![\"3d_view\"](\"https:\/\/laurenternes.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/3D_view.png\")
<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
No it\u2019s not for a bicycle. No it\u2019s not for a tank.<\/p>\n
This is made for the proud users of a DIY 3D printer or a CNC.<\/p>\n
This is a cable trunking chain; it is meant to hold a couple of cables and move them along with the X,Y or Z axis while keeping them out of the way of the mechanical parts.<\/p>\n
![\"r7202773-01\"](\"https:\/\/laurenternes.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/R7202773-01.jpg\")
Credits: RS components<\/p><\/div>\n
All respectable DIY machine should have some of these \ud83d\ude42<\/p>\n
Even if they are not that expensive, they still represent \u201cnice to have\u201d features that will not fit into a tight budget.<\/p>\n
This tutorial explains how to build them using a Laser cutter or… a 3D printer, but it will be much slower.<\/p>\n
Using the OpenSCAD model<\/a>, you\u2019ll have to adjust the dimensions to fit the side of your cable\/connector.<\/p>\n The cables must be freely passing through the internal opening of the chain.<\/p>\n Feed this file to your laser-cutter, cut as many as you need.<\/p>\n You\u2019ll need some kind of glue for this. My preference goes for hot glue, as this is easy and solidifies quickly. However, it is a bit bulckier and generates some glue hairs.<\/p>\n Start with and inner link<\/p>\n But what is it ? No it\u2019s not for a bicycle. No it\u2019s not for a tank. This is made for the proud users of a DIY 3D printer or a CNC. This is a cable trunking chain; it is meant to hold a couple of cables and move them along with the X,Y or\u2026 Read More »<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":27,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[7],"tags":[6],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/laurenternes.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/laurenternes.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/laurenternes.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/laurenternes.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/laurenternes.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=26"}],"version-history":[{"count":11,"href":"https:\/\/laurenternes.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":151,"href":"https:\/\/laurenternes.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26\/revisions\/151"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/laurenternes.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/27"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/laurenternes.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=26"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/laurenternes.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=26"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/laurenternes.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=26"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}\n
W<\/span><\/code> for the width, and H<\/span><\/code> for the height.<\/li>\n\n
LC<\/span><\/code> to true<\/span><\/code><\/li>\nT<\/span><\/code> of your material, in mm.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n
\n
LC<\/span><\/code> to false<\/span><\/code><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n
F5<\/span><\/code> first for an overview. That will generate one inner link, and one outer link; they only differ by their width.<\/li>\nF6<\/span><\/code> to generate the final build.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\nLaser cut<\/h1>\n
Cut<\/h2>\n
File\/Export<\/span><\/code> the drawing to a DXF file… or your preferred 2D format.<\/p>\nAssemble<\/h2>\n
OpenSCAD file<\/h1>\n
\/\/ laser cut model ?\r\nLC = false; \/\/ or true\r\n\r\n$fn = 36;\r\n\r\n\/\/ link step\r\nS = 36;\r\n\r\n\/\/ link width\r\nW = 40;\r\n\r\n\/\/ thickness\r\nT = 3;\r\n\r\nmodule link()\r\n{\r\n difference()\r\n {\r\n hull()\r\n {\r\n translate([ S\/2,0]) circle(r=S\/3);\r\n translate([-S\/2,0]) circle(r=S\/3);\r\n }\r\n translate([-S\/2,0]) circle(r=S\/6);\r\n \/\/ centering marks\r\n translate([S\/2,0])\r\n for (i=[0:3])\r\n rotate(90*i) translate([S\/6,-1\/2]) square(1);\r\n \/\/ assembly slots for spacer\r\n translate([-S\/8,S\/3-2*T]) square([S\/4,T]);\r\n translate([-S\/8,-S\/3+T]) square([S\/4,T]);\r\n }\r\n}\r\n\r\nmodule spacer(L)\r\n{\r\n translate([-S\/8,0]) square([S\/4,L]);\r\n translate([-S\/6,T]) square([S\/3,L-2*T]);\r\n}\r\n\r\nmodule long_spacer()\r\n{\r\n spacer(W);\r\n}\r\n\r\nmodule short_spacer()\r\n{\r\n spacer(W-2*T-T\/2);\r\n}\r\n\r\nmodule flat()\r\n{\r\n link();\r\n translate([0,S]) link();\r\n translate([1.5*S,0]) long_spacer();\r\n translate([2*S,0]) short_spacer();\r\n}\r\n\r\nmodule link_element_3D()\r\n{\r\n linear_extrude(T) link();\r\n translate([S\/2,0,T]) cylinder(r=S\/6,h=T);\r\n}\r\n\r\nmodule big_link_3D()\r\n{\r\n color([0.7,0.5,0.1])\r\n {\r\n translate([0,0,0]) rotate([-90,0,0]) link_element_3D();\r\n translate([0,W,0]) rotate([90,0,0]) link_element_3D();\r\n }\r\n color([0.7,0.6,0.2])\r\n {\r\n translate([0,0,-S\/3+T ]) linear_extrude(T) long_spacer();\r\n translate([0,0, S\/3-2*T]) linear_extrude(T) long_spacer();\r\n }\r\n}\r\n\r\nmodule small_link_3D()\r\n{\r\n color([0.7,0.6,0.2])\r\n {\r\n translate([0,T,0]) rotate([90,0,0]) link_element_3D();\r\n translate([0,W-2*T-T\/2-T,0]) rotate([-90,0,0]) link_element_3D();\r\n }\r\n color([0.7,0.5,0.1])\r\n {\r\n translate([0,0,-S\/3+T ]) linear_extrude(T) short_spacer();\r\n translate([0,0, S\/3-2*T]) linear_extrude(T) short_spacer();\r\n }\r\n}\r\n\r\nmodule model_3D(N)\r\n{\r\n for (i=[0:N-1])\r\n translate([2*S*i,0,0])\r\n {\r\n big_link_3D();\r\n translate([S,T+T\/4,0]) small_link_3D();\r\n }\r\n}\r\n\r\nif (LC)\r\n model_3D(2);\r\nelse\r\n flat();\r\n<\/pre>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"