AceLace - Accessible Shoe Lacing Device

Overview

The AceLace is an open-source device that allows you to fasten your shoes in seconds - one-handed. Iteratively developed and tested over the course of months, the AceLace uses a compliant, printed ratchet mechanism that allows shoelaces to be fastened or loosened in seconds. Tightening your laces becomes as simple as spinning the dial clockwise to tighten the ratchet, and loosening them as simple as pulling up on the dial. A pair of AceLaces can be printed in just over an hour using less than 21g of PETG, and require only an M3 nylock nut, an M3x16 mm bolt, and a couple drops of superglue for each mechanism. Assembly takes under five minutes, and attaching each AceLace to your shoe a minute and a half. They have been tested extensively in real-life use over the past two months, and have held up to well over 8,000 steps a day with no signs of wear or tear. If printed in PETG with the recommended settings, they can be expected to last for a long while.

BoM/Hardware

• Per Pair of AceLaces:

  • x2 M3 Nylock Nuts

  • x2 M3x16 mm Bolts

  • Superglue/Cyanoacrylate 

Assembly Instructions:

Superglue the cap and the core together, taking care not to use too much, or you'll run the risk of fouling the ratchet mechanism with the glue.

Press fit the nylock nut into the body, nylon side pointed down.

Your AceLaces are now ready to be installed!

Print Settings:

AceLaces must be printed in PETG; the compliant mechanism will not function properly if printed in PLA.

It is recommended that the AceLace be printed using a 0.4mm nozzle or smaller, as the mechanism requires such precision.

Reccomended slicer settings: