I needed a simple solution to store glass microscope slides with polymer samples on so that I could safely move them between the lab where I work and the microscope facility at the University of Liverpool. I ended up re-designing this box several times for different projects until I ultimately decided to just make a parametric version. Other people started asking about it and if I could make them one for their slides and projects until I eventually decided to just share the design here. There's information on how to generate your own box below. The text on the one pictured here was engraved using a fibre laser, but if you have access to a filament changing printer you could also embed text that way. ![[Close Up Good 1.jpg]] ![[Lid and Inside Good.jpg]] # Manufacturing Techniques Required ==Required Manufacturing Technologies== - [[Basic FDM 3D Printer]] ==Optional Manufacturing Technologies== - __None__ # Digital Files ## GitHub The primary repository for the project can be found on GitHub under [OpenLabBoxes](https://github.com/SGTHANKI/OpenLabBoxes). It will always have the most up to date version of the project and any new forks/versions will be posted there first. ## Printables The project is also hosted on [Printables](https://www.printables.com/@Hungry_Hank_1776250) where some printer specific 3mf files can be found for printers I have access to. # How To Generate Your Own Custom Box Start by downloading and opening the FreeCAD Design fiies, you're screen will look a little like the one below. ![[Pasted image 20250224200147.png]] Click on VarSet and you'll be greeted with all the parametric constraints for the design, also shown below: ![[Pasted image 20250224200241.png]] A brief summary of the key parameters you might want to change is given below. ==Please Note: Num Slides Integer and Num Slides Scalar should be the same for best results. One controls the spacing, the other the number of slots for slides.== ==Second Note: If your lid to too tight or loose change Lid Tolerance, it controls the gap between the lid and base making it more or less snug==. - Box Base L = Length of the Box - Box Base H = Height of Box - Box Base W = Width of the Box - Lid Wall Thickness = Thickness of the lid, increase if you want to embed text in a different colour as you print. - Lid Tolerance = The tolerance gap between the base and lid, make bigger if the lid is too tight, smaller if too loose. - Num Slides Integer = One of the two slide generation variables, this one controls the number of slide slots generated. - Num Slides Scalar = The other slide generation variable, it controls the spacing of the slides. For best results leave these two as equal to each other. - Slide H, Slide Thickness, Slide W == the Height, thickness and width of your slides respectively. - Thumb Groove Diameter = The diameter of the circular groove down the centre of the base to make it easier to get the slides out.