This week we’re designing and printing objects that “snap on” to other objects.
I like to have a pen handy. I’ll pull the classic pen-behind-the-ear move. Unless I’m wearing my glasses. In that case there’s just not room enough for the both of them behind my ear. So this week I designed and printed a pen holder that snaps on to the arm on my glasses for easy pen storage.
I started by modeling an approximation of the glasses arm. I measured the width and height using a caliper, but guesstimated the filleting that creates a pseudo-circular cross-section. The arm is slightly rounder towards the rear and maintains a more true rectangle shape closer to the front of the frame. I then copied this form, scaled it up, and subtracted the smaller form from the middle to give me the basic shape of my clamp.
Then I split the form to create two matching halves. Then I added a trapezoid that ran the length of one of the clamps and subtracted that from the matching rail. This would allow for a slide-on fit. Although later when I tried to reattach them around the frame, I realized that the tapered design wouldn’t allow for an easy slide. It worked, but could be improved. Also, I whipped up a simple pen holder to attach to the outside of the clamp.
A two-hour print job later…
