Parametric Angled Clamp Mount

version 1.1 changes

• new parameter Support Inset for creating a hole in the structure supporting the mount. I use this to run cables through.
• The module should now be usable from other scad files.

I initially made this very simple clamp for mounting a pair of realsense 435 cameras onto a pipe with a diameter of 28mm (central heating pipe). For a multi camera setup to work, it is important to know the relative position and orientation between cameras. Having a fixed angle mount that I could clamp to a pipe makes the setup very rigid and mobile.

Customizing

By making it parameterized it can be used for a lot more, like attaching pipes to a wall at a specific angle and basically adding anything that accepts 2 bolts to be mounted to any pipe shaped structure.

Size

The height of the clamp (Z) when printing as shown. Some parts of the ring are scaled based on this size.

Ring Inner Diameter

Set this to the outer diameter of the pipe to clamp to with maybe a little bit of slack. The gap in the ring allows the ring to be expanded as well as tightened. I try to get the ring to slide on without expanding it, but with enough friction to keep itself from sliding without load.

Ring Wall Thickness

Thicker walls are stronger and less flexible. Depends on what the clamp is used for.

Lock Gap

The size of the gap in the ring.

Lock Wall Thickness

Larger walls make for stronger connections, but also cause the deformation stress to be put on a smaller part of the ring. This is because the part of the ring connected to these walls aren't flexible.

Lock Hole Diameter

The diameter of the bolt that is used to tighten the ring plus some slack.

Plate Thickness

The wall thickness of the mounting plate. This depends on the length of the bolts that are used to connect the camera. Try to avoid combining a thick plate with a high angle. The mounting holes are centered on the front of the plate which causes the holes on the back side to be off center due to the shearing of the plate. The thicker the plate, the more pronounced this effect is.

Plate Angle

See above. A value between 0 and 45% should be possible.

Mounting Hole Spacing

The distance between the mounting holes. For the RealSense 435 this is 45mm.

Mounting Hole Diameter

Set to the diameter of the bolt + some slack. The RealSense uses M3 bolts, and a value of 4mm works well for me.

Support Inset

experimental, to make a gap between the ring and the camera mount, to run cables through.