Braiding

thingiverse

I've taken the objects shown and generated them via OpenSCAD scripts that were created by JavaScript. Check out this link to see how it's done: http://kitwallace.co.uk/3d/braidmaker.html. This tool braids an NxM grid, adds holes, and provides output as SVG or OpenSCAD. For a complete grid, braiding creates gcd(N,M) separate links or ropes. If N and M are relatively prime, braiding is done with a single rope, while a square grid NxN requires N ropes. The OpenSCAD code generally works but sometimes encounters problems with intersecting polyhedra. I've printed the 2x2 braid (the link L4a1 or Solomon's knot) on the Bristol Hackspace's Reprap with a large brim and support, but it failed due to lack of base adhesion for larger versions. Any suggestions are welcome. The SVG output can be useful for laser-cutting. You can learn more about the algorithm in my blog at http://kitwallace.tumblr.com/post/167911772809/generating-braids-with-javascript.