2-Axis cable-activated leak free pipe joint in Solidworks

Status: Closed
Prize: $100
Entries Received: 1
Winner: VasilVD

Winner

Contest Brief

We need a flexible 2-axis pipe/tube joint that is actuated by cable and electric motors. I'm attaching a simplified image of the basic idea. We will judge the bids based on sketch entries. The winning bid will need to provide the final design in Solidworks. The design should be be leak free and ideally would be comprised of commercial, off the shelf parts wherever possible.

I have added a couple of photos that give examples of 2-axis joints. The joystick obviously isn't piping but it has the joint/motion that we would like to reproduce. The other joint picture isn't actuated but is gives another concept of how the motion of the joint can work.

Also, the fluid (water based) should not be contaminated by the joint material.

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“@VasilVD won the contest on 7 July 2019”

OpenThoughts, Japan.

Top entries from this contest

VasilVD Bulgaria

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Public Clarification Board

ArixCuirax
- 4 years ago
Can you please advise the following additional information as well?

a) The maximum and minimum elevation angle.

b) The maximum angle of rotation.

c) The pressure that must be withstood.

d) How you intend to have the cables connected? Or should we use a pulley system? Will a tensioner be required as well?

e) What sort of mounting you would like on the input and output
- 4 years ago
1. Contest Holder
  - 4 years ago
  Hi,
  - Regarding the axes, as mentioned below, only one axis needs to be 360°, the other axis can be 90°-180°.
  - Regarding the pressure, we don't have the exact pressure yet but it will likely be less than a water faucet. If you design for typical water faucet pressure, it will be fine.
  - Our plan is to connect the cables via electric motor and pulley. A tensioner won't be required. The joint that rotates 360° can be driven by a belt.
  - Mounting on the input and output is up to you. We will build our system around this joint. We will modify the mounting once we have fixed our design.
  - 4 years ago
Yashaswi26
- 4 years ago
Is 360° rotation required on both axes?
- 4 years ago
1. Contest Holder
  - 4 years ago
  Hi,
  No, 360° is not needed on both axes. 360° is fine for one axis and that axis can be belt driven. The other axis can be less than 180° (>90° is better).
  - 4 years ago
VasilVD
- 4 years ago
Hi there! Could you please advise what are the working pressure, the flow rate, and the working media type (air/ hydraulic/ coolant) ? Many thanks.
- 4 years ago
1. Contest Holder
  - 4 years ago
  The media type is a water-based solution. We don't have the working pressure or flow rate yet...but it will be "fairly low"--equal or less than water coming out of a water faucet (most likely less).
  - 4 years ago
VKarmaa
- 4 years ago
working on it...
- 4 years ago
1. Contest Holder
  - 4 years ago
  Hi Navodit,
  Thank you. I look forward to seeing your deign. Please let me know if you need more information.
  - 4 years ago
schand0337
- 4 years ago
Hi, I have an idea for this joint, but I am using a cloud based Designing Software called Onshape. It is also developed by Solidworks team Only. By using this software I can share you the design in various formats like STEP (.step) AP203 and AP214, SOLIDWORKS (.sldprt) 2004, IGES (.igs or .iges) 5.3, Parasolid B-rep (.x_t or .x_b) from v25 to v29, STL, PDF,, etc.
- 4 years ago
1. Contest Holder
  - 4 years ago
  Hi Chandbasha,
  Onshape is fine. You can submit your proposal as image files or pdf, etc, and if I award you the project you can export the final design as sldpart.
  - 4 years ago
badrhadid115
- 4 years ago
Can you provide more details about the project (a clearer representation of the mechanism, dimensions, examples of existing mechanisms...)
- 4 years ago
1. Contest Holder
  - 4 years ago
  Hi Badr,
  I will upload a couple of pictures that might better show what I'm trying to do.
  - 4 years ago
burakkbala
- 4 years ago
Is there any information about dimensions?
- 4 years ago
1. Contest Holder
  - 4 years ago
  Hi Burak,
  The pipe can be 1/4" pipe (6.5mm). Ideally the design would be as compact as possible.
  - 4 years ago