Clip On Bushing and Carriage Mount Customizable

thingiverse

I'm creating a design for a bushing and housing that snap together around guide rods, providing full 360-degree constraint. This way, carriages can be removed without taking out the guide rods. I wanted this so I could easily take off my carriages from the machine without having to remove the guide rods. The designed bushing is an octagon, not a circle, which helps prevent binding and ensures better performance during testing and observations. With less surface area in contact with the rod, it reduces friction while still keeping the rod constrained. Using thin 8 mm bushings has given me much better results (tighter tolerance with less friction) than using conventional 24 mm bushings. I'm not sure if longer bushings are of any significant help when multiple bushings are used, but these work great for me. Your mileage may vary, but I'm really happy with their performance. A good first layer is essential for achieving the desired tolerance. To make my life easier, I added a bit of a chamfer, but it still plays an important role in the final result. I've successfully printed the bushing using .stl files with a diameter of 8.05 mm and a length of 8 mm. It mounts securely with two holes instead of four. You can refer to the provided pictures for visual reference. The parametric .scad file allows you to modify the bushing's dimensions, such as diameter and length, to suit your specific needs.