3D Printed Hinge with Electrical Leads

grabcad

3D printing a traditional hinge is relatively straightforward, so for this entry I wanted to take advantage of conductive polymers and include electrical leads as an added challenge. I considered adding a conductive layer to the mating surfaces, but the connection might be intermittent and the contacts would be subject to wear, dirt, and grease. I chose to coil the 3D printed "wires" (red and green) around the hinge pin and use the coil as a strain relief and service loop. The wire path could be used for fluids if left hollow. Note: Since flexible, conductive polymers compatible with current 3D printers is still in early development, another way to make this assembly is to leave the wire paths hollow and to inject conductive paste afterwards.