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New Klixon switch covers


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51 minutes ago, gsxrpilot said:

Does the switch have to be removed from the panel to instal the replacement covers?  I just got two of the covers from Shapeways. The cover on my Elec Trim switch is cracked and falls off pretty easy. I pulled it off, but wasn't able to get the Shapeways cover to install.  I might need to try again, but any suggestions or experiences would be appreciated.

It takes a little finagling but it'll snap on without removing the switch. You need to rock the cover on a bit by rocking the actual switch mechanism to about the middle position. It's kind of hard to explain but I snapped on all of mine like that.

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Side note...

typical inks used to decorate plastics are a UV curable ink. This would work well for putting color into the grooves of shaped lettering.  Or using a rubber stamp to deliver the graphic, the UC cure.

One advantage is you get it right first, clean up any mistakes or excess, then cure the good ones...

The inks adhesion is partly based on like chemistries.  The acrylic ink does pretty well with PP, PS and PE, but would really like ABS...

I have worked with a lot of drink cups with fancy 8 color graphics all over them...

http://www.sunchemical.com/product/suncure-for-uv-flexo/

Best regards,

-a-

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I was talking to one of the students that lives near me the other day and he mentioned that they have injection moulding equipment at the UNI and he makes all sort of things as a consequence.  So brain went "oooh idea."  I have given him one of my switch covers to see what he can produce.  I'll revert once he has played with it to see what can be produced.  
Andrew


Well, if you pull this off, you'll become our newest best friend from across the pond!


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28 minutes ago, Hyett6420 said:

I was talking to one of the students that lives near me the other day and he mentioned that they have injection moulding equipment at the UNI and he makes all sort of things as a consequence.  So brain went "oooh idea."  I have given him one of my switch covers to see what he can produce.  I'll revert once he has played with it to see what can be produced.  

Andrew

i love when brain goes "oooh idea!"

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Update: I still have not received the sample switch covers from my contact I made at Oshkosh so I might have to place him in the "Millenial flake" box. However, it seems like this discussion has spurred some ideas and volunteers amongst us. And there's also the fellow Mooneyspacer who printed me some switch covers. I'm still waiting to hear back from him on whether he's ready or willing to start taking orders. He might still be tweaking the design. 

And lastly there's the Shapeways + Higher Graphics option that looks quite nice.

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Update: I still have not received the sample switch covers from my contact I made at Oshkosh so I might have to place him in the "Millenial flake" box. However, it seems like this discussion has spurred some ideas and volunteers amongst us. And there's also the fellow Mooneyspacer who printed me some switch covers. I'm still waiting to hear back from him on whether he's ready or willing to start taking orders. He might still be tweaking the design. 
And lastly there's the Shapeways + Higher Graphics option that looks quite nice.


Steve -- appreciate all of the work you are doing on this. I have the latest Shapeway covers and they are a sloppy fit. I have one on my beacon switch temporarily and it wobbles like a drunken sailor.

I am no CAD engineer, but I got to believe either we are dealing with slight differences in our Klixon switches or the people printing these still haven't dialed in the right numbers.


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6 hours ago, Marauder said:

 


Steve -- appreciate all of the work you are doing on this. I have the latest Shapeway covers and they are a sloppy fit. I have one on my beacon switch temporarily and it wobbles like a drunken sailor.

I am no CAD engineer, but I got to believe either we are dealing with slight differences in our Klixon switches or the people printing these still haven't dialed in the right numbers.


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Chris, I had the same issue with mine. I used a tiny bit of scotch tape on the clips underneath to tighten up the fit. They fit fine now. You may want to try that. If you need further detail I'm sure I can send you an instructional video. :P

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Chris, I had the same issue with mine. I used a tiny bit of scotch tape on the clips underneath to tighten up the fit. They fit fine now. You may want to try that. If you need further detail I'm sure I can send you an instructional video. 


I'm still waiting for that instructional video on your tail strobe!


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I just emailed the guy that I still have yet to receive the switch covers that should have been here last week. Not sure what's going on with this guy but supposedly this was his second attempt at shipping me a package.


Wonder if the same people who are shipping these are the same ones who worked on your mags?!


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I don't want to steal Steve's thunder, but I built a 3d model so Steve could share with his Oshkosh contact.  I was trying to help save the design fee.

In the meantime, and set up a 3d printer...one of my first prints was my 3d design for these switch covers.  This print is in PLA, I have yet to print in ABS which I think will give a better quality, but please let me know what you think.  Also ABS can be chemicaly smoothed with Acetone so that will improve the surface finish.  I may also experiment with some printed text inserts so the text can be "built-in" in effect molded in a different color.

Dave C

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I don't want to steal Steve's thunder, but I built a 3d model so Steve could share with his Oshkosh contact.  I was trying to help save the design fee.
In the meantime, and set up a 3d printer...one of my first prints was my 3d design for these switch covers.  This print is in PLA, I have yet to print in ABS which I think will give a better quality, but please let me know what you think.  Also ABS can be chemicaly smoothed with Acetone so that will improve the surface finish.  I may also experiment with some printed text inserts so the text can be "built-in" in effect molded in a different color.
Dave C
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Dave - appreciate your efforts on this. The Shapeway version has an issue and you can see the differences when you look at them side by side. If you think you can produce them, I'm game.


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With the printed piece, you have some design options that the molded piece cannot have.

Think outside the box, try not to directly copy what the other piece is.

1) the front surfaces is the familiar man/machine interface.  

2) The backside is specifically the interface between the cover and the mechanical switch itself.

3) The final material and it's rigidity will make a difference to how well it clips in place.  This is where the multiple tries will really help.  Part of the clip strength is to hold the cover in place, but the accuracy of the dimensions is to make sure it is firm without slop.

4) I'm unsure of the PLA properties, but ABS is usually quite rigid, solid, and not brittle.  Designing with one material and then switching to the other may be an extra challenge because of the material properties...

5) it's really cool that you are sharing your experience!

Best regards,

-a-

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8 hours ago, dcastor said:

 

I don't want to steal Steve's thunder, but I built a 3d model so Steve could share with his Oshkosh contact.  I was trying to help save the design fee.

In the meantime, and set up a 3d printer...one of my first prints was my 3d design for these switch covers.  This print is in PLA, I have yet to print in ABS which I think will give a better quality, but please let me know what you think.  Also ABS can be chemicaly smoothed with Acetone so that will improve the surface finish.  I may also experiment with some printed text inserts so the text can be "built-in" in effect molded in a different color.

Dave C

 

 

There's no thunder to steal Dave. I'm quickly losing faith in my contact from Oshkosh. I feel like I have failed all of you (tears streaming down my face, voice crackling like Jimmy Swaggert). I welcome anyone with the know how and/or the equipment to please give this a go.

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There's no thunder to steal Dave. I'm quickly losing faith in my contact from Oshkosh. I feel like I have failed all of you (tears streaming down my face, voice crackling like Jimmy Swaggert). I welcome anyone with the know how and/or the equipment to please give this a go.


At least you haven't been caught cheating on us like some of those guys who ended up a Beech in their hangar.


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20 hours ago, carusoam said:

4) I'm unsure of the PLA properties, but ABS is usually quite rigid, solid, and not brittle.  Designing with one material and then switching to the other may be an extra challenge because of the material properties...

PLA is more brittle than ABS and has a lower melting temperature, but still in the neighborhood of 170 C.  It can warp badly in a hot airplane.  My first ADS-B box distorted a lot just sitting on my glare shield in the sun.

Edited by Ah-1 Cobra Pilot
Bad formatting
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  • 3 weeks later...

Hi everyone, my Oshkosh contact finally sent me a couple sample switch covers. They seem to be easier to fit onto the rocker switch body itself but the surface texture looks the same as the other samples I got from a fellow MSer.  Here are some close up photos of the samples. If you ultimately want to order some I'll put you in contact with the guy. Like I said before, I have no interest in making a profit, being a middle man or accepting liability for customer satisfaction. As you can see there's a split in the plastic on the white one when the cover was mounted to the switch body.

Steve

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Edited by NotarPilot
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Hi everyone, my Oshkosh contact finally sent me a couple sample switch covers. They seem to be easier to fit onto the rocker switch body itself but the surface texture looks the same as the other samples I got from a fellow MSer.  Here are some close up photos of the samples. If you ultimately want to order some I'll put you in contact with the guy. Like I said before, I have no interest in making a profit, being a middle man or accepting liability for customer satisfaction. As you can see there's a split in the plastic on the white one when the cover was mounted to the switch body.
Steve
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When you say "split" do you mean it cracked or it has a seam on it? How is the fit? The big problem with the other ones were they wobbled on the switch.

If they don't wobble, either PM or post his contact info.


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43 minutes ago, Marauder said:

 


When you say "split" do you mean it cracked or it has a seam on it? How is the fit? The big problem with the other ones were they wobbled on the switch.

If they don't wobble, either PM or post his contact info.


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Chris, it split along the printing direction longitudinally. It doesn't appear to be a crack. Perhaps it can be fixed with glue. The black one seems fine and didn't experience the split and it was likely caused by forcing it onto the switch body. The fit is very tight. No wobble whatsoever. In fact, I'll have to check and see if there's an issue snapping it on to a switch that's already mounted in the panel.

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Chris, it split along the printing direction longitudinally. It doesn't appear to be a crack. Perhaps it can be fixed with glue. The black one seems fine and didn't experience the split and it was likely caused by forcing it onto the switch body. The fit is very tight. No wobble whatsoever. In fact, I'll have to check and see if there's an issue snapping it on to a switch that's already mounted in the panel.


Let me know. The ones from the other printer could go on a switch that was installed.


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