Custom Beer Tap Handles for AMUG
March 2024
Endeavor 3D wanted to design some fun parts to show off their new custom dye-colors at the Additive Manufacturing Users Group (AMUG) conference in Chicago. They had the idea to create tap handles to mount on beer kegs at their booth. They reached out and asked me to come up with some concepts for AMUG and Chicago themed taps. The main requirements were that the design should predominantly feature reds, oranges, yellows, and blacks, and that they include elements more unique to 3D printing. The tap size and threading guidelines (pictured right) were determined through online research.
AMUG Design
When designing the AMUG handle, I wanted to capture the circular elements of the logo, and immediately thought of incorporating orbitally rotating components, as seen in the inspiration image on the slide. Each ring would be printed and dyed separately and then snap fit together. We also decided to lattice the handle to give it additional aesthetic interest.
Chicago Design
For the Chicago handle, I wanted to utilize an iconic city symbol. When looking through inspiration images, the Chicago theater sign stood out as an image that utilized the requested dye colors, and could potentially even incorporate embedded LED lights to make it pop. Each would be designed as a single piece that could be dyed separately and assembled together.
Design for Manufacturing
My experience designing HP MJF assemblies allowed me to estimate component thicknesses and clearances such that the assemblies went together on the first try, with only minor fit adjustments required. This reduced the overall design time and cost for Endeavor and allowed them to have final designs in hand in less than a week so that they could focus on printing, dyeing, and assembling the taps. The assembly was designed to minimize the number of components and simplify interfaces such that they could be built quickly to cut down on labor time in final production.