APPENDIX B ■ APPENDIX B
Compared to a leftover sandwich container, the 3D printed cover has several disadvantages. First, the
3D-printed cover is far less transparent due to reflection and refraction in the tiny filament strands in
fused-filament fabrication (FFF). (There are fancier printing technologies that can create optical-quality
prints.) Second, the 3D-printed cover is far more fragile than molded stretchy plastics such as polypropylene.
Therefore, if you want a cover with some degree of transparency and light-weight toughness, stick with
off-the-shelf containers.
Of course, the cover is optional. You can save printing time by mounting the power switch and
light-dark switch directly to the PCB. Figure B-24 shows this robot in action.
Trying It Yourself
The 3D printing revolution is truly remarkable!
Three-dimensional printing opens up hobby robotics to a whole world of people that cannot afford the
cost, space, or training required for a machine shop. Furthermore, 3D printing significantly reduces the time
a human needs to spend producing a part, even if the printer itself will take hours.
I hope this chapter encourages you to consider downloading and printing Sandwich parts.
Better still -- experiment with some designs of your own for your next robot!
Figure B-24. The open-face Sandwich robot made with 3D printed parts