machineree / OpenSCAD_Linkages_Library

OpenSCAD library to create multiple types of mechanical linkages in 2D and 3D.

OpenSCAD_Linkages_Library

OpenSCAD library to create multiple types of mechanical linkages in 2D and 3D.

Thingiverse Thing: 2081445

v.02 - February 5, 2017

• linkages.scad: 2D & 3D linkages in one library

• Added help function: linkagehelp();
• Added linkwidthangle, linksurroundangle in 2D & 3D for angled flat bar linkages with 2/3 holes
• Renamed modules to fit scheme
• Changed slots in linkwidth & linksurround to true/false
• scale(in()) for inches
• scale(cm()) for centimeters

v.01 - January 31, 2017

• linkages.scad: 3D Linkages
• linkages2D.scad: 2D Linkages to be exported .SVG or .DXF
• linkageex.scad: examples of some of the operations and functions of the library

Add to your library folder in OpenSCAD and use the include function to begin using these modules.

include <linkages.scad>

OpenSCAD Libraries (Manual)

Default units are mm.

3D Linkages

1. linkwidth(holeD,width,length,thick,slot=false);

• holeD: diameter of the holes at each end
• width: width of the part (must be greater than holeD)
• length: distance between outer holes from center
• thick: thickness of the part or Z value
• slot: true for a slot

2. linkwidththree(holeD,width,length,thick,three);

• holeD: diameter of the holes at each end
• width: width of the part
• length: distance between outer holes from center
• thick: thickness of the part or Z value
• three: distance a third hole is from the first hole, choose length/2 for center hole

3. linkwidthrot(holeD,width,length,thick,rot);

• holeD: diameter of the holes at each end
• width: width of the part
• length: distance between outer holes from center
• thick: thickness of the part or Z value
• rot: angle of rotation for the second hole to create angular linkages

4. linkwidthangle(holeD,width,length1,length2,thick,angle);

• holeD: diameter of the holes at each end
• width: width of the part (must be greater than holeD)
• length1: distance between holes from center, first section
• length2: distance between holes from center, angled/second section
• thick: thickness of the part or Z value
• angle: angle of second section referenced from first section

5. linksurround(holeD,surround,length,thick,slot=false);

• holeD: diameter of the holes at each end
• surround: distance from the edge of the hole to the edge of the part
• length: distance between outer holes from center
• thick: thickness of the part or Z value
• slot: true for a slot

6. linksurroundthree(holeD,surround,length,thick,three);

• holeD: diameter of the holes at each end
• surround: distance from the edge of the hole to the edge of the part
• length: distance between outer holes from center
• thick: thickness of the part or Z value
• three: distance a third hole is from the first hole, choose length/2 for center hole

7. linksurroundrot(holeD,surround,length,thick,rot);

• holeD: diameter of the holes at each end
• surround: distance from the edge of the hole to the edge of the part
• length: distance between outer holes from center
• thick: thickness of the part or Z value
• rot: angle of rotation for the second hole to create angular linkages

8. linksurroundangle(holeD,surround,length1, length2,thick, angle);

• holeD: diameter of the holes at each end
• surround: distance from the edge of the hole to the edge of the part
• length1: distance between holes from center, first section
• length2: distance between holes from center, angled/second section
• thick: thickness of the part or Z value
• angle: angle of second section referenced from first section

2D Linkages

1. linkwidth2D(holeD,width,length,slot=false);

• holeD: diameter of the holes at each end
• width: width of the part (must be greater than holeD)
• length: distance between outer holes from center
• slot: true for a slot

2. linkwidththree2D(holeD,width,length,three);

• holeD: diameter of the holes at each end
• width: width of the part
• length: distance between outer holes from center
• three: distance a third hole is from the first hole, choose length/2 for center hole

3. linkwidthangle2D(holeD,width,length1,length2,angle);

• holeD: diameter of the holes at each end
• width: width of the part (must be greater than holeD)
• length1: distance between holes from center, first section
• length2: distance between holes from center, angled/second section
• angle: angle of second section referenced from first section

4. linksurround2D(holeD,surround,length,slot=false);

• holeD: diameter of the holes at each end
• surround: distance from the edge of the hole to the edge of the part
• length: distance between outer holes from center
• slot: true for a slot

5. linksurroundthree2D(holeD,surround,length,three);

• holeD: diameter of the holes at each end
• surround: distance from the edge of the hole to the edge of the part
• length: distance between outer holes from center
• three: distance a third hole is from the first hole, choose length/2 for center hole

6. linksurroundangle2D(holeD,surround,length1,length2,angle);

• holeD: diameter of the holes at each end
• surround: distance from the edge of the hole to the edge of the part
• length1: distance between holes from center, first section
• length2: distance between holes from center, angled/second section
• angle: angle of second section referenced from first section

###Naming Strategy:

link+(width/surround)+(three/rot/angle)+(2D)

###Examples!

Using basic linkwidth and the slot:

include <linkages.scad>

linkwidth(2,5,20,1);

translate([7.5,0,0]) linkwidth(2,5,20,1,slot=true);

Comparison of linkwidth to linksurround with the same values in mm:

include <linkages.scad>

linkwidth(2,5,20,1);

translate([15,0,0]) linksurround(2,5,20,1);

Using basic linkwidththree to determine custom distance to middle hole using a specific number or dividing by length used for the linkage:

include <linkages.scad>

linkwidththree(2,5,20,1,4);

translate([7.5,0,0]) linkwidththree(2,5,20,1,20/2);

Using linkwidthrot for complicated angled/twist linkages, using positive and negative degrees:

include <linkages.scad>

linkwidthrot(2,5,20,1,45);

translate([7.5,0,0]) linkwidthrot(2,5,20,1,-45);

translate([15,0,0]) linkwidthrot(2,5,20,1,90);

Using linkwidthrot and 90 degree linkages with flat sides. This is accomplished by making the height value the same as the width value. For linksurroundrot the height would have to be holeD+surround+surround. This is the result:

include <linkages.scad>

linkwidthrot(2,5,20,5,90);

Using linkwidthangle to create flat angled linkages, using different length segments, positive and negative angles:

include <linkages.scad>

linkwidthangle(2,5,20,20,1,45);

translate([15,0,0]) linkwidthangle(2,5,20,40,1,-90);

Comparison of scaling the same linkage in inches, centimeters, and millimeters:

include <linkages.scad>

scale(in()) linkwidth(.25,.5,3,.125);

translate([15,0,0]) scale(cm()) linkwidth(.25,.5,3,.125);

translate([22.5,0,0]) linkwidth(.25,.5,3,.125);

Simple 2X Pantograph displaying pieces, colors, and wireframe:

include <linkages.scad>

range=12;
thick=1;

color("red")
linkwidththree (1,2,range,thick,range/4);
color("blue")
translate([range/2,range/4,0])linkwidththree (1,2,3*range/4,thick,range/4);
color("yellow")
translate([0,range/4,thick]) rotate([0,0,-90]) linkwidth(1,2,range/2,thick);
color("green")
translate([0,range,thick]) rotate([0,0,-90]) linkwidththree (1,2,range,thick,range/2);

Output of help within OpenSCAD console:

include <linkages.scad>

linkagehelp();