Flexibility Testing Gauge

thingiverse

Experience a failed print early on? You had to remove what was already printed, perhaps 1 to 3 layers thick. It was surprisingly flexible, even when made of PLA. This led me to consider designing objects with parts that possess a certain degree of flexibility. To achieve this, I created the Flexibility Test Gauge, which prints tines at .2mm thickness increments. Print it using your desired plastic, along with the same shells and infill as your design for accurate results. My Makerbot Replicator 2 took over an hour to print at medium resolution, with shells:2 and infill: 25%. I used True Orange PLA filament. The thickness values are embossed on the tines, but lacking decimals; these were added manually using a Sharpy pen. Silver metallic Sharpy highlights the raised lettering for enhanced appearance. Enjoy experimenting with new flexible designs!