Siador Constant Velocity Joint (SCVJ)

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To fast-track R&D stage into 3D printing commercialization, I would definitely start 3D printing a far more rugged and compact constant velocity joint with much greater articulation angle, as much as 60 degrees! As we know, CV joints are ubiquitous in vehicle drivetrains and delta robots in manufacturing sites. This invented joint is more efficient than traditional ones as the sliding surfaces are of much greater area contact. It has done away with roller bearings which are necessarily employed to latest CV-joint innovations like the Thompson Coupling that addressed the excessive wear issues of standard joints. This could even have zero wear when run straight-through, unlike Thompson’s. As the trend today is system integration at its best, as demonstrated by smartphones, we are now looking forward for much more compact components ahead to replace the traditional bulky assemblies that we currently rely upon. Machine designs have progressed in leaps and bounds today due to enabling technologies such as 3D printers and hybrid CNC machining centers. Even these two enabling technologies mentioned do need more flexibility to become cheaper and ubiquitous. The problem is we have to redesign its traditional components to a much more rigid, compact, reliable, and efficient mechanisms these two can cheaply fabricate. For example, heavy electric motors have to be repositioned farther from the workpiece and nearer to the supporting base to obtain a more lightweight and responsive robotic arms/levers that handle the fabrication rapidly—safely demonstrated by delta robots. (Even the most innovative CNC machining center and 3D printer today have employed a delta robotic arm.) Definitely, if I have a 3D printer at home, I would start fabricating a robotic arm that could fulfill a far more flexible manufacturing system currently employed at factories. For a starting and hopefully more rewarding project, I would equip my conventional 3D printer with delta arm. But I have far more innovative ideas that would make system integration at its finest that I would like to be implemented as soon as possible. I am looking forward to the merging of all manufacturing and assembly into one multifunctional machine. For example, how about combining the plastic-injection machine, CNC machining center and 3D printer into one manufacturing center that would handle a wide range of raw materials, from composites, plastics, metals, powders, etc.? Well, this is just a dream at this stage. For a start, one crucial mechanism to delta arm should be carefully designed and tested, a much better, compact and adaptable constant velocity joint: the SCVJ. Hopefully, a new breed of CV joint would make some inflexible gearing, like bevel gears, a thing of the past:)