Aperture Box

myminifactory

I've created an iris box design featuring 8 doors, producing a sliding octagonal aperture. The box is also known as the Aperture-Iris Box due to its resemblance to the Aperture Science logo from the Portal game universe. A new simple mechanism design utilizes sliding dovetail joints and screwed hinge joints, making it easy to open by pushing the handles on the doors in a clockwise direction. You can find more iris box designs on my profile page, including an improved version of this design called 'Aperture-Iris Box'. The box measures approximately 80mm wide, 80mm tall, and has a 64mm container opening. The part files are designed for M2x6 countersunk/flathead screws, requiring 16 screws in total for the box. The parts can be scaled to use larger or smaller screws, such as M3x8 screws at 150% scale. Note that buying screws in bulk from a specialist supplier is a cost-effective option. Two versions of the container are included: the standard container and a shortened container, both of which fit into the box differently. There are also two types of 'door' part: the 'Door handle' with a ridge to grip and open the box, and the plain 'door' part without a handle extension. Before printing all the parts, make sure the sliding dovetail and screw joints work correctly with your print settings. Supports are required for the overhanging section of the dovetail on the door parts. I've included extra gaps in the dovetail to account for any support residue that may remain after printing. I recommend testing the joints by printing one 'link' and two 'Door' parts. The sliding dovetail joints may be a little stiff at first, but should slide smoothly with very little effort once they're broken in. Materials with low friction work best, such as standard PLA, and adding a lubricant can help significantly. Check that your screws fit securely in the holes on the base of the doors, but are free to spin in the link holes and have a flush head surface. You may need to use hole xy compensation to get a good fit. To print the box, you'll need 8x 'Door', 8x 'Link', and 1x 'Container' (standard or shortened version). Assembly is straightforward: slide all the door parts together, then screw the non-pointed end of the links to the container, and finally screw the other end of the links to the base of the doors. It's easiest to open the box using your right thumb and fingers near the centre of the box on an opposing pair of door handles. If you're struggling with friction, I've designed a 'Key' part that opens the box very easily. Let me know if you have any questions or problems with the design.