Today I received a package from JLCPCB with some nice 3D printed parts. Here is a photo with a sample:
These parts have been printed by JLCPCB using a process called MJF using PA12-HP Nylon. The two PDP-8/e switch levers are natural grey and Vince's nice DEC panel bracket is dyed black.
The front switch lever is Vince's design with integral pivot pins (switch-vrs.stl) and the rear switch lever is Doug's design with through-hole instead of pivot pins (Doug_paddle_25_86.stl).
These Nylon parts are beautiful and are
very strong. The most fragile part would be the pivot pins, but I couldn't break it when I tried.
I previously printed the bracket in ABS on my Creality Ender 5. The part looked fine after some Acetone smoothing, but the two pins broke off after short period of use. I didn't bother trying the switch levers because I didn't expect it to be strong enough.
After seeing the quality and the strength of the JLCPCB printed parts I am thinking of selling my Creality Ender 5. It is just an expensive toy and only suitable for printing toys which don't require much strength. The Ender 5 was a waste of money. Given the low volumes I occasionally need it makes much more sense to get parts printed professionally than trying to do it myself - even if I could approximate the quality and strength - which I cannot.