Roller Chain

thingiverse

This is a printable roller chain that's ready to roll as soon as it comes off the printer. Each segment printed is a self-contained unit, and you can easily snap any link or add new ones to your heart's content. Don't bother with supports; I use rafts instead, and it works just fine without them. However, I've found that using a raft gives the chain a nice curve - not a bad thing, but something to keep in mind. The solidworks models are included so you can print as long or short of a chain as you like. I tend to keep mine relatively short, just in case things go south during printing - it's always a hassle to start over from scratch. On the other hand, individual segments can be joined together after they're printed, giving you some flexibility. One final thing: make sure the chain is lying flat on the print bed so that the pivot axes are parallel to it - easy enough to do, but worth mentioning just in case.