Copo Lagoinha - 3D Printing the Brazilian Cup // Popular STEM
Greetings, travelers!
If you have had the pleasure to visit my dear and incredible country, Brasil, and went to any pub or bar around here, you probably used one tool that is a true piece of Brazilian Culture: the Copo Lagoinha, as it is called in its said to be birth city Belo Horizonte. We call it Copo Americano here in São Paulo, but one could argue, and I'm one, that it could be called Copo Brasileiro, or the Brazilian Cup.
For this project, I found this fantastic Copo Lagoinha model made by Augusto Castelo from his [profile in Thingiverse] (www.thingiverse.com/augustocastelo/) , a platform where creators share open-source designs. The STL file captured the cup’s iconic proportions, making it an ideal candidate for 3D printing.
The most common and affordable material for printing is PLA (Polylactic Acid), that is a sustainable, biodegradable material made from renewable resources like cornstarch. It’s a favorite among enthusiasts for its eco-friendly properties and ease of use. Using translucent PLA elevated this project, as the material mimics real glass with its ability to catch and reflect light. The semi-transparent finish gave my printed Copo Lagoinha a stunning, glass-like appearance that made the final product both functional and artistic.
Printing Process
Printer: Felix Pro I
Layer Height: 0.1 mm for a smoother surface.
Temperature: 210°C struck the perfect balance for translucent PLA, ensuring strong adhesion and a clear finish.
I suggest sanding and polishing the print after the printing process is done for a smoother and more reflective result.
Hey, thanks for reading up to here!
I want to create more content about Digital Fabrication and 3D Printing, but there are so many possibilities that without any direction it can be too technical. Because of that, I ask you to ask a question about a topic related to it that you have some curiosity about, and all try my best to answer it the best I can. Hope the week, and this month of December, is good for you and your close ones! Cheers