont own any apple products lol


Couldn't you use the published specs to do your design work?

https://www.apple.com/ipad-mini/specs/


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## rton20s (Feb 14, 2011)

Notloudenuf said:


> Couldn't you use the published specs to do your design work?
> 
> https://www.apple.com/ipad-mini/specs/


Published specs are not enough to match all of the intricate details and contours. At least, I wouldn't think so.


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## req (Aug 4, 2007)

Notloudenuf said:


> Couldn't you use the published specs to do your design work?
> 
> https://www.apple.com/ipad-mini/specs/


i wish. the problem is that when i tried that for the LCD monitor i just got in, the specs were off because they had added a touch panel to the front throwing everything off and making me start over from scratch. i would hope a big company like apple would have their published specifications to be very accurate.

i just dont know if i trust things like that without measuring with my own eyes to be doubly sure - because i dont know how much it would cost me if it was wrong.

but at least its a starting point to see if it is even a viable concept.

thanks rob


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## quietfly (Mar 23, 2011)

rton20s said:


> You might be able to find a physically accurate "dummy" display model for just a few bucks.


or put an add on craigs list, looking for broken ipad mini. or looking for non functional ipad mini mock display. 
maybe the sprint or verizon store would let you borrow one for an afternoon...


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## Jsnichols2 (Jul 17, 2019)

req said:


> hey there everybody.
> 
> its been a thought in my mind to design and sell 3D printed tweeter and midrange housings for attaching to A pillars and such.
> 
> ...


Zombie thread resurrection...

Hi! I have been searching high and low for inexpensive 2"-4" mid/full range pods. Did this end up being a "thing" for you? If so, could I send you some speaker links for a quote? Thanks!

Jeremy


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## B77PEREZ (Jan 28, 2019)

Hello I am interested in tweeter pods are you doing making them ?

Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk


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