Advanced Vase-Mode Hollow Cylinders (model rocketry related)

Inspired by Nerys (Today's 3D Print on youtube), I created some hollow cylinders with spiral reinforcement ribs. 

In the initial release I have included two outer diameter tube sizes corresponding to BT-50 and BT-55 rocket tube sizes. The data files are provided “as is”. There is no guarantee or warranty concerning the safety or sufficiency of these models for use in model rocketry or any other use. Consider these files experimental and use them with extreme care and caution.

I have included ~457mm long models, as these can NOT be scaled vertically due to the complex internal structure. Simply move the object partially “below the bed” if you want a shorter tube. These models are specific to particular nozzle diameters, so please consult the appropriate folder for 0.4 and 0.6mm nozzles. 

Getting the settings right in PrusaSlicer is critical to success:

• Enable Spiralize Outer Contour (aka vase-mode)
• I used a layer height of 0.24mm for a 0.6mm nozzle printer
• Set Bottom Solid Layers to Zero
• Brim of ~5mm
• External Perimeter Extrusion Width to 0.42 or 0.62mm (depending on nozzle size)
• Slice gap closing radius to 0.001mm
• After slicing make sure there are no missing “layers” in the preview pane, and make sure that there are no travel movements in the main section of the print
   

I have also included STEP and STL files. I recommend you use the STEP files in PrusaSlicer as they are “higher resolution” (more like lossless). These models are fully parametric, so you can specify the following parameters and generate your own custom sizes:

# all dimensions in mm
out_r = 1.325 * IN / 2  # BT-55 outer radius
ov_ht = IN * 18  # overall height
wall_th = 3  # main wall thickness
noz = 0.6  # nozzle diameter
cts = 8  # number of helical cuts

I designed this in build123d which is a new CodeCAD package available here:

https://github.com/gumyr/build123d

The python source code for these models are included in the file section. The easiest way to customize this model is with a static build from my fork of CQ-editor which includes build123d – available here:

https://github.com/jdegenstein/jmwright-CQ-Editor/releases/

Build123d is under active development, so for the sake of preservation this model was built with build123d release 0.5 from March 2024.

REVISION HISTORY:

240404: Updated to work on the latest version of build123d and static CQ-editor releases
230225: Initial Release