Hi,
I recently bought myself a Z4 and really wanted to update certain aspects of it (check out my project z4 thread).
I love my Pioneer SPH-DA120 so intend to design a Double Din fascia as I have a few 3D Printers. Due to the printable area size, the fascia will be printed in 2 halves but then would be glued together with epoxy weld for example. The front could then just be vinyl wrapped for a quick easy "finish". -- At least for now, I'm hoping to raise funds for a larger printer by selling some bits I no longer need so that I can get a printer large enough to print these pieces as 1 part
The design is currently in progress. I've taken the design idea from a few pics posted amongst forums and off google images.
Let me know what you think
Here is an early screenshot of the design:
And here is a preview of it "in place" My measurements were a fraction out so the left couldn't fit it flush but it was a very early print test for exactly that reason.... to check sizing
After actually fitting the fascia I had printed, and putting my pioneer head unit into place - I realised I had a fundamental flaw in the design. This is mainly due to fact that the DoubleDin unit can NOT match the angle of the trim area. I had also added a curve to the fascia to match the curve of the trim but due to printer limitations in terms of quality of the print, I then removed the curve and kept the "flat" face.
After trying a fit with the cage in place AND the head unit itself, I realised the cage walls needed to be at an angle
Also, due to my current printer constraints and the way in which FDM printing occurs, there was very little strength where the edges of the cage met the front of the fascia. After trying numerous print orientations and settings to increase the strength and some discussion in a 3D Printing group, I decided to print the walls separately and use JB Plastic Weld Epoxy to affix the wall/edges to the fascia front.
In terms of the fascia itself - I feel like I'm pretty much complete. In case you're wondering, people have mentioned to me that they would like the option of with or without vents, hence why the "vent cutouts" are visible in the screenshot. I Can either delete the cutouts and print the fascia WITHOUT vent slots, OR, I can cut out the vents from the fascia and have the vent slots as seen in all the pics. I personally prefer and want the vents. I have added OEM fixing points, the cage fits my walls perfectly, it all fits nicely in the dash...
(Not pushed in flush at this point)
I also needed to design a way to redirect the air now that I've chopped the vent back in order to fit the double din stereo.
Here was my first attempt:
However, having just recently printed this and fitted it, I came across a few obstacles I had not accounted for.
When I fitted the printed design, I realised it was too low. It needed to be lifted by a good 25mm. During testing, I did this by simply propping a 25mm block under the vent, directly on top of the metal bar.
When it then came to re fitting the sat nav screen, because it's very deep height wise due to the motor, it would no longer sit flush, it was infact about 5mm off the dash and could not go any lower in place.
then came a second problem - of which I can't physically see due to lack of space - but upon lifting the vent, there appears to be what I can only describe as an "overlapping" joint. Eg, a part of the vent goes down, and fits INSIDE another part of venting, without any actual seal, clip, etc etc. This meant air was largely escaping as this joint that I had now separated by forcing the vent up 25mm.
This meant I had to completely rethink the design... I now intend to try this....
I also need to then make a joint from the bottom of those "feet" to the vent exit itself in the fascia. I designed these below after a few trial and error with some other simpler designs.
They fitted great and did the trick
Only problem is I ran out of ABS & PLA (at least enough to complete a print) so I am currently awaiting for more rolls of ABS to arrive so that I can print out and test my new vent design above.
I have also decided to remove the sat nav entirely as it's redundant with the new stereo, but instead either leaving a gaping hole or buying a non-sat nav dash, I decided I wanted to utilise the space as a kind of tray / caddy / little dash storage area.
Pretty happy with the design, and think that's pretty final now. As mentioned, I would really love to get a larger build area printer so that I could print in one piece.
Here is the item printed in PLA just to check size and fitments etc. (Ignore that it's in blue, that's all I had - also, in case you're wondering why not use it in PLA - PLA is NOT suitable for car usage due the high temps the car cabin area can reach. PLA warps and goes soft and pretty much gets ruined, ABS or a similar material is required for in car use)
I recently bought myself a Z4 and really wanted to update certain aspects of it (check out my project z4 thread).
I love my Pioneer SPH-DA120 so intend to design a Double Din fascia as I have a few 3D Printers. Due to the printable area size, the fascia will be printed in 2 halves but then would be glued together with epoxy weld for example. The front could then just be vinyl wrapped for a quick easy "finish". -- At least for now, I'm hoping to raise funds for a larger printer by selling some bits I no longer need so that I can get a printer large enough to print these pieces as 1 part
The design is currently in progress. I've taken the design idea from a few pics posted amongst forums and off google images.
Let me know what you think
Here is an early screenshot of the design:
And here is a preview of it "in place" My measurements were a fraction out so the left couldn't fit it flush but it was a very early print test for exactly that reason.... to check sizing
After actually fitting the fascia I had printed, and putting my pioneer head unit into place - I realised I had a fundamental flaw in the design. This is mainly due to fact that the DoubleDin unit can NOT match the angle of the trim area. I had also added a curve to the fascia to match the curve of the trim but due to printer limitations in terms of quality of the print, I then removed the curve and kept the "flat" face.
After trying a fit with the cage in place AND the head unit itself, I realised the cage walls needed to be at an angle
Also, due to my current printer constraints and the way in which FDM printing occurs, there was very little strength where the edges of the cage met the front of the fascia. After trying numerous print orientations and settings to increase the strength and some discussion in a 3D Printing group, I decided to print the walls separately and use JB Plastic Weld Epoxy to affix the wall/edges to the fascia front.
In terms of the fascia itself - I feel like I'm pretty much complete. In case you're wondering, people have mentioned to me that they would like the option of with or without vents, hence why the "vent cutouts" are visible in the screenshot. I Can either delete the cutouts and print the fascia WITHOUT vent slots, OR, I can cut out the vents from the fascia and have the vent slots as seen in all the pics. I personally prefer and want the vents. I have added OEM fixing points, the cage fits my walls perfectly, it all fits nicely in the dash...
(Not pushed in flush at this point)
I also needed to design a way to redirect the air now that I've chopped the vent back in order to fit the double din stereo.
Here was my first attempt:
However, having just recently printed this and fitted it, I came across a few obstacles I had not accounted for.
When I fitted the printed design, I realised it was too low. It needed to be lifted by a good 25mm. During testing, I did this by simply propping a 25mm block under the vent, directly on top of the metal bar.
When it then came to re fitting the sat nav screen, because it's very deep height wise due to the motor, it would no longer sit flush, it was infact about 5mm off the dash and could not go any lower in place.
then came a second problem - of which I can't physically see due to lack of space - but upon lifting the vent, there appears to be what I can only describe as an "overlapping" joint. Eg, a part of the vent goes down, and fits INSIDE another part of venting, without any actual seal, clip, etc etc. This meant air was largely escaping as this joint that I had now separated by forcing the vent up 25mm.
This meant I had to completely rethink the design... I now intend to try this....
I also need to then make a joint from the bottom of those "feet" to the vent exit itself in the fascia. I designed these below after a few trial and error with some other simpler designs.
They fitted great and did the trick
Only problem is I ran out of ABS & PLA (at least enough to complete a print) so I am currently awaiting for more rolls of ABS to arrive so that I can print out and test my new vent design above.
I have also decided to remove the sat nav entirely as it's redundant with the new stereo, but instead either leaving a gaping hole or buying a non-sat nav dash, I decided I wanted to utilise the space as a kind of tray / caddy / little dash storage area.
Pretty happy with the design, and think that's pretty final now. As mentioned, I would really love to get a larger build area printer so that I could print in one piece.
Here is the item printed in PLA just to check size and fitments etc. (Ignore that it's in blue, that's all I had - also, in case you're wondering why not use it in PLA - PLA is NOT suitable for car usage due the high temps the car cabin area can reach. PLA warps and goes soft and pretty much gets ruined, ABS or a similar material is required for in car use)
