3D printed mechanical Clock with Anchor Escapement

Prints (0)

Description

This mechanical clock demonstrates that 3d-printing is not just for decoration. It's possible to create intelligent, living things. The clock has an anchor escapement, and a balance-wheel with a spiral spring. The clock shows Seconds, Minutes, and Hours. The winding has a nested planetary gear, which allows that the clock continues to run, while winding up.

Everything is 3d-printed (even the spiral spring), except e few small screws, some metal pins, the cord, and the lead for the weight. This video shows the clock and the building process (actually with a simpler ratchet-winding):

Video demonstrating the clock (incl. assembly): http://youtu.be/HgZBPYJ2Y-w

Designed with Blender. PLA printed with Rapman 3.2.

Some parts require a loose clearance (hollow shaft for hours and minutes), other parts require a press fit (hands). The 3d-files are optimised for older printers with more inaccuracy in xy, or a badly guided z axis. I.e. when printed with a newer generation printer, parts are most likely too loose. In order to compensate this, the material flow could be increased (overextrusion). In Simplify3d there is another useful parameter: "process settings / advanced / other / horizontal size compensation".

Pins:

  • 1 x Balance wheel: 1.5mm diameter, 40mm length
  • 1 x Escape wheel: 2.0mm diameter, 28mm length
  • 1 x Reduction gears: 2.0mm diameter, 60mm length
  • 1 x Drum Transmission: 3.0mm diameter, 60mm length
  • 1 x Drum Axis: 3.0mm diameter, 60mm length
  • 1 x Crank transmission: 3.0mm diameter, 30mm length
  • 4 x Planets Axis: 3.0mm diameter, 39mm length
  • 1 x Weight Axis: 3.0mm diameter, 15mm length

Screws:

  • 6 x Frame: M3, 12mm, Flat Head
  • 5 x Winding Drum: M3, 10mm, Flat Head

There are STL-versions with 2 x 2 combinations for the winding:

a) Simple Ratchet v1: 4.22 revolutions per hour (weight moves 26.5cm/h)

b) Simple Ratchet v2: 2.25 revolutions per hour (weight moves 14.1cm/h)

c) Planetary Drum v1: 3.01 revolutions per hour (weight moves 18.9cm/h)

d) Planetary Drum v2: 1.61 revolutions per hour (weight moves 10.1cm/h)

My clock works well with version c) and 1.2kg weight. For version d) I'd probably need a weight of 2.3kg. The actual needed weight depends a lot on the friction of the whole system.

Design Files

File Size

Clock_Face_Hand_Second.stl
55 KB
Clock_Face_Background.stl
2.79 MB
Frame_Back.stl
520 KB
Gear_Wheel_Seconds.stl
145 KB
Winding_Drum_with_Ratchet.stl
181 KB
Winding_Planet_Crank_Shaft_Gear.stl
105 KB
Winding_Planet_Sun_Gear_for_Crank.stl
336 KB
Crank_Gear_Reduction.stl
67.5 KB
Escapement_Spring.stl
439 KB
Crank_Handle.stl
35.2 KB
Winding_Planets.stl
113 KB
Winding_Planet_Roller_Bearing.stl
469 KB
Winding_Planet_Carrier_Drum.stl
181 KB
Winding_Planet_Pawl.stl
105 KB
Winding_Gear_Transmission.stl
176 KB
Winding_Gear_Pawl.stl
228 KB
Weight_Bucket_Cover.stl
48.5 KB
Gear_Wheel_Hours.stl
149 KB
Gear_Reduction_Seconds_to_Minutes.stl
167 KB
Escapement_Wheel.stl
115 KB
Escapement_Balance.stl
305 KB
Clock_Face_Hand_Hour.stl
44 KB
Clock_Face_Tickmarks.stl
586 KB
Weight_Pulley_B.stl
41.1 KB
Gear_Wheel_Minutes.stl
198 KB
Weight_Bucket.stl
80.1 KB
Weight_Pulley_A.stl
62.1 KB
Winding_Gear_Pawl_V2.stl
242 KB
Winding_Gear_Transmission_V2.stl
105 KB
Winding_Gear_Crank.stl
296 KB
Crank_Handle_Screw.stl
43.1 KB
Weight_Pulley_Hook.stl
42.3 KB
Crank_Shaft.stl
68.2 KB
Clock_Face_Hand_Minute.stl
42.5 KB
Escapement_Anchor.stl
39.1 KB
Frame_Cord_Mount.stl
79 KB
Frame_Front.stl
456 KB
Gear_Reduction_Minutes_to_Hours.stl
201 KB
Winding_Planet_Carrier_Cover.stl
223 KB
Winding_Planet_Ring_Gear_v1.stl
297 KB
Winding_Planet_Ring_Gear_v2.stl
318 KB

Comments

miguelandon
Is beautiful, my father was a watchmaker and never knew the 3d impression. This would have seemed incredible. I'm going to print your models. Thank you for sharing them. Sorry for my english I am from Argentina.
Reply8 years ago
reece_isaac
What's the duration of the spring? nice model btw.
Reply8 years ago
TheGoofy
After 3 years the hairspring is still working. However most of the time it wasn't in motion. I had expected it will break as soon as I re-wind the clock, because PLA is very brittle, and the material is just ageing independent of it's use.
Reply8 years ago
yoann.dalle
great job ! very good clock
Reply8 years ago
ianbroady
Thanks for another awesome design Mr goofy
Reply8 years ago
yosemite
I am a mechanical clock nut. I would like to make a 400 day anniversary clock some time based on the real ones. Kundo is the best known brand of the real ones. The 400 day clocks do not use a main spring. They turn one way , then the other on a twisting pendulum. They are all over ebay.
Reply8 years ago
ekaggrat
great work.. I was wondering what is the period of the balance spring? How did you get it right? trial and error or is there some way of calculating it?
Reply8 years ago
zdeněk škwor
dear mr. goofy. I tried to prinr out this great clock in version Simple Ratchet v2 but unfortunately after 2-3 round of a Escapement_Balance_wheel all stop. i tried to increase weight but no effect. do you have any kinf of idea?? thanks
Reply7 years ago
tay916
Just amazing! I watched the video and it was awesome. I'm new to 3D printing. I can only dream of achieving what you've done.
Reply7 years ago
tashaparsons
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Reply2 years ago
Cris Grant
Looks good Goofy - but i cant downlaod it...plus i have a new Creality Ender 3 V3 SE and based on comments below I will need to modify your original design to make it fit togther properly. So a bit more techincal advcie required on both fronts before I give it a shot...please. C
Reply2 months ago
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