NASA HCA

Last crawled date: 1 year, 11 months ago

Built and functionality of my HCA NASA proposal.
1. My design consist of just one printed part without any additional features
2. My HCA proposal is snap on type feature with auto locking mechanism
3. Way of assembling and disassembling the clamp. PLease have a look at some renderings for reference.
Four teeth are supported by lever sliding above them, with rectangular feature at the end, and of a support rib above. This creates locked and tightly fitted clamp as teeth can't travel up or down as they are beein locked by the lever supported by the rib above and any movement downwards is locked by the rail. If one wants to disassemble the clamp, then only finger pressing the four levers towards middle rib is required (square ends of the levers will reveal the beam of the teeth and will allow them to travel upwards) and slight pull the clamp to bend four teeth support. At this point teeth beams will lock the lever against springing back, so user will be able tu pull the clamp in most convenient way, with just friction reaction of the clamp.
The clamp is very well locked when assembled and the teeth being locked against outside movement, create very good locking feature. In case of pulling load exceeding maximum values, the beam has got side pattern of protrusions, which will keep the clamp still assembled even if the beam of the teeth connection will be broken.
I have started designing the clamp on 15th of February so I haven't rigorously checked it's structural capabilities but quick calculations show that Z Tensile (build direction): 50 lbf will create just 6MPa on the teeth beam , which is 6 times less than Re of ABS. In case of the load exceeding 300 lbf it will still stay assemble as the side pattern will keep it safe.
Other features provide high strenght and low weight or are design acordingly to the design spec.
This part requires minimal amount of material to print and requires just one print process to have fully usable product, without the need to assembly, separate parts. Functionality is simple and based on very old and commonly used principles (lever, support and spring effect of material in certain geometry).
It could be designed in more thoughtful way but 1.5 day is a very limited time to do it according to specification in not native language, I believe that optimising this approach is the best way of implementing a good product to NASA employees in such demanding conditions as space is.