Chain Link

thingiverse

The process of modeling chain links is quite tricky for a plastic extrusion printer like the Makerbot, as there are limited variations that don't have extreme overhangs. However, an inspiring design from http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:519 has been working well. The unique feature of this design is that both the 'ball' and 'socket' of each link face in the same direction, causing alternating directions in assembled chains. This arrangement gives the chain a flattened, "belt-like" quality, potentially useful as a belt attached to a large wheel. Each link can pivot about 35-40 degrees before risking detachment. Future improvements include a deeper gap between fork fingers for increased pivot range and higher thumb section for pivoting in opposite directions. Stronger fork tips that don't break easily are also planned. The .stl and Maya .ma files are provided for customization, and the design is suitable for Makerbot printers with a 17-minute print time.