NASA Linx

grabcad

Figure it out in a second. Impossible to install wrong. No questioning how to put it together, no instruction manual needed. Snap, go and forget about it. Simple and strong. I intentionally striped the design of complex mechanisms such as hinge pins and shapes which could potentially result in printing failure. In addition, I wanted to get as much bulk and strength in one manifold part while creating a low profile, as well as the ability to link them up to recreate the full track system if needed rather than the single point of anchoring. My thought was this needs to be a “fire and forget” printing scenario. The last thing anyone should be doing on or off a space station is monitoring utility prints. So instead of thinking Prada, I was thinking more along the lines of a shovel and chain links . The shape, while simple, is strong. Simple kerfs intentionally placed at the top allow the base to flex out and around the tube, while the bottom kerfs allow a pinching forcing the tube up into the profile for stability and strength. A bridge across the top of the track adds some additional strength binding the opposing flanges together without impeded any points for fastening. The print design itself allows for fast set-up, fast printing, and fast to use. The shape is designed for durability with minimal material. The bottom clip is flat on one side to facilitate sticking on the bed, and doubling them up back to back in a staggered fashion for linear array. Printed with no top or bottom layers, it can be printed with 15% fill. I tested both hex and rectilinear fill.