Introduction

The idea of making this Magnetic Braille Brick is after I read a post on 3D Print group and I notice there are not frequently user will post related to printing Braille model. Therefore, I also check from Etsy to find what currently Braille that other people have design. Most of design currently is using some of locking system and some just making a block which required to arrange. That some thought come to my mind, as visible disability person would need to touch the Braille and at same times the person may need to move their hand and finger to touch next Braille letter, if the Braille is not properly connected or not even have a lock to lock between Braille it will cause the Braille to move around. Therefore I come out with idea to make the Braille easy to connect and disconnect by using magnet and embed it into the 3D model.

I have not post yet the video on Youtube but you could watch it now at my Tiktok for the moment.

Magnetic Braille Brick

https://www.tiktok.com/@aeyeskreations/video/6903447697659825410?lang=en&sender_device=pc&sender_web_id=6880549143120414209&is_from_webapp=1

Assembler Jig Magnet Alignment and Pusher

https://www.tiktok.com/@aeyeskreations/video/6903455907791801602?lang=en&sender_device=pc&sender_web_id=6880549143120414209&is_from_webapp=1

Model Name

Magnetic Alphabet/Arabic/Jawi Braille Brick

Model Description

This model is Alphabet Braille Brick letter with quick connect and disconnect between brick. Each of Braille Brick are embedded with Magnet to allowed the brick to be connected on each of the Braille Brick side. To connect simply move the Braille Brick near to other brick and it will automatically snap each other. To disconnect simply pull the brick away from each other.

The Braille Brick is design to comply with standard of Braille specification for the dot distance and it is scale up to about 3 times large than standard Braille to allowed FDM 3D Printer to print properly. The Braille Brick is also design to overcome FDM 3D Printer limitation, therefore FDM 3D Printer is capable to print the Braille Brick.

Tool and Assembly Item

Prepare the following tool and item before begin the print.

3D Printer (FDM type).
Cura 4.6.1 or any version you preferrable that support for “Pause at height” and “Filament Change” (if you familiar with any other slicer please used it).
2 rolls of 1.75mm PLA Filament in good condition (recommended light and dark color).
162 units of 4mm (Diameter) x 2mm (Thickness) Round Neodymium N35 Magnet.
Bed Adhesion (Glue stick or Hair Spray) (Not required if your model can stick well on the bed).
Nozzle Cleaner (Tweezer, Copper Wire Brush or any preferable clean tool).
Scrapper or your preferrable tool to remove printed model from bed.
Wire Cutter. To cut filament.

Pre-requisite

Make sure your 3D Printer is well calibrated and test. The following are calibration recommended to check and do:

Bed Level. To ensure bed is level properly.
E-Step calibration. Must be able to extrude a proper amount of filament base on correct e-step value.
Flow Rate test. Must be able to file a best flow rate your printer.
Retraction test. Ensure you able to get the best retraction to reduce stringy issue.
Tolerance test. Must be able to achieve at least with 0.2mm tolerance, able to get more smaller tolerance are even better.
Overhang test. Must at least able to print well on 20-degree overhang.
Bridging test. Must able to print well with 20mm of bridge or recommended to use support.

Preparation before Print

To ease the printing and assembly process, it is recommended to make a preparation before start printing the actual Braille Brick.

Print an Alignment of magnet jig. The magnet side need to be decided before the print begin to ensure the magnet is embedded on the correct side. To help during inserting the magnet into Braille Brick, it is highly recommended to print the Assembler Jig Magnet Alignment. This model will help to ensure the magnet embedded into Braille Brick is always in same alignment and side. The following steps and diagram are used for Assemble Jig Magnet Alignment model.

Prepare 6 pieces of magnet.

Stack all the magnet together.

Mark with permanent marker pen (or any tool for marking) on one side of the magnet.

Let the mark dry properly.

Decide properly which side the magnet should be facing when insert into the magnet slot. You could also follow the following alignment diagram. In the diagram, the Magnet side mark with Red color should be facing in the following direction during printing is pause later.

Next is to begin printing the Assembler Jig Magnet Alignment (Refer to the Print Guide for the Assembler Jig: Magnet Alignment).

Prepare a Helper tool to insert magnet into Braille Brick. There are two options to insert magnet into Braille Brick from Assembler Jig Magnet Alignment. The following are option to insert magnet.

Option 1: Using filament

Pull filament about 80mm length.
Cut the filament for 80mm length.
To use the cut filament with Assembler Jig: Magnet Alignment, put the filament into the Magnet opening (a square hole which you insert magnet) push the filament through the square hole. The filament will push the magnet into the Braille Brick magnet slot.

Option 2: Using Assembler Jig Magnet Pusher [recommended to print]

Print Assembler Jig: Magnet Alignment (Refer to the Printing Guide for Assembler Jig: Magnet Pusher).
To use the Assembler Jig: Magnet Pusher, place the model above Assembler Jig: Magnet Alignment and lightly press it. It should go into the Assembler Jig: Magnet Alignment and push the magnet into the Braille Brick magnet slot (do this during the printing process of the Braille Brick and ensure magnet is already insert inside the Assembler Jig: Magnet Alignment).

Printing Guide

Assembler Jig: Magnet Alignment

Filename: Assembler_Jig_Magnet_Alignment.stl

Assembler Jig: Magnet Alignment is a tool to help align the magnet correctly insert into the Braille Brick. This will reduce human error during manual process of inserting the magnet into Braille Brick. Before begin printing ensure to decide which side should the magnet facing on each of the slot, since Neodymium Magnet do not have label of the magnet side.

Slicer Configuration

NOTE: -

All the following setting are the setting I am using to print the model. You may change accordingly your own preferences. Not restricted to use the following configuration.
Post-Processing setting is required to follow in order to embed the magnet into the model.
3D Printer’s Nozzle used to print the model is 0.4mm.
Assembler Jig: Magnet Alignment only require 1 unit.

Orientation

Quality

Shell

Infill

Material

Speed

Travel

Cooling

Support

Build Plate Adhesion

Post Processing

To navigate to Post-Processing setting go to upper menu, click Extensions -> Post Processing -> Modify G-Code.

Click “Add a script” and add “Pause at height”.

Configure the “Pause at height” accordingly to how your Profile setting. The most important parameter needs to pay attention is the “Pause at” and “Pause at Layer”. Ensure that you select the correct position for the pause to begin. To find the exact layer number to pause is by slice the model first after finish configure the “Print Setting” then find it from “Preview”. Pause need to start before the top layer of magnet slot start to print. The following is my setting base on my Profile setting.

Printing Process

1. Ensure the print model is loaded to printer.

2. Ensure Nozzle and bed is clean.

TIPS: Use Glue stick to help the model stick well on the bed and also help to mitigate the warping issue.

3. Click start printing the Assembler Jig: Magnet Alignment g-code.

4. While bed is heating up, apply glue stick (in my case I am using glue stick for bed adhesion). Apply for about 2 layers.

5. Let the model print.

6. Once the printing begins to pause, insert 6 magnets (Refer to the Preparation before Print) into the 6 magnets slot. Ensure the magnet is inserted on the correct orientation. The following diagram is for reference.

NOTE: Inserting magnet may be difficult as the distance between magnet is close, you may use glue to make sure the magnet is insert properly in the magnet slot.

7. After inserting magnet, make sure the magnet is full insert into the slot. There should not be any magnet that bulging outward.

8. Always check the nozzle, if there are a lot of filament stick to nozzle try to clean it.

9. Press button to resume the print.

10. Now let the printer finish the print.

11. After finish printing wait till bed cool down and carefully remove the printed model.

Assembler Jig: Magnet Pusher

Filename: Assembler_Jig_Magnet_Pusher.stl

Assembler Jig: Magnet Pusher is tool to help push the 6 magnets simultaneously into the Braille Brick. This tool needs to work together with Assembler Jig: Magnet Alignment.

Slice Configuration

NOTE: -

All the following setting are the setting I am using to print the model. You may change accordingly your own preferences. Not restricted to use the following configuration.
3D Printer’s Nozzle used to print the model is 0.4mm.
Assembler Jig: Magnet Pusher only require 1 unit.

Orientation

Quality

Shell

Infill

Material

Speed

Travel

Cooling

Support

Build Plate Adhesion

Printing Process

1. Ensure the print model is loaded to printer.

TIPS: Use Glue stick to help the model stick well on the bed and also help to mitigate the warping issue.

2. Ensure Nozzle and bed is clean.

3. Click start printing the Assembler Jig: Magnet Pusher g-code.

4. While bed is heating up, apply glue stick (in my case I am using glue stick for bed adhesion). Apply for about 2 layers.

5. Let the model print until finish.

6. After finish printing wait till bed cool down and carefully remove the printed model.

Magnetic Braille Brick

Filename: A.stl to Z.stl

Slicer Configuration

NOTE: -

All the following setting are the setting I am using to print the model. You may change accordingly your own preferences. Not restricted to use the following configuration.
Post-Processing setting is required to follow in order to embed the magnet into the model and to change the color for the Alphabet letter and Braille dot.
3D Printer’s Nozzle used to print the model is 0.4mm and single extruder type.
Print quantity and which model to print is depend on your preferences.

Orientation

Quality

Shell

Infill

Material

Speed

Travel

Cooling

Support

Build Plate Adhesion

Printing Process

1. Ensure the print model is loaded to printer.

TIPS: Use Glue stick to help the model stick well on the bed and also help to mitigate the warping issue.

2. Ensure Nozzle and bed is clean.

3. Click start printing the Alphabet Braille Brick.

4. While bed is heating up, apply glue stick (in my case I am using glue stick for bed adhesion). Apply for about 2 layers.

5. Let the model print.

6. Once the printing begins to pause, load 6 magnet into the Assembler Jig: Magnet Alignment.

7. Put the Assembler Jig: Magnet Alignment on the top of printed model. Make sure the jig is aligned properly with Braille Brick.

8. Place the Assembler Jig: Magnet Pusher onto top of Assembler Jig: Magnet Alignment.

9. Press down Assembler Jig: Magnet Pusher. Magnet inside the Assembler Jig: Magnet Alignment will be push down into the magnet slot of the Braille Brick.

10. After push down Assembler Jig: Magnet Pusher, remove Assembler Jig Magnet Alignment and Pusher, then make sure the magnet is full insert into the Braille Brick magnet slot. There should not be any magnet that bulging outward.

11. Always check the nozzle, if there are a lot of filament stick to nozzle try to clean it.

12. Press resume to resume the print.

13. Once the printing pause again, the next stage is filament change mode. Printer will start executing filament change by moving the extruder head to designated position as per your slicer configuration and begin to unload the filament.

14. After finish unload the filament, prepare the next filament roll and load into your printer extruder.

15. Next after finish filament change, continue back the print process.

16. Now let the print process to finish printing.

17. After finish printing carefully remove the printed model and your Braille Brick is not finish.

18. Continue the same process for another Braille Brick model.

Please help to share with everyone who might need this and do not forget to follow me to always get latest update of my design. I will try to always to train myself to always update my design on media social (the truth is I am not media social person).

Really appreciate your support and feedback to further improve my work. As I am currently re-skilling my career and myself because I am unemployed during Covid-19 pandemic. Please stay safe and Happy 3D Printing for all.

Email: aeyes.kreations@gmail.com

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