Clint McCue

8/01/2025

Parametrics and OpenSCAD

This model has been designed in OpenSCAD, and open-source software that markets itself as “The Programmers Solid 3D CAD Modeler”.

Due to the nature of object based programming with OpenSCAD, parametrizing a model is a breeze. This allows for nearly unlimited configurations within the bounds of the software and the models physics.

Below is a brief guide on using the parameters of the model to create your own, custom screwdriver stand.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD

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Using the parameters to “design” your model

Since this model is parameterized, the specifications can be changed to fit nearly whatever size or shape you need it to be.

Below you can find a list of parameters that can be modified within OpenSCAD to modulate the look and function of the stand.

Main Parameters

1. View: Allows for switching between different perspectives of the model, for this model you can see the complete model, just the base section, top section, the holes that will be cut into the model, labels that can be embossed/engraved into the top, and an easy to print label view.

2. Label: Changes label to either embossed or engraved.

3. Introspec: Maybe not the best descriptor for this function, setting this parameter to true will allow a function to check whether the screwdriver holes will intersect (bad!) and will throw an error if that is true.

4. Preview Resolution: Allows for quicker modelling, I usually set to 50 when modelling a circular object.

5. Render Resolution: Resolution used when the model is converted to an STL. (More is usually better! Will take longer though..)

6. Base Radius: The maximum horizontal radius for the model

7. Base Height: Height of the lower section

8. Mid Height: Height of the middle section (below the angled bit)

9. Top Radius: The horizontal radius of the smaller topmost section (Changing this value will set the angle of the top “cone”)

10. Top Height: Total height of the topmost section

11. Driver Holders: Number of screwdriver holes needed

12. Driver Depth: Depth of each screwdriver holder (This should be written in list format, for ex. [1, 2, 3, 4] if you chose to have four screwdriver holes)

13. Driver Holder Depth: Max depth of the screwdriver holes.

14. Driver Holder Radii: Radius for each holder, If all holes are the same size just type one number: [10], if there are multiple size holes, the radius of each can be denoted as [1, 2, 3] with as many values as there are holes defined above.

15. Driver Holder Vertical Placement: Placement of screwdriver holder (Lower value = lower text, higher value = higher text).

16. Text Labels: Text for each holder.

17. Text Vertical Placement: Text height adjustment (Lower value = lower text, higher value = higher text)

18. Image Labels: Image for each holder. These are setup to accept .dxf labels, there are a number of labels included in the download folder.

19. Image Vertical Placement: Label image height adjustment (Lower value = lower text, higher value = higher text).

20. Text Depth: Overall height of the text labels. (Needs to be a larger number than that of the text cutout depth)

21. Text Cutout Depth: Depth of the text labels for engraving.

22. Text Character Spacing: Spacing between characters of a single label

23. Bearing Outer Radius: Should be self-explanatory

24. Bearing Inner Radius: Also should be self-explanatory

25. Bearing Height: The height, of the bearing

26. Bearing Height Gap: Gap between the base and the top section.

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Additional Parameters

1. Base Height Fillet: Base height before fillet (Percent).

2. Base Angle Fillet: Angle of base fillet (Percent).

3. Top Rim Width: Width of top rim (Percent).

4. Top Indent: Top circular indent (Percent).

5. Text Font: Text font family.

6. Text Style: Text font style (Regular, Bold, Italic, Bold Italic).

7. Text Font Size: Text font size.

8. Label Print Spacing: Horizontal and vertical space between each label.

9. Label Print Columns: Number of columns for 3D Printing of text.

10. Label Print Character Spacing: Spacing in between characters for 3D printing of text.

11. Sector Area Overlap Adjustment: Screwdriver cylinder sector area calculation adjustment overlap (Increasingly large base_radius’ may need to increase this).

12. Image Scaling: Self explanatory I hope.

2. Considerations