Plastic Sorcery: A 3D-Printed Calculator
Mechanical calculators are intricate, captivating devices that seem unlikely candidates for 3D printing, yet a YouTuber has demonstrated that a compact version can be entirely constructed from plastic filament. The YouTuber 3D all Workshop showcased his functional, albeit limited, creation in a recent video.
The Curta Link
If you’re acquainted with the coveted palm-sized mechanical calculators, the Curta, often referred to as the “pepper mill,” you already grasp the operation of this 3D-printed calculator. As revealed in the video, Workshop’s 3D-printed mechanical calculator, akin to the Curta, employs an over 200-year-old mechanism called the Leibniz stepped drum, named after its inventor, German philosopher and mathematician Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz.
The Mechanics Behind It
The fundamental principle of the calculator’s central mechanism, similar to many mechanical calculators, is the varying lengths of the teeth on the Leibniz drum. Each drum has nine teeth, representing values from one to nine, while a zero setting does not engage any. Workshop’s 3D printed calculator can accept inputs ranging from 1 to 999, featuring one drum per digit. You operate a lever to shift a gear up the drum, activating only the necessary teeth for a specific number.
Drawbacks of the Compact Design
The identical concept is utilized to enter values in the Curta, albeit with far greater precision—one of the significant advantages of employing machined aluminum instead of 3D printing filament. Because of the desire to keep the 3D printed calculator compact, the YouTuber had to limit its functionality. It can perform addition, and with the addition of a multi-wheel, it can also execute multiplication by simply conducting multiple instances of adding the same number. The Curta accomplishes multiplication in a similar fashion, necessitating user input of the base number and the desired multiplication count by addition.
Obstacles and Tailored Solutions
In contrast to the Curta, Workshop’s calculator is unable to perform subtraction or division—its creator notes that there simply wasn’t enough space to include all those intricate components in a palm-sized gadget. It’s uncertain how large it would need to be to incorporate those functions, but if the 3x-sized 3D printed Curta is any reference—its creator mentioned that the larger size was essential—it would likely be quite substantial. Downsizing to Workshop’s small 3D printed calculator means numerous challenges were bound to emerge, and they certainly did. “There were many issues,” he remarked, sharing that “even the slightest inconsistencies during printing can lead to complications.”
The Final Outcome
If you have experience with a 3D filament printer, you’re aware of how frequently such inconsistencies can occur. Gears frequently jammed due to tight 3D-printing tolerances, while backlash (the play between interlocking mechanical parts) could misalign the drums. Components continually fractured during redesigns, and even the vibrations from handling the calculator were sufficient to disrupt its parts. The YouTuber went through approximately 100 design iterations over the course of the two-month project, ultimately resolving issues with custom-designed 3D-printed springs and a ratchet mechanism that prevented backlash from misaligning the drums.
The Anticipation for DIY Fans
All in all, the final assembly consisted of 109 distinct parts, required 17 hours of printing time, and utilized 90g of filament. Despite numerous requests on YouTube for 3D all Workshop to release or even sell his design, he has not yet made it available, meaning no enduring printing endeavors for a fleeting chance to use this one. In the meantime, consider 3D printing the massive Curta, or if you have a few thousand dollars lying around wanting to be spent, try to secure an original.
Summary: The Remarkable Plastic Craft
Hey, thinking about building this wild pocket-sized calculator yourself soon? Think twice! Keep dreaming or start saving for the genuine article!
