TPU motor mounts for heirloom Electrolux assistent n4 Mixer

The old Electrolux assistent mixers from as long back as the 1940s are built like tanks and many are still in use to this day. The one in the picture was passed down to me from my grandmother and was as far as I understand it bought in her youth in the 1950s or 1960s. The model name is the N4 but it has a 400w motor and some sources seem to refer to this one as the n4d. The line of mixers is still produced today but is now called “Ankersrum" and many parts are still compatible. The machine do however cost up to 1000 usd depending on the model and where you buy them.

So this is without a doubt the most valuable print I've ever done. Not having to buy a new dough mixer paid for the printer and much more in one go. But more importantly, it saved an heirloom from going to the tip and lets me have this wonderful connection to my grandmother. 

Thanks to 3d printing I get to bake her recipes, the bread and cookies I've eaten since I was a child, in the same mixer that she always baked them in. A machine that's been with her since her youth, long before I or even my mother was born.

The part

Looking online there are lots of people that like to restore them and many replacement parts are available to this day.  I have however not been able to find one of the most important parts, the motor mounts, available from either official sources or by third parties. 

The motor mount that was originally made from some kind of rubber tend to try over time, in the end tilting the motors position and allowing the pulley between the motor and the gearbox to slide off during use. As seen in the picture, my mounts were dry to the point of crumbling and there were no chance restoring them. Instead I give 3d printing them a shot. 

First I was going to 3d print a mould and cast them in silicone but decided printing them directly out of TPU was worth a shot. After many uses I can confirm that it's absolutely enough for my limited use of the machine. There is no sign of deformation or melting after many uses. But I haven't made any large batches back to back. So if you run in to issues you can always cast them in silicone like I originally planned to do.

Print settings and installation

The parts was printed with generic TPU with a 0.6 mm nozzle/line width, 0.2mm layer height, three walls and 30% cubic infill, 1 mm top and bottom thickness.

Since you want and it's design for a snug fit. Not to mention with my printer, filament and settings in mind, you might have to change hole horizontal expansion for it to work perfectly for you. 

I recommend printing test pieces out of cheap pla at first to get an idea of how far off the fit is for your setup. If it's just slightly too tight you can use a hobby knife to trim a bit off the print to make it fit.

Obligatory safety warning: The machine uses mains voltage and contains capacitors so is not suitable for people not properly trained in the safety precautions needed. Never work on a device that is plugged in or not properly discharged. You are responsible it's being done safely and legally. 

First step is to unscrew the bottom plate of the mixer and everything holding the motor down. This includes capacitor and wires that are connected to the motor. Document how everything looks before your install so that everything is correctly connected when mounting it back together. 

Replace the rubber mounts with your printed parts. Now connect everything back together as per your own documentation.  I found this video about capacitor replacement for the same model quite helpful to get an understanding about the machines inner workings.