Radio Frequency (RF) & Wireless Design

Here's another article about 3D printing of antenna accessories :

https://k1fm.us/category/3d-printing/

And here's a few more from makerbot thingiverse :

https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:2497461

https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:19548

https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:946565

https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:1720696

https://www.thingiverse.com/search?q=yagi&type=things&sort=relevant

Those are some awesome solutions!

There is also a paper with several examples of printed circuits. It uses an expensive conductive filament but it’s very interesting for research projects to explore new designs and configurations very rapidly.

Paper: http://people.duke.edu/~bjw24/Publication86.pdf

Filament: http://people.duke.edu/~bjw24/Publication86.pdf

There is also the hypothesis of printing with conductive inks.

MIT technology description: https://tlo.mit.edu/node/3779/pdf  

yep ! just use you imagination.

However, like any antenna, as long as its conductive its an antenna ! It's NOT a good antenna, but it works.

The idea like for all engineering and design is to create a great antenna using simulation tools and CAD models to see where the boundaries are and what elements add significant performance inclusive to the design.

There are millions of antenna designs and the permutations and combinations of various very subtle design elements can change your performance characteristics, especially at higher frequencies (GHz or millimeter) where wavelengths are small.

So I invite all to explore and to experiment where ever your interests may be pointing to.

A other example i saw: https://3dprintingindustry.com/news/optisys-reducing-antenna-parts-99-3d-printing-simulation-software-116509/

hi. do you try to use carbon conductive paint for make a antena?

You use conductive paint and the material properties of the paint will determine the conductivity, especially in paint thickness and area coverage.

Carbon is a resistor, not a conductor ! So NO don't use carbon, unless you are talking graphene.

yes i am talking about graphene.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FTAtd6sXFkE

well that's different then ! - say graphene NOT carbon.

FYI, you guys in the UK have cornered the market on graphene !

I saw a video recently where a prof wants to use radioactive diamonds as a battery, but at the end he mentions that its good for 10 microWatts - humhp !! a big disappointment ! https://youtu.be/9fgf0bLuDFk

Daniel, I noted your post on MIT's hypothesis for conductive inks. This is patent pending, and I am doubtful they will be awarded as a patent, as there are a number of machines sold that are using this approach outside of MIT. We own and operate Nano-Dimensions' Dragon Fly LDM machine which uses Nano-Silver conductive ink and dielectric inks to form 3D printed Additive Manufactured Electronics (AME). https://www.nano-di.com/

Thank you for the link singlefonts (don't know your real name) !

What's important about the article is not necessarily about the 3D printing portion, but the simulation software that is historically very expensive.

BTW, here's the follow on article about the 3D printed ham antenna :

https://3dprintingindustry.com/news/3d-printing-enables-low-cost-lightweight-horn-antenna-105359/

I used it for 3d printer headbed.

exmple for that https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:946565 you can try print difernt not corect hor/vert. shape for antenna booster then paint with it...

sorry my english so poor

it's okay, mine is not so good either ! ;-b

I think you have to be British to speak proper English.

But Australian or South African English might be closer.

We Americans have our own jive version depending on where we live in the states.

Although Californians consider that they don't have an accent !

(little do they know)

look at this man https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FTAtd6sXFkE

im Lithuanian living in uk. so....

strange that man was FREE not payable...youtube take MONOPOLY of teach people

I created a model from the article that singlefonts posted.

Take a look ! :

Grabcad model

10 GHz (3mm) Amateur Radio 'Ham' Horn

This is a model of a 10 GHz (3mm) Amateur Radio 'Ham' Horn Feed that was used on a project to determine the value of 3D printing rather than machining this part. This horn was created from an article titled "How 3D printing enables low-cost, lightweight horn antenna" located here : https://3dprin...

This is an older antenna that is also a great candidate for 3D printing !

Grabcad model

3D Vivaldi Antenna

I have seen many planar Vivaldi Antennas for both vertical and horizontal polarization, but decided to create one that has a true circular polarization. This is the beginning of my efforts. This antenna cannot be made from traditional means very easily from standard manufacturing techniques, but ...

Also here's my latest 3D printing antenna experiment that I just created  called the 'Stack of Squares' Broadband Inverted Pyramid Antenna :

Grabcad model

'Stack of Squares' Broadband Inverted Pyramid Antenna

This is a model of a 'Stack of Squares' (4^2 ~ 3^2 ~ 2^2 ~ 1^2) Inverted Pyramid Broadband Antenna that I created custom to see what unique shape antenna I could model that was well suited for 3D printing. This can be printed in a polymer and then sprayed with conductive paint, but is probably be...