Printagami Modular Edge Origami Piece 3D Printed Origami

This Printagami Modular Edge Origami piece is based on an edge piece I learned when I did a lot of Origami as a child. I haven't been able to find it online again, but I remembered the folds by heart. Unfortunately, the original edge piece fold pattern wound up way to thick for this format so I had to do some modifications for the 3D printed format. They print flat and fold along the crease lines in the middle and sides so they look like a geometric L shape. The linkage tab folds and squeezes into the slit. This opening and linkage is fairly narrow so support both sides equally with your hands while pushing them together. You may break a few as you get used to the technique. Fortunately they are small and don't require a ton of filament! I have found that hooking one side into the slit and flatting both pieces out a little bit, then swinging the other side in until it pops into place is the best method.

Mechanically these pieces still operate just like a modular edge multipiece origami construction. You can make anything from an Octahedron all the way up to the 270 piece limit configuration for these types of edge pieces. This edge piece also has the option to do an infinite number of varieties for non geometric patterns as well. There is a ton of information on geometric modular origami construction out there with patterns if you take a quick stop at google for that info. Pictured above I have a 12 piece Octahedron, a 12 piece cube, and a 30 piece Dodecahedron made with this edge piece.

You can construct any other cube like structure with them so get creative and make some cool things with them! The linkage is designed to be a 1 way pressure fit that is held in place by resistance flaps into the matching slit. When putting these models together I found out that you can pull them back apart once or twice without totally ruining them, but I would only expect to build one construction with these pieces and then print more if you want to make something else.