Flower Iris box

myminifactory

My first functional Iris Box features six rotating doors that open and close by turning the dimpled collar which connects to links. The box is printed in separate pieces, assembled with hinges that clip together without needing supports. I have since designed many iris boxes, including improved versions like Flower Iris Box V2 and Double Flower Iris Box, available on my profile page. An interesting aspect of this box is its ability to open with one hand if the parts fit well. It also surprisingly catches insects and spiders effectively. The unaltered STL files require a 0.3 mm layer height for hinges to function properly, as they use ridges that vary by 0.3mm layers. Some parts have two versions, corresponding to 0.4mm and 0.3mm tolerances for hinge parts, due to varying printer types, settings, or filament used. The fit of the parts can also be adjusted using extrusion flowrate adjustment and hole/contour xy compensation (ideamaker is a free slicer that does this). Part Testing It doesn't matter greatly if the link-to-door and link-to-collar hinges are a little loose, but it's essential that the door-to-container hinges fit well to hold the mechanism together. First, print the container and doors 1 and 2, then test the door-to-container hinges by pressing them together slightly. Take note of which door fits better (and adjust settings if necessary), as it was door 2 for me. From experience, it's better to have a part that's a little too tight than too loose, as it will loosen up over time. Printing and Assembly Then go ahead and print all the required parts: six links, six doors, one collar, and one container. Print collar 1 if door 1 was a better fit or collar 2 if door 2 was better. To assemble the box (see assembly picture), first place the collar onto the container. Fit the non-pointed end of the links to the collar, pointing anti-clockwise around the box. This is crucial to get right otherwise the box won't open. Finally, clip all the doors into place on the containers and links. Even within the same print, some hinges can vary. You may want to try different parts together to see which fit best. Due to the overlapping nature of the mechanism, it helps hold the mechanism together if some parts are loose. It can also make adding the last door a bit tricky. The tolerances for the model assembly are 0.3mm. The bottom surface of the door while printing is the top of the box, so ensure the first layer is very neat if you want a nice top finish for the box. You could use a raft for this which would also stop 'elephants foot' on the bottom of the door, making them fit together better during assembly. I recommend using filament with good dimensional accuracy for printing such as PLA.