3d Printed Braille Business Card (Double Sided)

While discussing 3d design projects with St. Joseph's School for the Blind in Jersey City, New Jersey (Thank you Lauren Marron for her assistance), the question about 3d printing a business card with braille arose. With the assistance of an Openscad braille generator (Leona Holloway https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:4167866/files) and Tinkercad, I developed a 3d printed braille business card. The business card has traditional width and length dimensions. Its depth is thicker.

Tinkercad Braille Business Card File

Braille Generator

Openscad

1. After opening the Tinkercad file, please make a copy (Ctrl+C) and paste (Ctrl+V) into a new, blank Tinkercad window.
2. Ungroup the elements in the business card by selecting the business card and then by selecting the "Ungroup" icon, which is a square connected to a complete circle.
3. Select a text box.
4. Make sure to click the 'down arrow' next to "Text Box". This provides an opportunity to adjust text inputs.
5. Place cursor in text box and change name
6. Continue step #2 for the two additional text boxes on the front of the business card.

Braille Notes

• Each braille character requires .25 inch, which means you have 13 characters per line on a business card
• How should you reduce certain information like email address?
• Good question! First, seek the advice of someone who knows braille well. I recently shared three ideas on how to write SJSB properly on the business card with braille and all three were incorrect! Ask for help.
• For emails: I think it is okay to break up your email address across all three lines. Ask advice on whether your need hyphen's to indicate email address continues

1. After downloading Openscad, open the braille .scad file found on Thingiverse. braille generator file
2. Enter characters you would like to be translated in Braille on line 544.
3. After entering the characters you would like; for example ["cap","M","A","K","E"] which would spell Make, change the "char_count" on line 546 to match the number of characters you entered, in this case 5.
4. Go to Design, Render
5. Double check Braille Alphabet Card
6. Export braille generator tile as an .STL file
7. Repeat steps 2 - 5 for additional braille generated .stl tiles

1. Go back to your Tinkercad file
2. Import your first braille .stl tile
3. The imported file usually opens up in the Tinkercad workplane facing to the right.
4. Turn the braille tile -90 degrees along the X-axis
5. Double check that braille is still oriented correctly
6. Tinkercad tip: If you have trouble clicking on an element because other elements are too close, click on the element in your way and then tap the 'light bulb' icon next to the pop up "Shape" window for that element. This hides the element. Do not worry, it is not deleted! When you are done, just tap the light bulb icon on the top Tinkercad file bar.
7. "Ungroup" the business card. This allows you to view each element separately.
8. When you select the top braille tile under "Ian Matty", the tile is 32.52 mm off of the floor and starts at X=3.00 position.
9. Enter those figures for your new braille tile. You may have to move it slightly left or right. Remember to delete the original braille tile.
10. Braille height is standard! Please do not adjust the height of the braille dots
11. Repeat step #2 for additional braille tiles you would like to add to the front of the business card.

1. Go to Noun Project and select an icon.
2. Download .SVG version (or png version and then find a png to svg converter)
3. Import .SVG file into Tinkercad
4. Flip icon 90 degrees
5. Locate on the front of your business card wherever you like

The current back of the business card says "scan me" with text and braille. Then there is a square box, approximately 1.75" per interior side. You can print out and place a QR code here. I like using Flowcode, however there are many apps to create QR codes. With Flowcode you can easily add audio files that you create.

If you would like to add an email address or other information, delete "scan me" and the QR square bracket. Follow instructions for adding text and braille for the front side and create for the back side of the card. Be sure to keep the same X,Y starting coordinates for Braille tiles as with "scan me".

The good news is that any standard printer can print a business card. Braille prints best when printed vertically.

How do I ensure a good print? Do I need to print with supports?

Good questions.

I recommend printing with a raft and no supports. Printing slower helps when you do not have supports.

Recommended Print Settings

Layer Height = .20 mm

Infill = 30%

#Walls; Vertical and Horizontal (top / bottom) = 3

Speed = 40 mm/second

Bed Adhesion = Raft

Supports = No

Estimated Print Time = 1 hr 40 minutes; +/- 15 minutes based on your slicer's default infill and speed adjustments

Estimated Print Weight = 15 grams

Questions? Please email LakerMakersClub@gmail.com