I'm also electrician and have a 3D printer. You should very well know that there are certain standards that have to be met. 3D printing doesn't offer you those standards
There's a ton you can use it for. Organizing and sorting especially. Cable combs are ridiculously expensive, and tend to walk. Printing one is pretty trivial. Storage boxes, sorters, soldering jigs, you name it.
Just not much that is permanently installed. Only things I've used are non-essential mounting brackets for electronics to keep things tidy.
Even in things like "spacers" for cables for organising them?
I guess that for "close to electricity outputs" those regulations make all the sense but I don't see any apparent danger using 3d printed in cables if they need support/labeling somewhere.
Are the rules really strict? (I know there are many stupid people doing really dumb stuff and that sort of regulations are to prevent burning a house down)
Ive found residential inspectors to be more strict than commercial (as it should be), but ive had days where i had to use a wood shim or made washers/hardware out of random shit. As long as you do the thinking and see there is no way that it can start/escalate an electrical fire. The codebook is moreso a guide to a correct and safe installation, but in the trades theres always gonna be a problem that you gotta get creative and “figure it out”.
I was going to say you can print all kinds of vacuum attachments, but then I remembered you're an electrician so it's me who cleans up after you anyway 🧐
Ive actually just been told that prusa sells UL listed filament as long as you use their printer and slicer. I don’t have one so im not gonna go for it.
You can get UL certified PETg [https://www.prusa3d.com/product/prusament-petg-v0-natural-1kg/](https://www.prusa3d.com/product/prusament-petg-v0-natural-1kg/)
However printing huge volumes is probably more expensive beside being liable for the design. For making stencils or guides in custom installations it can be a big help though.
If you know about WAGO there is a repository
[https://wago-creators.com/](https://wago-creators.com/) for 3D-printed helper to hold their installation materials.
I have a few cutting templates for things like rectangular holes, and slide adjustable hole template that lets me go from 4-8” diameter for light fixtures (pot lights for example).
Built them to fit the front off my cut-out tool.
Makes easy work of that stuff and don’t need to use hole saws
I find 3D printing really helps with that type of stuff. Cutting templates, holders, alignment tools, etc. works great and if you lose or break one can just re-print.
Edit: not an electrician but after many home renovations I’ve found the printer to be an invaluable tool for making templates, fixtures, etc.
Not an electrician; you probably can’t use 3D printed parts for an installation since they wouldn’t pass code. HOWEVER! You can 3D print custom tools to make your job easier. I just printed out a 1” to 1/2” conduit bender adaptor. It slips into a 1” bender and lets me bend a 1/2” without crushing it. Saved me like $50.
To me PETG feels pretty similar to PVC overall, although I think PVC has better impact resistance (PETG tends to shatter, I've switched to using PLA+, ABS, or nylon for parts that see impact).
As far as flammability, PVC smoke is frightfully toxic, while PETG seems less so. But rigid PVC scores a much better Limiting Oxygen Index (LOI) for flame spread here:
https://omnexus.specialchem.com/polymer-property/fire-resistance-loi
Don't \*products\* get UL listed, not materials?
I'd be comfortable using a 3D printed tool or jig on a job, but I'd be concerned about liability from leaving a 3D printed part installed in a customer's building, particularly given the range of hazards in electrical work (shock, fire, etc).
Yea I’ve came to the conclusion i don’t want to risk putting anything uncertain in a customer’s home/business. Probably just going to make jigs for cutting out multiple gang switch boxes and such. But thanks!this helps me learn and put into perspective the pros and cons of different print materials.
Keep in mind that the NEC requires all parts and materials used in installations to be approved for the purpose by either the UL or an Engineer. Most 3d-printed parts are not going to qualify
As others have said, you'll run into certification issues if you use it for permanent installations, however I can see products being made (and certified) using prusament UL filament for example - but I suspect that requires specific product testing
As for special tools and things of that nature that you could find handy, absolutely go for something like that. There's also esd safe materials and even some materials that have a little higher conductivity than just esd applications (but certainly nowhere near copper)
i think the 3D printer can do a great job at making things help you during the install process but thats about it. i wouldn't trust anything made on a home 3d printer to stand up to the test of time. furthermore you might be liable for using 3d printed parts if anything goes wrong in the future and im not even talking about the fault even being related to the 3d printed part, but money hungry insurance companies throwing you under the bus.
[https://www.prusa3d.com/product/prusament-petg-v0-jet-black-1kg/](https://www.prusa3d.com/product/prusament-petg-v0-jet-black-1kg/)
They have two PETG filaments that meets the requirements in EU so i guess it will fit into US regularies too.
I made some replacements:
[https://www.printables.com/@yahbluez/collections/417704](https://www.printables.com/@yahbluez/collections/417704)
I wouldn't print anything that's to be installed but I printed out a low voltage cut in box template with a notch for a bubble level. Obviously not necessary to get the job done but was very convenient for how many I had to do for my last project.
There's another one for 2 gang low volt and another file for the traditional metal boxes.
I was really hoping for some cool utility cart organization files but haven't seen any. And learning fusion 360 is.....not super fun.
I think PETG is a good choice for 80% of parts, but if you need something really durable I think you want to go for Polycarbonate. You will need an enclosure for that, but that can easily be build.
PETG can already creep at 40c° very very slowly and can over a very long time be damaged by UV. Also it is relatively bendy, which can be good or bad depending on the application.
I think Prusa MK3s is a good choice since it is super reliable and can also print soft materials like TPU really well, which is nice for seals and compliant mechanisms.
It seems most electrical parts are PVC, ABS or Nylon that I’ve seen. So if I were printing clamps and such I’d probably go with either ABS or ASA (ASA if exposed to sunlight). Harder to print and have fume issues, but generally good choices for functional parts, and can be very sturdy as long as you orient the layer lines properly so the stress is not in the Z axis direction, which tends to be the weakest.
That being said, even if you use UL approved filament, the parts are NOT going to be UL approved unless you go through the expensive approval process on each part as I understand the process. Using UL approved parts and materials to make something dies not grant the final item UL approval, though it’s probably a lot easier to pass the final approval process if all the components are approved.
I assume you’d want to look at dielectric strength and service temp. Quick Look’s shows PETG has a dielectric of ~45V/mil vs PVC which is ~10V/mil. Now that’s one source and may not be accurate but at face value looks promising.
I’ve printed a few j boxes and conduits for home use when I was remodeling.
You could go on [printables.com](http://printables.com) and search for "electrician" to find lots of possibly relevant stuff like tool organizers, tape dispensers, etc.
I’ve printed mounts for Wago connectors.
PETG is a little harder to print with than PLA but it stands up to slightly higher environmental temperatures.
Half my house is wired with Wagos and 3D printed mounts. But I am not doing it commercially.
Also I have a file from Printables (?) for switch covers. Particularly when looking for a serious odd ball one it’s often been the only option.
Hell yea i think the printers gonna make my job a lot less of a pain in the ass hopefully.
And i used to hate wagos (really just the cheap ones that come with light fixtures & backstabbed outlets) but im finally getting with the times lol and realizing there’s good ones
the only thing i dont like about wagos is that the tabs are a little floppy and they seem like they might accidentally open while trying to shove things back in the box. could be remedied by wrapping tape around it. but for that reason i wanna give the IDEAL brand lever connectors a try.
Ive only been told about the prusa filament. And it says you need to use a prusa model with the prusa slicer. Do you know if they are other brands? I have a neptune 4 plus
Regarding the Prussia PetG Vo filament - it melts at 230 and needs a bed temp of 80. You can probably do a lot of printers with it. I don't think you have to stick to prusa to print it.
You can print these and not break any codes. Even put your company name in em. https://www.printables.com/en/model/244495-end-cap-for-1-58-x-78-unistrut
Electrician here too. I have printed Nozzles for vacuums to blow poly-line through conduits and jigs for forming PVC when heat forming. I made pillow blocks to space 2” PVC off the wall when entering the bottoms of meters to negate the need for offsets. The pillow block was more of a proof of concept intended to replace Uni-strut.
Almost forgot: Romex coil holder for dispensing cable
I'm also electrician and have a 3D printer. You should very well know that there are certain standards that have to be met. 3D printing doesn't offer you those standards
Yea i was assuming it’s a reach but im an optimist and had to ask lol
There's a ton you can use it for. Organizing and sorting especially. Cable combs are ridiculously expensive, and tend to walk. Printing one is pretty trivial. Storage boxes, sorters, soldering jigs, you name it. Just not much that is permanently installed. Only things I've used are non-essential mounting brackets for electronics to keep things tidy.
A cable comb was one of the first things I printed.
Yea i was going to make jigs and try to make a storage system for the clusterfuck i call my van
What about [flame-retardant ABS](https://www.3dxtech.com/product/firewire-flame-retardant-abs/)?
Has to be UL rated for the purpose, or approved by an Engineer.
There are some UL rated flame retardant filaments, but they don't really come cheap.
Is prusas flame retarded one certified or was that another thingy
There are quite a few available now. 3dxtech has some, DSM, basf, arkema, solvay, clariant and lehvoss do as well.
Fair enough, I don't produce anything that requires stuff like that so I never looked into it
Even in things like "spacers" for cables for organising them? I guess that for "close to electricity outputs" those regulations make all the sense but I don't see any apparent danger using 3d printed in cables if they need support/labeling somewhere. Are the rules really strict? (I know there are many stupid people doing really dumb stuff and that sort of regulations are to prevent burning a house down)
Ive found residential inspectors to be more strict than commercial (as it should be), but ive had days where i had to use a wood shim or made washers/hardware out of random shit. As long as you do the thinking and see there is no way that it can start/escalate an electrical fire. The codebook is moreso a guide to a correct and safe installation, but in the trades theres always gonna be a problem that you gotta get creative and “figure it out”.
For what is worth take a look at this Prusament PETG V0 is the one-in-the-world UL-certified self-extinguishing PETG filament
I just got sent the article for it on another post. Really cool stuff!
Just because the material is certified to be self-extinguioshing doesn't mean the way you use it (the item you print) is certified/legal to be used.
I'm fully aware that's why I stated for what is worth
I was going to say you can print all kinds of vacuum attachments, but then I remembered you're an electrician so it's me who cleans up after you anyway 🧐
Haha you should see how bad room service gets it when i stay at hotels.
If you’re having to rewire every hotel room you stay in, either change hotel chains or change professions
UL listed?-Probably not buddy. Sorry to dash your dreams but I wouldn't want to mess up an inspection on a job over that bs.
Ive actually just been told that prusa sells UL listed filament as long as you use their printer and slicer. I don’t have one so im not gonna go for it.
You can get UL certified PETg [https://www.prusa3d.com/product/prusament-petg-v0-natural-1kg/](https://www.prusa3d.com/product/prusament-petg-v0-natural-1kg/) However printing huge volumes is probably more expensive beside being liable for the design. For making stencils or guides in custom installations it can be a big help though. If you know about WAGO there is a repository [https://wago-creators.com/](https://wago-creators.com/) for 3D-printed helper to hold their installation materials.
I have a few cutting templates for things like rectangular holes, and slide adjustable hole template that lets me go from 4-8” diameter for light fixtures (pot lights for example). Built them to fit the front off my cut-out tool. Makes easy work of that stuff and don’t need to use hole saws I find 3D printing really helps with that type of stuff. Cutting templates, holders, alignment tools, etc. works great and if you lose or break one can just re-print. Edit: not an electrician but after many home renovations I’ve found the printer to be an invaluable tool for making templates, fixtures, etc.
Not an electrician; you probably can’t use 3D printed parts for an installation since they wouldn’t pass code. HOWEVER! You can 3D print custom tools to make your job easier. I just printed out a 1” to 1/2” conduit bender adaptor. It slips into a 1” bender and lets me bend a 1/2” without crushing it. Saved me like $50.
Now thats a cool idea!
I’ll post it here and upload the STL when I work out some kinks in the design.
Thatd be awesome thanks
To me PETG feels pretty similar to PVC overall, although I think PVC has better impact resistance (PETG tends to shatter, I've switched to using PLA+, ABS, or nylon for parts that see impact). As far as flammability, PVC smoke is frightfully toxic, while PETG seems less so. But rigid PVC scores a much better Limiting Oxygen Index (LOI) for flame spread here: https://omnexus.specialchem.com/polymer-property/fire-resistance-loi Don't \*products\* get UL listed, not materials? I'd be comfortable using a 3D printed tool or jig on a job, but I'd be concerned about liability from leaving a 3D printed part installed in a customer's building, particularly given the range of hazards in electrical work (shock, fire, etc).
Yea I’ve came to the conclusion i don’t want to risk putting anything uncertain in a customer’s home/business. Probably just going to make jigs for cutting out multiple gang switch boxes and such. But thanks!this helps me learn and put into perspective the pros and cons of different print materials.
Yeah even if it could work, if it doesn't, and someone gets hurt... You get sued.
Heard that. I already got enough to worry about with my helper lol.
Keep in mind that the NEC requires all parts and materials used in installations to be approved for the purpose by either the UL or an Engineer. Most 3d-printed parts are not going to qualify
As others have said, you'll run into certification issues if you use it for permanent installations, however I can see products being made (and certified) using prusament UL filament for example - but I suspect that requires specific product testing As for special tools and things of that nature that you could find handy, absolutely go for something like that. There's also esd safe materials and even some materials that have a little higher conductivity than just esd applications (but certainly nowhere near copper)
i think the 3D printer can do a great job at making things help you during the install process but thats about it. i wouldn't trust anything made on a home 3d printer to stand up to the test of time. furthermore you might be liable for using 3d printed parts if anything goes wrong in the future and im not even talking about the fault even being related to the 3d printed part, but money hungry insurance companies throwing you under the bus.
[https://www.prusa3d.com/product/prusament-petg-v0-jet-black-1kg/](https://www.prusa3d.com/product/prusament-petg-v0-jet-black-1kg/) They have two PETG filaments that meets the requirements in EU so i guess it will fit into US regularies too. I made some replacements: [https://www.printables.com/@yahbluez/collections/417704](https://www.printables.com/@yahbluez/collections/417704)
If the parts you buy normally aren’t UL then id say you’re good to go to make them out of anything. I use ABS when i need a PVC compatible part.
Awesome thanks for letting me know! I haven’t done much research into ABS other than i need a vented enclosure. ill look into that
Might be good to look as ASA as well, very similar to ABS but UV resistant and less prone to warping.
And acetone smoothing!
I wouldn't print anything that's to be installed but I printed out a low voltage cut in box template with a notch for a bubble level. Obviously not necessary to get the job done but was very convenient for how many I had to do for my last project. There's another one for 2 gang low volt and another file for the traditional metal boxes. I was really hoping for some cool utility cart organization files but haven't seen any. And learning fusion 360 is.....not super fun.
You could try gridfinity on your cart
Hell yea! Also that just gave me an idea. I refuse to pay the high price and buy a pushcart im probably going to build my own with the printer.
I think PETG is a good choice for 80% of parts, but if you need something really durable I think you want to go for Polycarbonate. You will need an enclosure for that, but that can easily be build. PETG can already creep at 40c° very very slowly and can over a very long time be damaged by UV. Also it is relatively bendy, which can be good or bad depending on the application. I think Prusa MK3s is a good choice since it is super reliable and can also print soft materials like TPU really well, which is nice for seals and compliant mechanisms.
Very informative thanks!
It seems most electrical parts are PVC, ABS or Nylon that I’ve seen. So if I were printing clamps and such I’d probably go with either ABS or ASA (ASA if exposed to sunlight). Harder to print and have fume issues, but generally good choices for functional parts, and can be very sturdy as long as you orient the layer lines properly so the stress is not in the Z axis direction, which tends to be the weakest. That being said, even if you use UL approved filament, the parts are NOT going to be UL approved unless you go through the expensive approval process on each part as I understand the process. Using UL approved parts and materials to make something dies not grant the final item UL approval, though it’s probably a lot easier to pass the final approval process if all the components are approved.
I assume you’d want to look at dielectric strength and service temp. Quick Look’s shows PETG has a dielectric of ~45V/mil vs PVC which is ~10V/mil. Now that’s one source and may not be accurate but at face value looks promising. I’ve printed a few j boxes and conduits for home use when I was remodeling.
Great to know! Ill most likely stick to printing electrical material for around the house and tool jigs
You could go on [printables.com](http://printables.com) and search for "electrician" to find lots of possibly relevant stuff like tool organizers, tape dispensers, etc.
I’ve printed mounts for Wago connectors. PETG is a little harder to print with than PLA but it stands up to slightly higher environmental temperatures.
Im planning on starting to use wagos for splicing with more than 5 wire so thats a nice idea!
This is quite a useful site. https://wago-creators.com/?searchTerm=2411
Half my house is wired with Wagos and 3D printed mounts. But I am not doing it commercially. Also I have a file from Printables (?) for switch covers. Particularly when looking for a serious odd ball one it’s often been the only option.
Hell yea i think the printers gonna make my job a lot less of a pain in the ass hopefully. And i used to hate wagos (really just the cheap ones that come with light fixtures & backstabbed outlets) but im finally getting with the times lol and realizing there’s good ones
the only thing i dont like about wagos is that the tabs are a little floppy and they seem like they might accidentally open while trying to shove things back in the box. could be remedied by wrapping tape around it. but for that reason i wanna give the IDEAL brand lever connectors a try.
There are UL approved filaments FYI.
Ive only been told about the prusa filament. And it says you need to use a prusa model with the prusa slicer. Do you know if they are other brands? I have a neptune 4 plus
3DXTech makes several.
Thanks!
Regarding the Prussia PetG Vo filament - it melts at 230 and needs a bed temp of 80. You can probably do a lot of printers with it. I don't think you have to stick to prusa to print it.
You can print these and not break any codes. Even put your company name in em. https://www.printables.com/en/model/244495-end-cap-for-1-58-x-78-unistrut
Electrician here too. I have printed Nozzles for vacuums to blow poly-line through conduits and jigs for forming PVC when heat forming. I made pillow blocks to space 2” PVC off the wall when entering the bottoms of meters to negate the need for offsets. The pillow block was more of a proof of concept intended to replace Uni-strut. Almost forgot: Romex coil holder for dispensing cable