Project Rigel CHAMP

grabcad

Emphasizing the potential of 3D printing, the "NASA wrench" serves as an excellent illustration, being exclusively printable and unattainable through traditional means. It can even be used straight from the printer. Inspired by this, I approached my project with a "thinking outside-the-box" mentality, creating prototypes and making numerous adjustments until the "Project Rigel CHAMP" was born—a one-of-a-kind design. Key features of this innovative clamp include: 1) Easy attachment/removal with one hand, 2) A rigid connection to the handrail with high clamping force in both x and y directions, preventing slippage and rotation, 3) Seat track compatibility that maintains the same position as the old clamp, 4) Safe design with no sharp edges, 5) Optimization for FDM 3D printing with specific clearances, overhang degrees, layer heights, and support-free prints, 6) A single print in two parts without assembly or disassembly, 7) Installation straight from the printer to save astronaut time, 8) Tested with real 3D printed prototypes (PLA, though ABS should be feasible), 9) Absence of pins (a weak point in other concepts), 10) Intuitive use without a manual, 11) Clear lock position and consistent clamping force, 12) Inadvertent disconnection prevention, 13) Dimensions adhering to requirements, and 14) Easy adaptation of clamp force through slope modifications. Developed using Creo Parametric Academic Edition software, the prototypes were printed on a CTC Desktop 3D Printer with PLA filament at a 0.25mm layer height, 4 solid top and bottom layers, and 2 outline layers with 15% infill. Simplify3D version 2.2.2 was utilized for toolpath generation. The clamp force principle involves rotational movement of the latch, resulting in elastic deformation due to slopes, generating a clamp force in both x and y directions. Video demonstrations can be found on YouTube, showcasing version 7 renderings and prototypes. Updates to version 9 include shortening the latch to eliminate space between the slope's end and housing in the closed position. On March 11, 2015, an update featured the maximum clamp force Fx (maximum slope possibility with this design). The project is named after the seventh brightest star in the night sky, and "Riegel" means "latch" in German. Thinking about 3D printing's potential, it opens possibilities for an open community of designers, sharing open-source designs, and even a 3D printer on Mars, allowing everyone to contribute their designs to space exploration.