Textile Pavilion
High stress connectors
In this project, we are tasked to assist a researcher in fabricating a number of high stress connectors that needed to withstand multi-directional forces. The connectors thus were printed in PETG instead of the conventional PLA for its strength.
Each of these joints were first mounted to the main frame of the pavilion and several high stressed glass fiber rods were inserted. Since the 3D printed joints were printed in layers, the use of conventional PLA filament will cause the joint to crack and split from the horizontal layer lines due to its weak bond structure. We have tested some PLA joints before the mounting of the intended PETG ones. and the result was significant; those that were printed in PLA cracked within minutes while the PETG ones are working perfectly despite both printed on the same 3D printer.
Photo credits to Dr. Tan Ying Yi