Card Clamp Assembly

Request: Design a streamlined, four-piece integrated clamping shell for a standard sports card stack. Design Objectives: Function: Create a robust clamping mechanism that applies even compression to the large faces of a stack of approximately 200 standard sports cards, preventing warping. Part Count Reduction: The entire assembly must be composed of only four main components that integrate multiple features into single pieces. 3D Printing Optimization: The design must prioritize 3D-printable geometry (FDM/SLA), minimizing or eliminating the need for support material, using specific features like filleted corners and self-supporting arches. Detailed Component Specifications: Part 1: Main Body (Single Integrated Piece) Function: Serves as the base, rear, and side guides. Features: A monolithic base plate. Integrated internal guide rails along the sides and back wall to align the card stack and the compression platens. Two robust integrated side walls with open-sided structures (skeletal frames) for maximum card visibility. A reinforced integrated threaded boss at the central bottom position (see Cross Section A-A) for the main clamping force from below. Part 2: Top Gantry and Front Frame (Single Integrated Piece) Function: Forms the structural arch and the front viewing window. Features: A skeletal, single-piece Front Frame (to accept a view plate or remain open) that integrates seamlessly into a top spanning gantry. The gantry must have filleted corners where it joins the side guides for maximum structural strength. A central, integrated screw boss on the top crossbeam. Part 3 & 4: Identical Platens (2pcs) Function: Two identical flat rectangular plates that sandwich the card stack. Features: Designed to be the exact clearance size of the card stack and to slide smoothly within Part 1's guide rails. Both platens should have a recessed area to centralize the load from the screws. User-Provided Parts (Not Part of CAD Generation): Main Clamping Screw (3D Printed, Single Piece): A single 3D-printable thumb screw (e.g., M10 or 3/8") with a knurled head and appropriate thread depth for the integrated bosses. Sports Cards (approximately 200). Critical Engineering Tolerances & Dimensions: Card Space: The main body internal width must allow smooth clearance (e.g., 66.5mm) for standard 63.5mm width cards. The stack depth should accommodate ~200 compressed cards. Assembly Footprint (Reference): The complete assembly should target an overall footprint close to 75mm x 165mm. Deliverable Output Format: STL or STEP files for each of the four components (Main Body, Gantry, and 2 identical Platens). A STEP Assembly file showing the full four-piece assembly, including the cards and the clamping screw (if possible).

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