October 2015 Hacker of the Month

Final December, Joe Dietz and his spouse Amy wanted a strategy to dispense their homebrewed beer on the go. With an amazing concept and the ability of 3D printing, they discovered their answer: Connect-a-Faucet!

We give the Connect-a-Faucet an enormous thumbs up!

Connect-a-Faucet is a transportable draft tower that connects to your homebrew keg for straightforward, clear, and good wanting allotting.  

“Being fortunate sufficient to have a 3D printer at work, we printed our prototype and did plenty of consuming… I imply testing!” Dietz stated playfully.

Proudly owning a LulzBot TAZ, the package model of the TAZ 4, Dietz was capable of make the proper prototype out of PLA. When exhibiting it off to fellow homebrewers, the couple acquired quite a few ideas to throw the undertaking on Kickstarter. The couple the heeded recommendation from their mates and have been efficiently funded!

“We actually couldn’t have made this undertaking profitable with out 3D printing. The volumes we produce usually are not practically excessive sufficient to make injection molding corresponding to the price of printing… even when factoring in labor,” stated Dietz.

At one level there have been about three months straight the place the couple was printing 20 hours a day, seven days per week! He additionally talked about that they may not have fabricated the Connect-a-Faucet clamp utilizing a typical mould as a result of the piece has a protracted curved cavity. It could have wanted an entire redesign – possibly to the purpose the place it could not have been as sensible to make use of – if it weren’t for 3D printing. 

Not solely did the brew-loving couple provide you with a strategy to print and make one thing out of their Connect-a-Faucet, however additionally they began printing faucet handles! The couple says the faucet handles are lots of enjoyable because of the quantity of colours they will produce them in; one thing they might not have the ability to do as simply with molding.

So, as soon as the components have been printed, what’s subsequent? Dietz says there’s a bit of labor that must be carried out to the Connect-a-Faucet clamp and the faucet handles as soon as printed. For the clamp, they add foam to assist it grip the keg. Additionally they add a Velcro strap and, in fact, the cool Connect-a-Faucet sticker. 

The faucet handles have laser lower inserts which might be coated with chalkboard paint. The insert, faucet deal with physique, and faucet deal with trim items are all glued along with utilized strain. A metallic insert is then added to the underside of the deal with to safe it to a regular beer faucet.

Voila! Now you can dispense your beer in 3D printed fashion!

The place can you discover the Dietz’s superior 3D printed merchandise? Take a look at their firm, Pour Yours, the place they’re promoting the Connect-a-Faucet and faucets on Etsy till their on-line retailer is prepared. To study extra, you may also comply with them on Fb and Twitter.

Do you suppose you have got what it takes to be our subsequent Hacker of the Month? Merely comply with us on Fb/Twitter or e-mail [email protected]. Inform us about your undertaking or 3D printed creation, and you can be featured in our subsequent publication. The Hacker of the Month may even win a free spool of PRO Collection PLA or ABS filament to additional their pursuit of 3D printing greatness.