cad-agent.References · Compliant mechanisms in the catalogue · Markdown · JSON
References · Mechanical design
Compliant mechanisms
15 records: 7 read sources that cad-agent's rules and checks may cite, and 8 records catalogued from the Reference Map, not yet read. One-piece parts that flex instead of sliding or screwing.
Catalogued records are search snippets: their numbers are the authors' claims and their licences are as the map states them, unread. Cite one only after reading the source and promoting it (how).
Coverage
What cad-agent checked for these topics when the map was made, and the gap it found. The issue it drafted for each gap was never posted.
PartlySnap-fit and living-hinge strain limits
Gap: Cantilever and annular/torsion done; no living-hinge strain/fatigue calculator (e=t*theta/2L only in research/compliant-mechanisms.md:20); Fictiv H/5-H/8 ratio absent; no PP/TPU hinge materials.
Drafted issue, never posted: “Add living-hinge strain and thickness calculator”
Records
15 records
| Record | Kind | Evidence | Confidence | Licence | Process | Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Living Hinge Basics for Injection MoldingProtolabs Living hinges break the uniform-wall rule; flow restriction causes a pressure drop beyond the hinge, so gate placement matters. Read: 2026-10-31: opened the page. Read the hinge guideline (0.012 in thick, about 0.060 in spacing, 0.008 in reduction on the folding side, 0.030 in radius on the tension side). Byline is "Protolabs". | Guide | read | low 0.4 | proprietarynot read | Moulding and casting | not assessed |
| An Electrothermally-Actuated Bistable MEMS Relay for Power ApplicationsMassachusetts Institute of Technology (PhD thesis; supervisor Alexander H. Slocum) · 2003 Read: 2026-10-31: opened the PDF; read the title page (author, degree, June 2003, supervisor). The equations were read by research/compliant-mechanisms.md on the same day. | Read source | read | unknown | not recorded | none stated | not assessed |
| Design Guidelines for Additive Manufactured Snap-Fit JointsProcedia CIRP 50 (KITopen repository) · 2016 Read: 2026-10-31: opened the repository record. Read the title, authors and abstract. The volume and year are as recorded in research/compliant-mechanisms.md, which read the paper on the same day. For research/process-profiles.yaml: read by rese… | Read source | read | unknown | not recorded | none stated | not assessed |
| General Design Principles for DuPont Engineering Polymers (Design Guide - Module I)E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company · 2000 Read: 2026-10-31: opened the 136-page PDF (a distributor's copy). Read the title page, the copyright line (2000) and Table 10.06, "Suggested Allowable Strains (%) for Lug Type Snap-fits". For research/process-profiles.yaml: opened the 136-page P… | Read source | read | unknown | not recorded | none stated | not assessed |
| How do you design snap-fit joints for 3D printing?Protolabs Network (formerly Hubs) Read: 2026-10-31: opened the page. Read the clearances (0.5 mm FDM; 0.3 mm SLS, SLA, MJF, material jetting) and the 1 mm minimum cantilever base and overhang depth. No byline. For research/process-profiles.yaml: opened the page; read the nominal… | Read source | read | unknown | not recorded | none stated | not assessed |
| Improving Snapfit Design (Part 3)BASF, published on UL Prospector Knowledge Center Read: 2026-10-31: opened the page. Read the byline (Chul Lee, Applications Technology Leader, BASF) and the pointer to Figures IV-4 and IV-5 (worked examples for an Ultradur PBT and an Ultraform POM grade). The BASF Snap-Fit Design Manual tables… | Read source | read | unknown | not recorded | none stated | not assessed |
| Snap-Fit Joints for Plastics - A Design GuideCovestro LLC (formerly Bayer MaterialScience LLC) Read: 2026-10-31: opened the Bayer-branded 26-page copy at this URL (pdftotext). Read the contents page, the root-radius rule (not less than 0.015 in), Table 2 heading and the 60 % frequent-use note, the 70 % of yield strain rule for amorphous r… | Read source | read | unknown | not recorded | none stated | not assessed |
| BASF Snap-Fit Design Guide (Scribd copy)BASF BASF manual: classical beam theory, improved cantilever with magnification factor, U- and L-shaped snaps; allowable-strain tables for eight materials. Note: Scribd upload, not BASF-hosted; Ultramid values not shown. | Guide | snippet onlyAuthors' claim: numbers stated, not measured | low 0.4 | proprietarynot read | Moulding and casting | not assessed |
| BASF Snapfit online tool and blogBASF BASF Snapfit app compares operating strain with allowable strain and returns a suitability verdict; worked examples use PBT and POM. Note: Only an intro blog title seen; details from related result summaries. | Guide | snippet only | low 0.4 | proprietarynot read | Moulding and casting | not assessed |
| By Design: Polypropylene part design, Part 2 - Living hingesPlasticsToday PP living hinge land length and web thickness values. Note: Attribution of the quoted rule to this page is likely but not certain. corroborated Hinge land about 0.060 in (1.5 mm), thickness 0.008-0.015 in (0.2-0.4 mm) | Guide | snippet onlyAuthors' claim: numbers stated, not measured | low 0.4 | proprietarynot read | Moulding and casting | not assessed |
| Design Guide for Living Hinges (Fictiv)Fictiv Living hinge sizing relative to adjoining wall; may need molding in open position. Note: Page title was only a read-time label; attribution from URL. unconfirmed Hinge thickness T = H/5 to H/8, H being adjoining wall thickness | Guide | snippet onlyAuthors' claim: numbers stated, not measured | low 0.4 | proprietarynot read | Moulding and casting | not assessed |
| Fictiv: How to Design Snap-Fit ComponentsFictiv 12-minute Fictiv article on snap-fit component design; only title and read time shown. Note: Title only; content unseen. | Guide | snippet only | low 0.4 | proprietarynot read | Moulding and casting | not assessed |
| Fundamentals of Annular Snap-Fit Joints (Machine Design)Machine Design Annular snap-fit first-order calculation; permissible strain tied to proportional limit; amorphous resins tolerate higher share of yield for brief snaps. Note: Figures from search summary, not seen verbatim. unconfirmed Permissible strain about 50% of strain at break for reinforced plastics; up to 70% of yield for PC/ABS | Guide | snippet onlyAuthors' claim: numbers stated, not measured | low 0.4 | proprietarynot read | Moulding and casting | not assessed |
| Injection molding design fundamentals: Snap-fits for plastic parts (PlasticsToday)PlasticsToday Snap-fit fundamentals: strain must stay below the linear-range allowable at working temperature; annular joints usually need FEA. Note: Temperature dependence noted; no percentage given. | Guide | snippet only | low 0.4 | proprietarynot read | Moulding and casting | not assessed |
| Snap-fit joints for plastics: A design guide (Bayer MaterialScience; Covestro successor), mirrorBayer MaterialScience (now Covestro), MIT-hosted copy Classic cantilever, torsion and annular snap-fit guide; beam strain formula and optimal tapered arm comparison. Note: Third-party mirror; authorship per Wikipedia reference, not verified. corroborated Cantilever strain e = 3Yh / 2L^2; constant-section arm shows 46% higher strain than optimal taper | Guide | snippet onlyAuthors' claim: numbers stated, not measured | low 0.4 | proprietarynot read | Moulding and casting | not assessed |
Role is the survey's judgement of a record within its class (leader, reference, lessons, context): not a quality grade. A single source, a search snippet, or untested judgement is what “low” means.