On 29/07/2015 07:24, Vincent Slyngstad wrote:
I don't know if the design will work -- will the
slit will provide
enough flexibility, will the post crack, etc.
That looks pretty good to me, and the only refinements I'd suggest are
these:
Firstly, to add a small fillet to the junction of post and flat surface,
so that there's a small radius, perhaps 0.5mm - 1.0mm, at the
transition. The sharp transition will concentrate any stress, and a
radius will reduce that. I'm not sure how much difference it makes for
a 3D-printed object but it would be significant for injection moulding.
The lack of any radii is actually part of the problem with the
original, and the breaks always occur right either at the sharp
transition between post and flat surface, or more often between post and
ball.
Secondly, and maybe less importantly, to make the lower part (maybe half
the length) of the post a slightly smaller diameter - but not to the
extent of reproducing the ball-on-a-thin-post of the original. This
eases alignment, because as Al pointed out, the panel always tilts or
twists as it's removed and that puts a bending strain on the joint - in
this case, now at the post base than than just below the ball.
Maybe that post should be a short spring ;-)
--
Pete
Pete Turnbull