Locking ball and socket arm

thingiverse

Want to support me? Interested in the PCB holder shown in the picture and want to help me out? Check out Stickvise, my low profile soldering vise: Information: http://www.stickvise.com Buy it on Amazon: http://amzn.to/2dgmQCE The ball and socket system I created is upgraded with a quarter turn twist lock on each ball joint to significantly increase pullout strength. My goal was to design a ball and socket system that's not only 3D printable but also extremely strong and won't easily pop apart. This makes it perfect for items like an LED lamp arm or heavy duty alligator clip where you don't want the neck to break. My original project, Locking Ball and Socket Gooseneck System, was posted on Hackaday: https://hackaday.io/project/5739 Update 5/17/15 New STL files have been uploaded to the site on 5/17/15. They should work better with printers that use larger layer heights or lower resolutions. Instructions Printing I printed the parts with the socket facing up, which minimizes supports inside the socket and makes it easier to remove from the ball. A layer resolution of .01" (0.25mm) worked fine for me, but you may get by with larger layers if needed. Use a fairly dense infill if you want these to be nice and strong. Assembly Place the nut over the ball joint before snapping the socket onto it. Then snap the socket onto the ball, using moderate force. Next, slide the nut onto the socket and make sure the locking features are aligned properly. Twist it a quarter turn to lock it in place. The small hex flats are 10mm, while the large hex flats on the twist-lock nut are 19mm. Repeat this process for any additional joints.