June 25, 2019

Compliant Mechanisms – Why Machines that Bend can be Better

This post is the latest in our series on new technologies impacting industrial manufacturers and distributors. Earlier posts have included IIoT, 3D Printing, Generative Design, 5G, Artificial Intelligence, Digital Marketing with CAD, Blockchain, Digital Twins and now this one is on compliant mechanisms with credit to Veritasium/Bryan Baker for making this excellent video with Professor Larry Howell (author of the book, “Compliant Mechanisms”).

The examples in the video are amazing but once you start looking there are examples of compliant mechanisms all around us. From the injection molded shampoo bottle hinge, to the flexures in your mouse buttons, to the cable tie locking mechanism, to plastic fasteners that clip in to lock, to the volume rocker in your cell phone, etc. We could go on but the point is whether your company’s current or future products, if they don’t already, could benefit from ‘flexures’?

As the video points out compliant mechanisms can have a number of advantages:

Lower Part Count
Cheaper product processes
Lower Price
Precise Motion
Better Performance
Portable – even to microscopic scales
Predictable

You’ll see a very healthy discussion on YouTube under the video but, as always, if you have comments or suggestions for CDS please make them below, click to ask us a question or call for a discussion. In the meantime we’ll continue to keep you up-to-date on eCommerce and new technologies impacting industrial suppliers

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About the author

Anna Harkins

CDS Visual

Anna Harkins is the General Manager of CDS Visual, where she helps manufacturing OEMs transform how they grow aftermarket revenue, accelerate quote‑to‑order cycles, and scale workforce productivity. She works closely with digital, aftermarket, and operations leaders at industrial manufacturers. Anna brings a pragmatic, executive perspective shaped by real‑world challenges of modern manufacturing—from unlocking engineering data to enabling digital customer and service experiences. Her work focuses on aligning digital strategy with measurable commercial and operational outcomes. Anna regularly shares insights on how manufacturers can turn complexity into competitive advantage.

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