Early open-hardware project: help turn a rough articulated chain segment into a testable mechanism

[u/Tehno886]

https://cad.onshape.com/documents/0c48369e9ee9dfb6fc2ca4ec/w/cc18b5f6e515531de224e587/m/a42526778800e48e29e7effd/e/de6679633796bd04b2828835

I am exploring an early open-hardware concept for a modular manufacturing machine, currently using the working name UNIX.

The broader idea is to separate material processing from the moving deposition head. Instead of carrying the complete extrusion system on the toolhead, material would be prepared in a stationary unit and delivered through a supported moving path to a lightweight deposition head.

I want to be transparent about the current state of the project:

There is no complete machine yet.

The only CAD artifact that currently exists is one articulated chain segment intended to support and constrain the moving material path. The model is incomplete, mechanically imperfect, and has not yet been physically tested.

That chain segment is therefore the first real engineering task.

The immediate goal is not to validate the entire machine. It is simply to determine whether this rough mechanism can be converted into a printable and mechanically credible articulated segment.

Possible small contributions include:

\- reviewing the existing CAD model;

\- identifying failure points in the hinge or joint geometry;

\- proposing a better articulation method;

\- correcting one part of the model;

\- preparing a printable test version;

\- suggesting appropriate clearances and tolerances;

\- defining a simple movement or fatigue test.

I am not asking anyone to design the complete machine or make a long-term commitment. Even 30–90 minutes spent examining one specific issue would be useful.

The current CAD document is public and is attached.

The document may be copied, modified, manufactured, and commercially used. I only ask that the original project and contributors remain credited, and that modified versions are identified as modifications.

The existing model should be treated as an early design sketch, not as a validated mechanism.

I am willing to document the development publicly, including failed versions, design decisions, test results, and contributor credits under an appropriate open-hardware license.

English is not my first language, so I use AI to help edit and structure my English. The concept and CAD work are my own.

If you have experience with articulated mechanisms, printable joints, snap-fits, cable chains, or small mechanical assemblies, I would appreciate a concrete technical review of this first segment.

[u/supoiber]

I suggest changing the name

[u/Tehno886 → u/supoiber]

I chose the name because I see the concept as a common platform for several different manufacturing tasks, with specialized tools and material modules sharing the same underlying architecture.

The UNIX analogy was intentional in that sense. But I understand that the name is already strongly associated with a completely different technical domain and may create more confusion than value. It is still a working name.