Clamping Arm Block Improvements

Task Description

The existing clamping arm blocks have problems with the top and bottom heat-set inserts pulling out. We would like to make improvements to this design in order to prevent this. CAD for the existing clamping blocks can be found in PDM here: WARG_CAD\COMP2025\X-Frame\Arm Clamp. You can make a duplicate of this assembly in a sub-folder called “Heat-set redesign” and make your changes in that version.

Open

Top Heat-Sets

Open

Bottom Heat-Set

Constraints

Assignees

Task Progression/Updates

Author: @Alison Thompson Date: Sep 17, 2024

Initial Ideas

There are two approaches I am thinking of that you can try:

• Change where heatset is inserted to be down through the arm hole

  • Have to consider if there is space to fit a soldering iron in there to install the heat-set, particularly challenging for the top heatsets

• Insert a threaded piece of aluminum into the print that replaces the heat-sets

The first approach is preferable because we won’t have any added weight, I’d suggest starting there, we can prototype and then decide if the other way makes more sense.

Author: @Agapa Goombs Date: Sep 17, 2024

Design Update #1 - Approach #1

• Description:

  • Of the above two approaches, #1 (shown below) was chosen due to the lower added weight and decreased complexity → No bottom aluminum tapped insert and mount need to be included.

  • The clamping block was extended to enclose the plate while keeping the original height of 73.025 mm.

  • The width of the plate was also reduced, and walls were introduced to retain the existing battery cutouts. → also reduces the weight since

  • This anchors the aluminum insert within the block which reduces the chance from the vibrations/force from the arms to create more of a gap between the aluminum plate and the CF plate above in the previous design → could lead to pulling out the heatsets too.

  • The heatset holes were kept to ensure the clamping block can still connect to the CF plate above.

• The bottom heatset insert location was changed to be below the arm holes of the clamping block, → stops the looseness (them pulling out from the bolt force)

  • A small gap was included to minimize contact between the Carbon Arms and the heatset thread

• Mass Comparison

• Concerns:

  • Tolerances for 3D printing → Could use feedback during the design review.

  • Need to do a mass comparison → need material used for the central mechanism.

Author: @Alison Thompson Date: Oct 2, 2024

CAD Review

this looks good, some comments:

• the overall height is shorter than the old version. The old one with the plate on top was 76.2mm, this is around 73mm. This height needs to stay the same

• Not convinced we really need the top redesigned like this but it is less aluminum so worth trying for weight.

• The assembly is also not fully defined so please take a look at that and fix (realize it's also not for the og version so not a big deal, would be good to get a good version. If you don't know what mates to use for the moving stuff let me know and we can go through it at mech to see if we can get it fully defined).

Once that's done I will print just the main part to see if putting the heatset through the arm hole is possible.