The Goal:
For a CAD design course, I designed a four bar linkage with the goal of printing it out as a fully working model.
Project Description:
The project itself was restricted in size so that the four bars would have to fit and rotate within an 8.5 by 11 inch rectangle. The bars are my own design while the hardware for the spacers and bolts I found on McMaster-Carr’s website.
What went right:
In the end, all four bars printed and experiments with PETG for the bolts were also successful. The entire assembly rotated as it had in the CAD simulations and was overall very successful.
What went wrong:
Printing errors slowed the project down significantly. I regularly fixed the printer from clogged nozzles to extruder failures. Moreover, this was my first foray into PETG and experimenting with the different type of plastic was certainly difficult as well.
I also learned not to print out nuts or bolts on a 3d printer when I could have run down to the hardware store and bought some. I wanted this project to be 100% 3d printed but the plastic screws sheared many times.
Outcome:
The final model worked perfectly, albeit with more friction than I had anticipated.
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