3d printing panels?

wiseguy

wiseguy

Member
 Mississippi, USA
With the availability of new interior panels being difficult to find or expensive, has anyone considered 3d printing them? Breakers/junkyards have only old, brittle plastic panels, which are no better that what we are trying to replace.

Some that I feel likely break often: central cover locking door, $370.00 if you can find it in stock. The push-button to open that door snaps easily.
part 51467031364
Cover
BMW 51467031364
part 51167053123
Plug, for side of oddments box trim, $33.00. It's a 1 ounce circular piece of plastic. There is no reason this should cost anywhere near that price.



BMW 51167053123
part 51417066501, Plaque, Airbag plastic cover for each door card, $14.00 each.
BMW 51417066501

Part 51437906712
roll bar Covering, right, silver- discontinued.

The long interior plastic behind roll bars and just above the parcel shelf. Part number unknown. Mine is falling apart.
 
Some parts have been 3D printed. Someone on here has done the covers for the screw caps on the centre console that BMW charge a fortune for. I suppose it's all about there being enough demand to justify doing it.

Someone else printed the arms for the cup-holders that always seem to break!
 
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Since the forum refresh I don't have a bookmark for the thread about the centre console screw covers, but they cost peanuts here:- https://www.aliexpress.com/item/100...76&slnk=&trgt=pla-2333026235593228&plac=&crea

BMW want £35.73 for one!

I don't think the guy who did the cup-holder arms is on here, but he was giving them away at Zedfest in 2022.

But aliexpress are selling complete cup-holders pretty cheap. https://www.aliexpress.com/item/100...medium=shopping&utm_campaign=PA_Bing_UK_PMAX_
 
wiseguy said:
@Mr Tidy if you discover who, please repost. I am interested in getting some pricing.
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I've printed some. The files are available online (search thingyverse for e85 and you'll find loads of things)

Then you can grab a printer (quite a few small ones are inexpensive), or near me (England) there is a local shop there does printing on demand. If you get something printed, make sure they use PETG or ABS, and the standard/fast PLA material won't like the heat of a car cabin.
 
Not many home 3d printers have a large enough bed to do some of the bits you mention. Screw caps and stuff like that are easy.
 
I have a few for Sale …PM me
 

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TriggerFish said:
I've printed some. The files are available online (search thingyverse for e85 and you'll find loads of things)

Then you can grab a printer (quite a few small ones are inexpensive), or near me (England) there is a local shop there does printing on demand. If you get something printed, make sure they use PETG or ABS, and the standard/fast PLA material won't like the heat of a car cabin.
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I hadn't heard of that site. I looked through 6 pages. Definitely some helpful items in there. Like rockhopper said, no plans on there were for large BMW pieces like I need.
 
The trouble you have in Mississppi is the UV. Here in the UK the highest we get is 7 with the odd day maybe 8. Where you are you're likely hitting 11 for a few months of the summer everyday.

ABS, which the OEM panels are made from, doesn't like high levels of UV. This is why they become brittle and crack. Either source parts from States in the US which have low UV levels or source parts from the UK. You will then need to wrap the parts to stop the new/second hand parts from breaking again.

If you do eventually get the parts 3D printed then you need to make sure they are printed in ASA. This filament can with stand high levels of UV and is also very strong.
 
For the button that opens storage, you can buy one from aliexpress. I have bought one for I thing 25$, then went to the guy that re-painted my seats and he painted the button also (scanned the color from the old one). I also have tan interior so I understand your problem :)
 
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