3D-Printed Flexure Micro-Manipulator

This project contains am open source low-cost, easy-to-build XYZ Micro-Manipulator platform.

It's designed for applications such as optical alignment, probing electronic components, and microscopy. Thanks to its parallel kinematic structure and integrated flexures, it achieves good mechanical stiffness for a 3D-printed device, as well as micrometer precision.

The design was partially inspired by another great open source flexure stage 'The OpenFlexure Block Stage - Sub-100 nm fibre alignment with a monolithic plastic flexure stage'

Below you find some examples of the translation stage in action. But there are many more possible use cases to be discovered...

All CAD models are made in FreeCAD, to allow everyone to view and modify the design without subscribing or paying for a propriatary CAD solution.

The files for the metric version can be found here: CAD Models Metric. Please note that FreeCAD version 1.1.0dev was used and the files might not work with older versions.

Ready to print 3d-models are here: Files for 3D-Printing.

Parts are optimized for 0.4mm print nozzle and PLA. The parts 'WireMount' and 'FlexureStiffener' should be printed at slow speed (25mm/s) and with 0.1mm layerheight to ensure good quality prints. All other parts can be printed with 0.2mm or 0.25mm layer height and regular speed. The endeffector requires a little bit of support, which is easy to peel of for this simple geometry.

Here are some great resources and similar projects from which inspiration for this project was drawn.

• Open Flexure Microscope
• The OpenFlexure Block Stage.

There are some open task for everyone wanting to contribute to this project:

• Create CAD model for imperial units.
• Improve O-Ring Flexure preload mechanism.
• Find an easy way to mount the crank wheels true and without 'wobble' to M3 bolts.
• Create useful endeffector attachments and grippers.