Following your documentation – feedback & questions

[gus]

I didn’t want to take over the “New member introduction thread” with my questions, so I’ve started a new one.

At this point, I already have the 3D printed components. I should receive the remaining parts later this month.

One thing I was missing in the documentation was information about the material for the "polymer endplate". In the photo, “PETG 100%” was written on the endplate with a marker, so I used that material and infill.

[kirk]

So excited that you're doing this - and those prints look excellent! 100% in PETG is fine for the endplates, probably overkill even. I will make this clearer in the docs.

Are the bottom of the endplates reasonably flat?

You say you've ordered the rest of the components - the pumps/tubing are probably the most important selection and hardest to obtain. Did you have any other issues?

[kirk]

And did you order a MYSTAT from PCBway or similar/do you have another battery cycler/potentiostat available? IIRC you are at a university lab, right?

[gus]

The bottom of the endplates is perfectly flat. I sprayed the print area with Dimafix to make sure there would be no warping.

The most difficult material to print is PP due to adhesion and warping issues—I used a PP foil for that. What kind of surface did you use to print your PP components? I suspect the most common PP tape could cause leakage issues if a component is printed across the seam between two strips.

All the components are already ordered, including the MYSTAT. My department’s lab doesn’t have such a device.

[kirk]

We print on PP packing tape often and haven't had issues with leakage from that to date. There is a great solution here though which people have used with success, less fiddly than PP tape https://www.ppprint.de/produktkategorie/printing-kits/

Some PP filament reels come with a PP foil adhesive surface, is that what you used?

Most often, problems with PP are related to:

1. getting it to print at all/not warping
2. PP parts that are dimensionally accurate but leak internally/externally due to print settings/any number of reasons - but 100% infill and 5 perimeters seems to work most of the time (it can be filament/printer dependent)

The reservoirs you can leak test now somewhat by filling with water and covering the barbed fittings.

The flow frames can be tested with water once you have the cell hardware + gaskets.

Can't wait for the rest of your parts to come in and see how you get on!

[gus]

Good to hear the packing tape hasn’t caused any leakage issues in your case. I ended up getting a PP adhesive foil that’s originally meant for covering book covers.