This repository contains 3D models, created in Solidworks, and fabrication files for designing and constructing a Partner Preference Test (PPT) chamber. This is divided into three sections, two of which provide mounting holes to tether animals. When not in use, the tether holes and slots on the sides may be covered up by a clip-on hole cover. This cover can slide from the slot to the hole, covering one at a time.
The walls of this chamber are laser cut out of clear 3/16" acrylic sheets, painted matte white where needed, and assembled using plastic cement. The files used on the laser cutters are located in the DXF directory. To optimize the nesting of parts on as few acrylic sheets as possible, we use an open source software called Deepnest. We 3D print the hole cover clips on a Zortrax M200 Plus FDM printer with PLA, ABS, or Z-ULTRAT filament. The .STL file for this is in the STL folder along with a PPT_cornerBracket file, which is just used to hold the corners of the chamber together while gluing.
| Part | Description | Quantity |
|---|---|---|
| PPT_Floor | Laser cut PPT_Floor.dxf | 1 |
| PPT_LongWall | Laser cut PPT_LongWall.dxf | 2 |
| PPT_SideWall | Laser cut PPT_SideWall.dxf | 2 |
| PPT_InsertGuide_Large | Laser cut PPT_InsertGuide_Large.dxf | 4 |
| PPT_InsertGuide_Small | Laser cut PPT_InsertGuide_Small.dxf | 4 |
| PPT_HoleCover | Laser cut PPT_HoleCover.DXF | 2 |
| PPT_HoleCover_Clip | 3D printed PLA/ABS PPT_HoleCover_Clip.stl | 2 |
| Plastic Cement | Plastruct Plastic Weld or IPS Weld-On 3 Acrylic Plastic Cement | <1 |
| Matte White Paint | Krylon Fusion All-In-One Spray Paint, Matte, White, 12 oz. | <1 |
| PPT_CornerBracket | Optional 3D printed PLA/ABS PPT_CornerBracket | 4 |
The brand of acrylic cement is not important, as long as it can hold the acrylic pieces together. Similarly, the brand of paint is unimportant and can either be matte or flat, although matte finishes can typically withstand more cleaning.
Note: If the wall thickness is adjusted, the 3D models and .DXF files must also be modified. This can be done in the text file, PPTequations.txt, which contains equations used for each Solidworks part. Simply change the "WallThickness" and/or "FloorThickness" to the desired value and rebuild or refresh the part files. This can also be done with the other variables in PPTequations.txt if wanting to modify the width, height, or depth of the PPT chamber. Changing this file will change dimensions in every part file.