The Cargobiner - Recycled HDPE Injection Molding - Library

The Cargobiner - Recycled HDPE Injection Molding

mireia

Published 1moPublished about 2 months ago

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The Cargobiner is a functional carabiner rated for loads up to 4kg. It is specifically optimized for injection molding using either 3D-printed or CNC-machined aluminum molds. Each unit requires approximately 5g of plastic (roughly 5 bottle caps) and features a ring loop and a rope adjuster. Designed by Mireia Gordi (mireia.studio) and Yusei Kuroda (precious plastic fukui & tonkanterrace.com). This project is open-sourced under a CC-BY-SA license (Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike).

3-4 weeks

Hard

productinjectionHDPEmould

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1 Features

This is a plastic carabiner designed for carrying items. As such, the weight-bearing features have been separated from the carabiner gate, allowing for the distribution of the load and preventing gate breakage when overloaded. It features a ring hole of 3.5mm diameter and a rope adjuster that admits ropes of 4mm (0.15in). To use, thread the rope through the adjuster, slide it to your desired length, and pinch it into position. The Cargobiner has an asymmetrical shape, designed to minimise warping due to shrinkage. It is rated to withstand up to 4kg with minimal deformation, ensuring the gate remains securely closed under tension.

2 Shrinkage compensation

Each Cargobiner is made from approximately five plastic bottle caps. In our case, we use HDPE mixed with ocean plastics and reclaimed contact lens cases. Shrinkage compensation: Our HDPE mix has a high shrinkage rate of 3%. If your material composition differs, you must adjust the stem length accordingly. The provided CAD files include both a 3% (HDPE) and a 0% (Neutral) version for your convenience. The Mould shared is for HDPE @ 3% . Before committing to a CNC-machined mold, we recommend a test run using a 3D-printed mold*. The part is molded in the "open" position. Once cooled, flex the gate stem into its final housing. It should produce a satisfying "click" sound when properly seated. *We have observed slightly larger shrinkage in 3D printed moulds than Aluminium ones, so take that into account.

3 Customizing Your Cargobiner

The hook of the cargobiner has a flat side ready for customisation. You can engrave text on it using Fusion 360 or any other CAD software you are comfortable with. Here we will quickly run through the steps in Fusion: 1. Create a Sketch: Select the flat, solid side of the hook as your plane. 2. Add Text: Navigate to Sketch > Create > Text. 3. Position and Type: Use the sketch as a baseline, then type your text. 4. Extrude: Use the Extrude or Emboss tool to move the text inwards (engrave) or outwards (emboss). Pro Tip: Generally, embossing (extruding outwards) is easier and faster to CNC machine. Engraving (inwards) requires very fine end mills that are more prone to breaking and often take longer to clear material.

4 Usages

Designed to carry small items like keys, water bottles, phones and the like. It can also be used as a rope tensor. NOT FOR CLIMBING: This is a utility tool only. It is not safety-rated for climbing, overhead lifting, or supporting human weight. (but you can use it to carry your chalk bag ;) Load Limit: Do not exceed the 4kg (8.8lbs) weight limit. Regularly inspect the gate and frame for stress marks or deformation, especially if using recycled blends. We hope you enjoy making it!

Precious Plastic is a project by One Army.Please sponsor the work or help us build the software.