Design and Implementation of Three-Dimensional Printable Optomechanical Components

Abstract

Fused filament fabrication 3D printing is a process by which three-dimensional objects are created by depositing layers of a material onto a hard, flat surface by a robot. It is often referred to as an “additive manufacturing” technique because material is added in successive layers to create an object. Because many scientific applications require parts that are expensive to purchase or manufacture, 3D printing custom parts for scientific instrumentation can save (shipping and/or manufacturing) time and money and requires only one compact, computer-controlled robot. Thus, 3D printable scientific parts and equipment can drive down the costs of scientific teaching and research. Here, we present a library of 3D printable optomechanical components that are compatible with commercial optomechanical parts. These components were tested for their functionality in home-built optical systems constructed entirely from 3D printed optomechanical components, and we demonstrate that optical systems built using 3D printable optomechanical components are comparable to their more expensive, commercially available counterparts, albeit not as durable as commercial parts. Thus, we conclude that our library of 28 3D printable optomechanical components is appropriate for use in scientific teaching laboratories.