3D printed modular frag plugs

[Micron-Flash]

I've been designing some modular frag plugs that have removable attachment points. These can be printed in PLA or ABS which I've read are safe for salt water. I haven't seen very many designs out there for 3D printed plugs. Is there a reason people aren't using 3D printed plugs?

 

[andrewey]

I don't know the reason others do/don't like 3D printed plugs, but here are the reasons I don't like them.

1) Those that I've seen are more expensive than traditional frag plugs
2) Corals don't seem to like the plastic and don't seem to adhere/grow as fast compared with cured plugs
3) On some of the ABS plugs I've played around with, when I went to cut the frag plug (cutting the top in half, not the top from the base), the piece shattered in one case and in another case (I believe a different 3D printer plastic), the plastic melted and injured the zoa.

I don't know much about the properites of ABS or PLA, so I'm sure there are materials out there are easy to cut and are comparable in cost, but I haven't seen a material that grows as well as a traditional plug. That being said, I'm sure there are reefers that have a different set of needs where 3D printed plugs are much easier to work with or have benefits traditional plugs can't provide. I'm probably just not the target audience

By the way, I love your screw design- really creative and the plugs look fantastic!

 

[joseserrano]

id imagine this process is more expensive than the traditional. Plugs are like 15 cents a pop