This mechanical clock demonstrates that 3d-printing is not just for decoration. It's possible to create intelligent, living things. The clock has an anchor escapement, and a balance-wheel with a spiral spring. The clock shows Seconds, Minutes, and Hours. The winding has a nested planetary gear, which allows that the clock continues to run, while winding up.
Everything is 3d-printed (even the spiral spring), except e few small screws, some metal pins, the cord, and the lead for the weight. This video shows the clock and the building process (actually with a simpler ratchet-winding):
Video demonstrating the clock (incl. assembly): http://youtu.be/HgZBPYJ2Y-w
Designed with Blender. PLA printed with Rapman 3.2.
Some parts require a loose clearance (hollow shaft for hours and minutes), other parts require a press fit (hands). The 3d-files are optimised for older printers with more inaccuracy in xy, or a badly guided z axis. I.e. when printed with a newer generation printer, parts are most likely too loose. In order to compensate this, the material flow could be increased (overextrusion). In Simplify3d there is another useful parameter: "process settings / advanced / other / horizontal size compensation".
Pins:
- 1 x Balance wheel: 1.5mm diameter, 40mm length
- 1 x Escape wheel: 2.0mm diameter, 28mm length
- 1 x Reduction gears: 2.0mm diameter, 60mm length
- 1 x Drum Transmission: 3.0mm diameter, 60mm length
- 1 x Drum Axis: 3.0mm diameter, 60mm length
- 1 x Crank transmission: 3.0mm diameter, 30mm length
- 4 x Planets Axis: 3.0mm diameter, 39mm length
- 1 x Weight Axis: 3.0mm diameter, 15mm length
Screws:
- 6 x Frame: M3, 12mm, Flat Head
- 5 x Winding Drum: M3, 10mm, Flat Head
There are STL-versions with 2 x 2 combinations for the winding:
a) Simple Ratchet v1: 4.22 revolutions per hour (weight moves 26.5cm/h)
b) Simple Ratchet v2: 2.25 revolutions per hour (weight moves 14.1cm/h)
c) Planetary Drum v1: 3.01 revolutions per hour (weight moves 18.9cm/h)
d) Planetary Drum v2: 1.61 revolutions per hour (weight moves 10.1cm/h)
My clock works well with version c) and 1.2kg weight. For version d) I'd probably need a weight of 2.3kg. The actual needed weight depends a lot on the friction of the whole system.
Loading prints...
3D printed mechanical Clock with Anchor Escapement
Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike
You can distribute, remix, adapt, and build upon the material in any medium or format, as long as attribution is given and your contributions are under the same license.
Licensed under CC BY-SA
Loading comments...