3D printer electronics projects

7 of the Coolest 3D Printed Arduino Projects

You can make some really cool things with an Arduino. And you can make some really cool things with a 3D printer. What do you get when you use them both? Some extremely cool things!

Here are seven projects that you can 3D print and power with an Arduino (and, as a bonus, a 3D printer that you can make with an Arduino).

With 3D printing, you can take your robot builds to the next level. Take, for example, this quadruped robot that looks like something from a sci-fi movie.

It’s built from 38 3D printed parts and is controlled using an old PlayStation controller. Each leg is equipped with three servos, giving it three degrees of movement: forward and back, up and down, and a bend at the joint. What this all means is that this four-legged robot can move in any direction.

With most of the hard coding work done for you, it’s just a matter of assembling the robot and uploading the correct files. But of course, this is easier said than done—luckily, the project guide (linked above) has everything that you need to build this awesome creation.

3D printing Arduino projects have pushed electronic hobby makers to make even more amazing designs and this cyborg prosthetic hand is one of them.

The 3D-printed arm has quite a nice design. On the outside, it looks like prosthetic arms that we’ve seen in real life, while on the inside its hollow body allows room for electronics. The Arduino Uno powers this creation and following the assembly of the 3D printed parts, you just need to upload the code from the project page.

Other parts you will need to include are some servos, wires, and nylon string. The latter is used in this case to move the fingers. It’s these kinds of projects that might just make a difference in the world!

Inspired by the human body, this creator set out to design the ultimate 3D printed muscle and bones set. When slotted together, these artificial muscles and supporting bone structures can move with incredible flexibility. Because it's designed to be modular too, you can create whatever robot you can imagine out of these parts!

Each 3D printed muscle is shaped like the omega symbol and can easily slot together with identical shapes, supported by 3D printed bone structures. Running through all these shapes are thin plastic tubes, essentially creating a pneumatic system that can be controlled with a microcontroller.

Included in the project guide is a tutorial for an air pressure controller. Use this alongside your Arduino to build a robot with up to 90 degrees of rotation. With a little creativity, it's a project that has a lot of possibilities!

Two of the most popular things in the geek world right now are 3D printing and drones. Why not combine the two to make a 3D-printed quadcopter drone?

By using an Arduino Nano, several affordable PCPs, a NRF24 for radio transmission, alongside motors, propellers, and a number of other parts, you can build your own little quadcopter. You might have some of the parts you need hanging around if you have an Arduino starter kit, but the rest can be bought online with ease.

You'll need to do a lot of wiring to get everything attached to the frame, but creator Yue Beifong will walk you through it with pretty clear explanations of what you need to do. The project includes the 3D printer files, so you'll just need a printer to get everything to work.

For this project, you'll need more parts than the previous two, including a bunch of LEDs, capacitors, an oscillator, transistors, and an AC mains switch and connector.

The result, however, is one of the coolest lamps that we have seen.

Once you've collected the various parts, you'll need to use some basic electronics skills to wire up the 3D printed double-helix to a rotating motor, like one from a microwave. The full guide (linked above) takes you through each step in detail. When you're done, you’ll have a rotating strand of glowing DNA!

A word of caution: because this one involves mains power, be extra careful when you're working on it!

Pip-Boy from Fallout 4 has been a popular DIY build ever since fans got a first look at it!

It requires quite a few unique parts, including a gyroscope, power pack, a capacitive display with driver board, flashlight, pressure sensor, methane sensor, and a multi-part 3D printed case.

You'll need to make a custom I/O board to get this project working, but in the detailed guide (linked above), the steps for making it are very clear. If you are after a later version of the Pip-Boy, you can also have a look at this YouTube video which covers a beautiful 3D printed design with great painted details.

It's a pretty involved project, but it absolutely can't be beaten as a Halloween costume, cosplay accessory, or conversation piece!

If you're trying to build your own personal makerspace, a CNC mill is a great addition. The project page notes that it's accurate enough to cut and drill circuit boards, so it should be good for any milling project you want to take on. It requires a large number of 3D printed parts, so you may want to consider using a printing service, but it wouldn't be too difficult to print your own.

You'll also need quite a large selection of parts, including a lot of fasteners, some bearings, a relay module, and DC connector, some metal parts for the surface, and an Arduino to run everything. It's quite a project, but then again, having your own CNC mill is quite a handy thing!

Don't Have a 3D Printer? Build One!

If you don't have a 3D printer, there are still a few options for getting the 3D printed parts you'll need for these projects. You could borrow a 3D printer, use one at a local makerspace, or use a 3D printing service. Alternatively, you can even build an Arduino-powered 3D printer for $60!

The EWaste 3D Printer is a micro printer and might not be big enough to print the parts for some of the larger projects above. But it's a really great home project that is affordable and environmentally conscious, as it uses mostly recycled computer parts.

You'll need a couple of old CD or DVD drives, a floppy disk drive, a small stepper motor, a power supply, an extruder, and a few extras, but overall it’s a surprisingly simple project.

You'll need to do quite a bit of calibrating and basic electronics work, but the end product is fantastically functional for what it's made out of.

Build Your Next Arduino Project with 3D Printing

Combining 3D printing and Arduino is a no-brainer, and the projects above should give you a good idea of the limitless potential that it provides. Whether you have your own 3D printer, you use someone else's, or you use a 3D printing service, you can build your own project from start to finish.

3D Printing Projects - Instructables

3D Printed Trash Can Pencil Holder by Xwon gaming in 3D Printing

1 88

Standing Desk Monitor Wheel by Handy_Bear in 3D Printing

199

Marblevator, "The Ferris Wheel at the Pumpkin Patch" by gzumwalt in 3D Printing

2 8 760

WINTURER: a Portable NP-F Battery Charger Wind Turbine by adriancubas in 3D Printing

21 6. 6K

Screwdriver Wallmount Custom 3D Printed by F1nnsp1n in 3D Printing

1 166

Copic Marker Pen Classic "Pen Holder Organizer" by SundaeCreations in 3D Printing

200

Window Repairs Using Fusion 360 Saved Me Over $300 by DanPro in Repair

2 265

Crayon Pen by jorik.dammann in 3D Printing

8 341

3d-Printed Generator by 1970sWizard in 3D Printing

17 1. 2K

3D Printed Wigglegram Lens (Sony E-mount / APSC) by scealux in 3D Printing

26 3.0K

Craft Room Rotating Crayon Holder by mammothcreations in Art

Runner Up 11 433

Metal Notebook Cover With 3D Printed Hinge by Constance N Variables in 3D Printing

1 248

Antique Phonograph Spring Motor Restoration Using 3D Printed Parts by RobertD171 in 3D Printing

2 437

Magnetic Toolholder by Max Siebenschläfer in 3D Printing

5 370

Learn How to Make a 3D Printed RC Tank From Scratch!!! by aaditya03 in 3D Printing

Second Prize 12 651

Cement Mixer Machine Tinkercad 3d Design by Creativity Buzz in 3D Printing

6 258

Animated, 3D Printed, Clothespin Characters by EdgertonCenter in 3D Printing

First Prize 7 543

3D Printed Star Wars Door Handle by JPGrox in 3D Printing

3 155

Infinity Stone Watch by alan0001 in Costumes & Cosplay

1 238

Star Wars Deathstar Signage by Fay3dlab in 3D Printing

4 137

3D Printed Tardis With Sound and Fading Lights by Calebs in 3D Printing

9 236

3d Model Animal Cell for the Classroom by lamichhanebis in Science

187

Part 1: Design Your Own Quadruped Robot by PJ2000 in 3D Printing

13 438

Tens'EGG'rity - Halloween - 3D Printed by seabirdhh in Decorating

47 7. 9K

Automatic Power Off Your 3D Printer With Octoprint by dawidma in 3D Printing

7 317

3d Printed 'cork' Bottle Stopper by mrsmerwin in 3D Printing

Runner Up 2 185

Faux Barbed Wire Choker and Bracelet - Flexible 3D Print by Penolopy Bulnick in 3D Printing

1 58 4.7K

INNER WALL SPEED Effects on OUTSIDE PRINT QUALITY (Close-Up COMPARISON) by diyperspective in 3D Printing

5 445

How to Design the Best Wind Farm Blade in Tinkercad - a STEM Challenge & Lesson Plan for Teachers by MyStemKits in Math

45 7. 1K

Blastoise Humidifier by Fay3dlab in 3D Printing

First Prize 34 1.6K

Easy Build Heat Set Insert Press by Maker-Mike in 3D Printing

21 1.1K

Forged Fabric Parts!!?.. With 3D Printed Compression Molds by JGJMatt in 3D Printing

Runner Up 107 5.1K

3D Printed Good Habits Tracker by Ondřej Beneš in 3D Printing

10 680

Life Sized Talking BMO From Adventure Time (that's Also an Octoprint Server!) by katzcreates in 3D Printing

Grand Prize 115 9. 7K

3D PRINT a STEAM TRAIN 🚂 With Live Camera Streaming and Wifi Controls by DIY Machines in 3D Printing

First Prize 259 39K

Cut 3D Print Times in Half With Negative Volume Printing by MechanicalMashup in 3D Printing

13 1.2K

Are Expensive Nozzles OVERRATED? by diyperspective in 3D Printing

13 15K

Maze Cube by aswd1234567891011 in 3D Printing

2 238

A 3D Printed Slinky Machine by gzumwalt in 3D Printing

2 16 846

3D Printed Mouse - Vaxee Outset AX Inspired - Ajazz I305 Internals by MechaMouse in 3D Printing

Runner Up 8 670

Creating a Hot Air Ballon Using Tinkercad by sarahcath in 3D Design

9 2. 0K

Marblevator, Golf by gzumwalt in 3D Printing

Judges Prize 2 35 2.7K

Furkan`s Cheap MicroAlgae Filter by furkanguzel161 in 3D Printing

Runner Up 7 646

Make an Ostrich Egg Lamp by alatorre in Reuse

Second Prize 40 7.0K

Egg Topper -Tinkercad basics by sigritom in 3D Printing

First Prize 1 36 3. 3K

3d Printed Braille Business Card (Double Sided) by LakerMakersClub in 3D Printing

6 242

Making Life-size Todo 360! (Cad Bane's Droid - Star Wars) by 3Demon-3Dprint in 3D Printing

17 925

How to Clean 3D Printer Nozzle by Burning Off the Plastic by Maker-Mike in 3D Printing

9 529

Blade Runner 2049 Joi Emanator by MatterWiz in Costumes & Cosplay

Runner Up 8 1. 1K

Fume Extractor by Arnov Sharma in 3D Printing

24 1.6K

Replace Power Button on the BIQU Magician 3D Printer by andymenon in 3D Printing

1 302

3D Print-It-Yourself Workshop Vacuum Extension Handle by DwarMeji in 3D Printing

4 194

Teaching With TinkerCAD - 3D Printed Keyrings by Faisal A in 3D Printing

26 1. 2K

Ultimate (On a Budget) Home Vacuum by Icelandian in 3D Printing

Runner Up 48 5.7K

Tim's Hybrid Harmonic Drive by Palingenesis in 3D Printing

13 1.2K

3D Printed Multi-Angle Drill Guide by Kartik_Nanduri in 3D Printing

102 6.9K

Model Paint Shaker by Fay3dlab in 3D Printing

Runner Up 48 3. 4K

Slidee: Non-motorized Automatic Camera Slider by Shivam Dehinwal in 3D Printing

Second Prize 105 6.2K

Jurassic Park Gate Remote Control by Fay3dlab in 3D Printing

Judges Prize 35 4.4K

Creating and Using Shapes in Tinkercad by sarahcath in 3D Printing

6 438

3D printer projects, electronic and mechanical devices that can be printed