Print-in-place hinged box generator
The lid prints flat on the bed behind the box, joined by a barrel hinge that is already assembled. Fold it over and it lands on the rim. The trick is where the hinge sits. The lid is designed closed and mirrored through the hinge axis, so the axis goes at half the box height plus the gap and lid thickness. The printed-open lid then closes exactly onto the box. Alternating knuckles run on a pin that belongs to the box, and teardrop holes let the knuckle roofs print without support. A locating lip holds the closed lid. The checks cover the free hinge, the seat, the capture and knuckle wall, and the swing from open to shut is collision-checked pose by pose.
Ask for the sizes you want to tweak, e.g. “make the width adjustable”.
Specs at the default size
Measured from the actual build on a Bambu Lab A1 in PLA. Every number updates live when you drag a slider above.
- Overall size
- 80 × 129 × 30 mm
- Parts
- 2
- Filament
- 41 g
- Print time
- 1 h 6 min
- Build plates
- 1
- Supports
- None needed
Engineering checks
- Lid prints flat on the bedopen lid bottom at z = -0.00 mm, lip facing up
- Hinge prints free0.35 mm radial and 0.4 mm axial gaps around every knuckle
- Closed lid seats on the rimlip inside the walls, 0.3 mm above the rim when closed
- Knuckles capture the lidthe pin passes through the lid knuckles; the lid cannot lift or slide off
- Pin and knuckle sizes1.65 mm knuckle wall around a 4 mm pin
Adjustable sizes
| Setting | Default | Range |
|---|---|---|
| Width | 80 mm | 50–140 mm |
| Depth | 60 mm | 40–100 mm |
| Box height | 30 mm | 18–60 mm |
| Hinge radial gap | 0.35 mm | 0.25–0.6 mm |
Parts list
| Part | Qty | Size (mm) | Filament | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| box | 1 | 80 × 69 × 30 | 26 g | 41 min |
| lid | 1 | 80 × 69 × 21 | 15 g | 25 min |
How to make it
- Set the box width, depth and height.
- Keep the 0.35 mm hinge gap for a first print; lower it once one frees reliably.
- Print as laid out, lid flat behind the box, with no supports.
- Flex the lid gently to free the hinge, then fold it shut.
Print tips
- Watch the first layer: elephant's foot is what fuses print-in-place hinges.
- PLA or PETG, 3 walls. The knuckles are small, so keep the outer walls slow.
FAQ
Why does it print open?
Printed open, the lid lies flat and the hinge prints around its pin with no supports. The mirrored design means it folds exactly onto the rim.
Does the lid latch?
A lip just inside the walls locates it. It rests closed rather than snapping shut, so it is not meant for carrying upside down.
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