µCurrent 3D case

[EEVblog]

Charles at Makerbot has designed this nifty 3D printed case for the uCurrent.
http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:26878

Dave.

[dda]

What's the cost of the plastic filament used to make something like this compared with a jiffy box?

[EEVblog]

What's the cost of the plastic filament used to make something like this compared with a jiffy box?

The Jiffy box is $1.80 trade, or about $1.20 wholesale + GST.
Would be interesting to run the numbers to find out...

Dave.

[dbinokc]

A spool of filament runs about $50(US)/kilogram or $1.42/ounce and the print quality is not going to be quite that great because of the layers. So you would not come out that far ahead in that respect.

Where the value comes in, is the ability to create exactly what you want and to not have to wait on shipping.

[IanB]

"Please excuse the print quality. The enclosure was printed on a highly uncalibrated machine with experimental parts."

Hate to be a skeptic, but doesn't that apply to every Makerbot on the planet? 

I have to presume that the Makerbot is designed as a personal device for one-off prototypes. I don't see how it can work for production parts. So the cost/benefit equation if you consider buying one is based on the value to you of making things for yourself that otherwise would be difficult to make. But then I also have to wonder how it compares to the greater flexibility of a shop equipped for cutting, milling, drilling and gluing?

[EEVblog]

A spool of filament runs about $50(US)/kilogram or $1.42/ounce and the print quality is not going to be quite that great because of the layers. So you would not come out that far ahead in that respect.
Where the value comes in, is the ability to create exactly what you want and to not have to wait on shipping.

Yes, you'd be crazy to do it for cost reasons. Listen to today's AmpHour for talk about the Ninja Block cases.
Would be interesting to know how much it costs in comparison though.
The jiffy box weights 36g with lid, so assuming the printed one is say 30g, that works out at roughly a similar cost.

Dave.