Flexlinks: "Airplane"

Summary

FlexLinks were developed for quick turn-around proof-of-concept prototyping of compliant mechanisms by the BYU Compliant Mechanism Research Group. Combined with commercially available toys, custom compliant components can be used to build a wide range of compliant mechanisms.

This “Airplane” flexlink can be used to create a bistable switch.

You can experiment more with it to find other possibilities!  Have fun discovering and experimenting new ways to incorporate them into your creative designs!

How to make it

The FlexLinks can be 3D printed, milled, cut with a water jet, or cut with a CNC router.

Depending on the material used, there are limitations to flexibility and fatigue life. You'll get the best results cutting them out of a 1/4" sheet of polypropylene.

Learn More

There are many other types of FlexLinks that we've designed. There are different designs with different functions and lengths that you can experiment with.

This design was developed by the Compliant Mechanisms Research Group (CMR) from Brigham Young University (BYU). Follow us at @byucmr on Instagram or visit the BYU Compliant Mechanisms Research (CMR) website to learn more about compliant mechanisms.

Technical Information

For in-depth technical information, see the following publications:

Dearden, J., Grames, C., Orr, J., Jensen, B. D., Magleby, S. P., & Howell, L. L. (2018). “[Cylindrical cross-axis flexural pivots](https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0141635916302690)." Precision Engineering, 51, 604-613. doi:10.1016/j.precisioneng.2017.11.001

Jensen, B. D., & Howell, L. L. (2002). “[The modeling of cross-axis flexural pivots](https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0094114X02000071)”. Mechanism and Machine Theory, 37(5), 461-476. doi:10.1016/S0094-114X(02)00007-1

Bilancia, P., Berselli, G., Magleby, S., & Howell, L. (2020). “[On the modeling of a contact-aided cross-axis flexural pivot](https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0094114X19316921)”. Mechanism and Machine Theory, 143 doi:10.1016/j.mechmachtheory.2019.103618  

To learn more about compliant mechanisms in general, see the BYU Compliant Mechanisms Research (CMR) website or these books: Compliant Mechanisms, Handbook of Compliant Mechanisms.To learn more about compliant mechanisms, see the [BYU Compliant Mechanisms Research (CMR)](https://compliantmechanisms.byu.edu/) website or these books: [Compliant Mechanisms](https://www.amazon.com/Compliant-Mechanisms-Larry-L-Howell/dp/047138478X), [Handbook of Compliant Mechanisms](https://www.amazon.com/Handbook-Compliant-Mechanisms-Larry-Howell/dp/1119953456)

Intellectual Property

The downloadable 3D print files provided here may be used, modified, and enjoyed for noncommercial use. To license this technology for commercial applications, contact:

BYU Technology Transfer Office
3760 Harold B. Lee Library
Brigham Young University
Provo, UT 84602
Phone: (801) 422-6266
https://techtransfer.byu.edu/contact