Ball Jointed Arm for iPad mount

thingiverse

This is my design for a ball jointed arm that I use to hold an iPad 2. I took apart an old iPad case with a pivot ring in the back to use to hold the iPad itself and simply mounted it to the arm using the pivot. This will eventually go into my Bronco as a navigation tool for off-roading. Mounting the socket of the stand requires three, 3mm screws or bolts, depending on your application. I have it screwed to my desk for testing and demo purposes. Materials are PLA with 3mm hardware for the assembly screws and joints. The ball and socket have the same radius, so the fit is very snug, which you need to support the weight of the iPad. Since wear is a factor, I also included a "grip pad" that I intend to make out of TPU to help ensure a tight fit for the ball, though I don't see a reason why PLA can't be used. Minor defects in the contact surfaces of the ball joint are not an issue since they can actually increase friction and holding strength. If you have too much friction, simply loosen the screws holding the two pieces of the socket together. I recommend that you roll the joint in all directions for a few minutes, to help break it in and smooth out the surfaces of both ball and socket. I highly recommend that you make the walls of the ball at least 2 mm thick with at least 50% infill to ensure strength. I snapped my prototype at the neck when I had the walls at 0.8 mm thick and 30% infill.