Over the past few weeks, I’ve been experimenting with 3D printed watch bands. I originally had the idea for a watch band when I was brainstorming movable print-in-place objects. Below you will find background information, step-by-step modeling instructions, tips on iterative design, and common pitfalls to avoid.

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Background Information:

3D Printing Basics

3D printing is a type of additive manufacturing that creates a three-dimensional object by building it layer by layer from a digital model. The benefits of 3D printing include: fast production, cheap manufacturing, easy learning, and freedom of design. 

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Printing in Place

Print-in-place 3D printing is the process of printing movable objects as one piece. Many print-in-place designs feature hinges and other moving parts. Printing in place entirely removes the need to assemble after printing which increases efficiency and, in some cases, functionality as well. A print-in-place 3D print is just as it sounds.

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Solidworks

To design and model my print-in-place watch band I used the 3D CAD software Solidworks (TinkerCad is a free alternative to Solidworks). 

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Step by Step Instructions (Simple Watch Band)

1. Start a sketch on the Top Plane
2. Draw (and dimension) the outline of one watch band piece

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3. Boss Extrude the sketch

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4. Extrude Cut a hole and Boss Extrude a cylinder (this will be how we connect each piece)

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5. Improve comfort and increase range of motion by adding Fillets to create round edges
6. Add a Fillet to the cylinder you created in Step 4 (this will help the 3D printer when printing without supports)

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7. Create a Liner Pattern of your watch band piece

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8. Double check the space between the cylinder and hole with the Section View tool

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9. Save and export your model as a .STL
10. 3D Print your watch band model!

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Iterative Design,Testing, and Prototyping

Throughout the modeling and 3D printing process, I employed an iterative design approach. Iterative design is a method of continuous improvement during prototyping. To utilize iterative design thinking while making your own print-in-place models, analyze and refine the design based on the results of testing the design. Then, ask questions that lead to changes.

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Here are some example questions: 

1. How can I reduce the time it takes to manufacture my product?
2. What problems arose during testing?
3. How can I improve the user experience of my product?
4. How can I make my product more environmentally friendly?
5. What are the potential risks associated with my product, and how can I mitigate them?
6. Are there any areas where I can reduce costs without compromising on quality?

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Common Mistakes, Issues, and Troubleshooting

If you are following along and designing your own watch band, you may have questions or run into issues. Here I will discuss some common issues and questions: 

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1. Size and Tolerances/Clearance of 3D prints - Size and tolerances is one important aspect to keep in mind when designing your watchband in CAD software. In my experience, a specific area to double check the size is the connection point between each watch band part.

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2. Supports - When designing your 3D printing print-in-place watch band, keep in mind that we are printing without supports. In Step 6 of the guide we include a fillet to help support the 3D printer as an alternative to supports.

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3. Contact Us - If you are having issues beyond what I’ve covered above, feel free to send us an email!

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