3D printing of electric skateboard parts is not a new concept
Some of the members in this community have actually built businesses around 3D printing parts so esk8 Builders can pimp their rides.
This article dates back to 2015;
However, don’t get too excited, commonly these products are aesthetic improvements only, cases for remote controls and other electronic component enclosures, battery boxes, mudguards and fenders for wheels etc.
If you want to experiment, there is an entire thread on the topic of 3D printed esk8 parts here:
Generally speaking, most 3d printed esk8 parts tend to be printed using FDM (Fused deposition modelling) printers & the parts are non-structural, non-critical components. With the most common filament for maximum service life being ABS or Nylon.
There are special filaments available with carbon fibre & glass fibre for reinforcement. https://shop.prusa3d.com/en/filament/93-20-carbon-fiber-xt-cf20-filament-750g.html
The obvious disadvantages and limitations inherent with FDM 3D printed parts made using common filaments such as ABS is that these 3D parts are not chemical resistant, cannot tolerate high temperature and they are not suitable for parts that need to be very strong or have high tensile strength, such as motor mounts or motor pulleys, or anything that must hold up reliably under a full load of a rider combined with the torque from the motors.
Of course, there are some exceptions to this rule, there are definitely some esk8 builders who have had success 3D printing wheel pulleys using FDM 3D printers & ABS or Nylon filament.
The fact remains, you are at greater risk of injury when using a 3D printed part, if the premature failure of that part leads to a malfunction, such as no brakes!
So, for now, you won’t see 3D printed parts on any production boards or high-performance boards.
But maybe that is about to change?
In the near future you may simply be able to 3D print a new Motor Mount or Gearbox.
Netherlands-based 3D printing material manufacturer Liqcreate now offers a new ultra-rigid ceramic-reinforced composite resin called Composite-X.
Liqcreate’s latest material is designed to be the strongest in its engineering range, and features an impressive flexural modulus of over 9000 MPa. Once cured, the ceramic-infused resin can become stiffer still, lending it potential applications in the production of more heavy-duty components
Would you buy an SLA printer if you could print parts robust enough to use reliably on your esk8?