SilvaDes R&D · Washington, IL
Design & Build Lab
Where SilvaDes parts get scanned, drawn, printed, tested and redrawn. Every project here is a real file from the shop, with its revisions and the part that came off the printer.
Each image is labelled Photo, Render or Scan data.
1234- Polycarbonate window over the filter
- PA6-GF printed shell, 4 parts
- Customer's MAF sensor, factory position
- Hinged lid clip
On the bench now
Lab status board
Render · v5
Render · v5
Render · v5
Render · v5
Photo · v4
Photo · v3
Photo · v4Volvo T6 cold air intake
Intake tube and MAF housing for the P3 Volvo T6. It was designed around the factory MAF sensor, so fitment comes down to one part number.
v5 closed off the sensor-screw holes that broke into the bore on v4, added a gusset under the long boss and changed the hose bead so it prints without supports.
- Material
- PA6-GF glass-filled nylon (Bambu Lab)
- Fits
- Volvo T6 using MAF OE #LR012073
- Bore
- 69.0 mm, constant
- 179 mm tall, printed upright, no supports
- Screws
- OE Volvo screw or M3 heat-set insert version
- Emissions
- Every factory hose stays connected
Revision log
- v2Dec 2025First full intake, printed and test-fit on the car.
- v3Jan 2026Second CAD pass on the housing.
- v4Mar 2026Release version, sold through the store.
- v5Oct 2026Blind sensor-screw bosses, gusset, support-free hose bead, OE or M3 screw versions, molded branding.
Product photos show earlier versions (v4 on the car, v3 printed housing). The CAD renders are the only up-to-date (v5) images until v5 is photographed.
Air filter not included. No CARB Executive Order; not legal for sale or use in California.
Render
Render
RenderClear-top airbox, from a phone scan
A customer wanted to see his intake. The stock airbox on a 2000–05 Mercury Sable 3.0 is solid black plastic, and nobody sells a clear one.
The stock box was scanned on the turntable, rebuilt in CAD against the scan, and redrawn twelve times. It holds the customer's own Spectre filter and MAF sensor behind two polycarbonate windows.
- Vehicle
- 2000–05 Mercury Sable 3.0
- Source
- Phone photogrammetry · 194 + 250 photos
- Parts
- 4 printed shells, 2 polycarbonate windows
- Seal
- Foam gasket at every seam
- 1,117 g · 39 h 57 m after support tuning
- Fit check
- ABS prototype before the final print
v2 to v6: scan envelope, first clear lid and the CAD-vs-scan check. Renders from each saved revision.
- PrepMatte coat and tracking marks so the camera can lock onto a glossy black part.
- ScanLid and box photographed on the turntable, then meshed.
- ScaleCaliper-measured tape references lock the mesh to real millimetres.
- ModelRebuilt in CAD and checked against the scan with deviation maps.
- Releasev12.2: windows face up, because the box sits upright in the bay.
Photo
Photo
Scan data
Scan data
Render
Render
Render · v5.5
Render · v5.5
Render · v5.5
Render
Render
Render
Render
PhotoReveal turntable
A motorized turntable that lifts and spins a part in front of a locked-off camera. It was built from a stripped LulzBot Mini 1, with a new frame and printed mounts.
It shoots the product reveals, and it ran the photo sets for the airbox scan.
v5.5 adds a 190 mm platter riser, so a part wider than the platter clears the tower at every lift height, and longer-stance feet that keep the taller machine planted.
- Unit
- v5.5 · 85-part assembly · 590 mm tall
- Riser
- 190 mm printed tube · platter top 588 mm off the bench
- Stand
- Rod tripod, rev C pucks · 378 × 390 mm pad span
- Donor
- LulzBot Mini 1 steppers and Mini-RAMBo board
- Printed
- Adapter plate, fan rail, mounts
- Firmware
- Custom Marlin build
- Control
- Desktop app · saved calibration, routines, phone remote
- Camera
- Triggers the Canon R50 over Wi-Fi
Lab archive
20 more builds
Brackets, adapters, mounts and one-offs. Most started as a phone photo and a tape measure.
RenderVent-mount gauge pod
Pod that mounts over a Ford Focus dash vent. First of the gauge-pod line.
RenderGauge holder
Round gauge holder with a vented back. Sixth fit prototype.
RenderMercedes E550 intake adapter
Tapered intake adapter for the E550 V8, taken through nine revisions.
RenderLicense plate frame
Blank plate frame, sized to the standard US plate and bolt pattern.
RenderSub box offset
Offset mount for a subwoofer enclosure.
Render24-tooth drive sprocket
Replacement sprocket for a customer. v5 comes one-piece or split for install.
RenderTractor light housing
Replacement work-light housing for a tractor.
RenderDeWalt vac adapter
Swept elbow that couples a DeWalt tool port to a shop vac hose.
RenderTable saw to bucket dust adapter
Half-section view of the adapter that drops table-saw dust into a bucket.
RenderDust boot
Collar-style dust boot for a shop tool.
RenderBench vise
Printed bench vise assembly, modelled as a full working mechanism.
RenderCorner bracket
Two-way corner bracket with cored pockets to save material.
RenderSpeaker shelf
Wall shelf sized to a desk speaker.
RenderSpeaker shelf bracket
L-bracket version of the shelf with open frames to cut weight.
RenderCoat hook
Single wall hook with a rounded tip that won't snag fabric.
RenderBackpack hanger
Wall plate with a curved lip that holds a backpack strap.
RenderWall-mount catchall
Screw-mount tray for keys, wallet and phone.
RenderWall storage set
Backpack hanger and catchall designed as a matching pair.
RenderCustom aviator frames
Aviator frame modelled in Creo around a set of lenses.
RenderSports glasses
Wrap frame with fixed arms and smoked lenses, printed in green.
Materials
Picked for where the part lives
Tap a material to see what I make in it
01 / 06 · Flagship
Glass-filled nylon
The same material family carmakers mold under-hood parts from. It takes engine-bay heat, oil and fuel vapor.
What I make in it
- Cold-air intakes
- MAF and sensor housings
- Intake ducts and airbox shells
- Engine-bay brackets and clips
- Hose and wire-loom holders
Not forExhaust or turbo heat, or anything touching it.
Readout
Relative across these six, not lab specs.
Start a PA6-GF part →02 / 06
Carbon-fiber nylon
The stiffest material I run. Chopped carbon fiber keeps it from flexing, so it holds its shape under vibration. Matte black finish.
What I make in it
- Gauge and sensor brackets
- Electronics and module mounts
- Camera and drone mounts
- Shop jigs and fixtures
- Light and accessory mounts
Not forSteering, suspension, brakes, or anything else that holds the car together.
Readout
Relative across these six, not lab specs.
Start a PA-CF part →03 / 06
Polycarbonate
Tough, heat-resistant and hard to crack. Also the clear option: prints come out translucent with fine layer lines, not glass-clear.
What I make in it
- Windows and see-through lids
- Light covers and diffusers
- Heat-resistant covers
- Impact-resistant enclosures
Not forHeadlight lenses, or anything that has to be glass-clear.
Readout
Relative across these six, not lab specs.
Start a PC part →04 / 06
Outdoor-grade ASA
Holds its color and shape in sun and weather. The pick for anything on the outside of the car.
What I make in it
- Grille and bumper inserts
- Mirror caps and trim pieces
- Badges and emblems
- Cowl and wiper-area trim
- Sensor and antenna covers
Not forEngine-bay heat. That's PA6-GF's job.
Readout
Relative across these six, not lab specs.
Start an ASA part →05 / 06
PETG and ABS
Quick to print and easy to change, so they're what I use for interior parts and first fit-checks. ABS for parts in a cabin that bakes in the sun.
What I make in it
- Dash trim and switch panels
- Gauge and phone mounts
- Console and cupholder inserts
- Organizers and holders
- Fit-check prototypes before the final material
Not forUnder the hood. PETG softens in engine-bay heat.
Readout
Relative across these six, not lab specs.
Start an interior part →06 / 06
Flexible TPU
Rubber-like and tough. It bends, seals and soaks up vibration instead of cracking.
What I make in it
- Grommets and wire boots
- Dust boots and covers
- Vibration pads and isolators
- Light-duty seals and gaskets
- Protective caps and bumpers
Not forSuspension bushings, or anything holding fuel or pressure.
Readout
Relative across these six, not lab specs.
Start a TPU part →No exhaust or turbo heat paths, and nothing safety-critical: steering, suspension and brakes stay metal.
Start a build
Need a part that doesn't exist?
Send a photo, the year, make and model, and where it sits. If it can be scanned, drawn and printed here, you'll get a real quote before any work starts.