The ball joint can be customized via the MakerBot Customizer app. To use all possible adjustments use the OpenSCAD file.

The following adjustments are possible:

• wall thickness
• big sphere diameter
• tube inner diameter, e.g. to put wires through the joint
• spheres distance
• model resolution
• the joint's tolerance, i.e. how tight 2 joints will connect
• top and bottom cuts
• height of the four vertical cuts that make the model flexible

Example ball joints

Parameters for small joint

wall_thickness = 1.2
big_sphere_diameter = 12
tube_inner_diameter = 4
spheres_distance = 0
model_resolution = 50

Rule of thumb: The big ball diameter should be approx. 10 times the wall thickness.

Print settings

Printer: Ultimaker 2
Slicer: Cura 15

Material = PLA/PHA
Nozzle temp = 210°
Print bed temp = 60°

Layer height = 0.16 mm
Shell thickness = 0.8 mm
Fill density = 20%
Print speed = 55 mm/s