Simple Polygon Elements

thingiverse

Regular polygonal frames with genderless hinges, boasting simplicity in design. They are easy to connect and disconnect. By default, each side measures 8cm. These innovative models were created after attempting mrule's faces (http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:5961), which proved too small for accurate printing with my RepRap and challenging when scaled up. The locking mechanism is borrowed from the "Polydron Frameworks" product. So far, only triangular shapes have been tested; faces with more sides might lack rigidity. An update has since been made, reducing frame and hook widths while adding a protrusion on female hooks to eliminate holes. The new parts are compatible with older ones. Post-processing is necessary for smooth locking of printed surfaces, especially requiring the use of a knife to remove excess plastic. If your Z axis is too low, trim away any excess plastic impeding motion. The model's source code is in OpenSCAD, featuring human-readable parameter names for easy adjustment within the face() module declaration. Default settings work well with hard green PLA plastic from FormFutura. Adjust hook_width and hook_cone_height to achieve desired connection strength while being cautious not to shorten the hook length, which may limit range of motion.