Omnipanels - Clips

Overview

Create stronger Omnipanel structures with Clips, reinforce your models or create more functional designs with greater strength. Customise or modify to your needs with the included FreeCAD file.

• Clips are available in three types:

1. Flat - Clips together two panels joined in-line.
2. Corner - Clips together two panels joined at right angles.
3. Over - Clips together two panels joined in line, while also clipping over a third panel joined at right angles.

• The clips are available in standard “A” and loose “L” variants. 
• They are also available in different lengths, 10mm and 32mm. The longer clips cover almost the whole edge of a panel for maximum strength, but are harder to use. The smaller clips are more manageable to clip into place.
• Step files are included for greater accuracy and modification.
• The files have pre-attached tabs to aid bed adhesion, these can simply be pulled off with your fingernails or some snips.

FreeCAD Customiser

I have included the FreeCAD file for the clips with a built in customiser spreadsheet that can be easily modified (note: the spreadsheet controls all three clip types in the model simultaneously).

The customiser can adjust both the length of the clips e.g. 5-10-15mm long etc., and the extra clearance designed into them e.g. for loose fitting or tight fitting clips.

To modify a parametric model in FreeCAD, do the following (there are also many good tutorials on how to get started with FreeCAD):

1. Open the .FCStd file in FreeCAD.
2. Click on the spreadsheet file listed in the tree view e.g. ‘Clip Length’, this should open the spreadsheet.
3. Click on the 'Property View' tab on the sidebar, this should list all the modifiable parameters in the spreadsheet (in this case, 'clip_length' and ‘clip_clearance').
4. Each parameter can be changed by clicking on the boxes in the ‘Value’ column, and selecting a value from the dropdown list e.g. for clip_length: ‘5mm’, ‘10mm', and ‘Custom’ options are available.
5. Changing the value will automatically update all models in the FreeCAD file. Which can either be exported directly as a STEP file or as an .stl file using the Mesh workspace in FreeCAD.
6. To add custom values for parameters, change the number values in the yellow row at the bottom of each table. Be sure to set the parameters to the ‘Custom’ option on the property tab, for the custom values to take effect.