How to implement multiple ball joints?

[etfrench]

I'm modeling a delta 3d printer and can't get the carriage ball joints and the effector ball joints attached at the same time. What are the steps necessary to create multiple ball joints?

[zhanganchun]

Hello etfrench,

Fusion 360 supports multiple ball joints. by your attached model, I created the following model by adding another six carriage ball Joints. Does that meet your need?

The sequence is also important when applying carriage joints - to make the result not twisted.

[Anonymous]

hey Terry, how did you import the model with the servers down? Is there any way?

[etfrench]

I was able to add the other 6 ball joints, but I haven't figured out how to make the slider joints work individually. Currently when I move one in animation mode, all three move.

[zhanganchun]

You can try lock the other two slide joints first. It's in the context menu of the left browser under Joint folder.

[n8bot]

I'm sorry but can you elaborate as to what specific order you created these joints? Every time I try and make the ball joints for my delta printer, things end up all twisted and crazy. To show the solution to an answer without explaining how it was done is quite more frustrating than never answering the question in the first place.

[n8bot]

Well, after trying about 40 times, one time it magically worked. There was nothing in particular I did differently...

[Anonymous]

I haven't tried the ball joint yet, but are you sure you had all 12 ball joints in place when you were having a twisting problem?  Being that that configuration with all twelve joints should resist such twisting. 

I would be interested to look at your model that was having the problem.  You can export it as a .f3d file and attach it to a new message in this thread.

Jesse

[n8bot]

Well, yes there was 12 joints... The problem was that the whole thing got so twisted before I got to the last few joints, that it was unsalvageable. 

I cannot export because there are "linked" parts in the project and if I break the links, the whole motion system is broken...

Fusion360 isn't really nice to work with sometimes.

[Anonymous]

Well one way is to invite me to the project under People in the data panel, my email being jjurbanus5@yahoo.com

But from my experience with revolute joints in making polyhedra, you sometimes need to rotate one or more joints to be near the desired configuration before adding another joint, to give the solver an idea what you're trying to accomplish.

That's a pretty cool project though designing a delta robot in F360.

Jesse

[n8bot]

Well, I have it sorted and this project contains components that I'm not sure if I'm allowed to share myself, otherwise I would show you.

I did have everything in basically the exact position it needed to be. I tried everything, as-built joints, etc. I think the time that it did end up working it had to do with what part of the "rod" I used as an interface with the ball joint. One selection, which didn't work, had the face of the rod selected, while the other one, showed a circle that was perpendicular to the end of the rod, and had the joints standing straight up on the balls, rather than horizontally. I wish I could help others more than that who are dealing with the same problem.

[Anonymous]

That's good to know you got it working, and that the joint origin orientation needs close attention...especially for ball joints it sounds like.

Jesse

[Anonymous]

In case you are looking for some way to simulate a delta and play around with it in Fusion, please download a file attached. I've just added the missing joints, so now it is a working delta simulation. Thx @etfrench  and cheers!