{
 "version": "2026-10-20",
 "license": "Dimension sheets: CC BY 4.0. Standard and published-size files: CC BY 4.0. Xem Studio's own designs (files_license = Xem Studio Design License): free to use and sell things from, not to redistribute as files — https://xemstudio.com/license/. Other publishers' files: their own license, linked beside them.",
 "slug": "print-in-place-telescoping-tube",
 "name": "Print-in-place: three-stage telescoping tube with stops (Ø40)",
 "kind": "hardware",
 "category": "3D printing",
 "group": "Print-in-place mechanisms",
 "year": null,
 "question": "How do you 3D print a telescoping tube in one piece?",
 "tags": [
  "3d printable",
  "print in place",
  "no assembly",
  "no supports",
  "mechanism",
  "stl",
  "step",
  "telescoping",
  "tube"
 ],
 "aliases": [
  "print in place telescoping tube",
  "telescoping tube stl",
  "3d printed collapsible tube",
  "print in place telescope"
 ],
 "overall_mm": {
  "length": 40,
  "width": 40,
  "height": 68
 },
 "official_cad": false,
 "xem_status": "free-files",
 "les": false,
 "free_files": 4,
 "url": "https://xemstudio.com/objects/print-in-place-telescoping-tube/",
 "sheet_txt": "https://xemstudio.com/objects/print-in-place-telescoping-tube/sheet.txt",
 "sheet": {
  "basis": "Xem Studio design: revolved profiles; 45° flanges and lips; one designed running gap of 0.40 mm",
  "overall_mm": {
   "length": 40,
   "width": 40,
   "height": 68
  },
  "notes": [
   "3D print in place — prints already assembled, moving, in one job. Drawn at true size with no printer tolerance added; the 0.40 mm running gaps are part of the design.",
   "Running gap 0.40 mm per side, 0.80 mm on diameter — part of the design, drawn as is. On the 45° faces the same 0.40 mm is measured square to the face (0.57 mm along the axis).",
   "Bed: the three tubes stand nested, coaxial, all on their bottom ends.",
   "Support while printing: every lip and flange is a 45° diamond or wedge: the inward lips of tubes 1 and 2 have 45° undersides, the outward flanges of tubes 2 and 3 have 45° undersides and tops. Tubes are open both ends; nothing overhangs more than 45°.",
   "Captured both ways: each inner tube's flange (reach 1.6 mm) sits between the outer tube's bottom lip and top lip, so it can neither drop out of the bottom nor pull out of the top.",
   "Freeing it: hold the outer tube, pull the inner tube up a few millimetres and push it back; then the middle one; turn each a little.",
   "Motion: stage 1 slides 50.8 mm, stage 2 54.8 mm (computed to the flange-on-lip stop): 68 mm collapsed, 173.6 mm extended. Each tube also turns freely in the next."
  ],
  "table": {
   "columns": [
    "key",
    "value",
    "what"
   ],
   "rows": [
    [
     "gap_mm",
     0.4,
     "running gap per side on every moving interface (radial, axial, under captured parts) — part of the design, not a tolerance"
    ],
    [
     "tube_1_od_mm",
     40,
     "outer tube"
    ],
    [
     "tube_2_od_mm",
     32,
     "middle tube"
    ],
    [
     "tube_3_od_mm",
     24,
     "inner tube"
    ],
    [
     "wall_mm",
     2,
     "every tube"
    ],
    [
     "tube_1_h_mm",
     60,
     ""
    ],
    [
     "tube_2_h_mm",
     64,
     ""
    ],
    [
     "tube_3_h_mm",
     68,
     ""
    ],
    [
     "lip_reach_mm",
     1.6,
     "radial overlap of each flange behind its lip"
    ],
    [
     "travel_1_mm",
     50.8,
     "tube 2 out of tube 1, drawn (collapsed) to flange-on-lip stop"
    ],
    [
     "travel_2_mm",
     54.79,
     "tube 3 out of tube 2"
    ],
    [
     "length_collapsed_mm",
     68,
     "as printed"
    ],
    [
     "length_extended_mm",
     173.59,
     "all stages out to their stops"
    ],
    [
     "bottom_play_mm",
     1.98,
     "each tube can drop this far below the drawn position before its flange sits on the lower lip"
    ]
   ]
  }
 },
 "sheet_text": "Print-in-place: three-stage telescoping tube with stops (Ø40) — dimension sheet\nSource: Xem Studio, https://xemstudio.com/objects/print-in-place-telescoping-tube/  (sheet CC BY 4.0; files Xem Studio Design License, https://xemstudio.com/license/)\nBasis: Xem Studio design: revolved profiles; 45° flanges and lips; one designed running gap of 0.40 mm\nCatalog version: 2026-10-20\n\nOverall (mm): length 40.0, width 40.0, height 68.0\n- 3D print in place — prints already assembled, moving, in one job. Drawn at true size with no printer tolerance added; the 0.40 mm running gaps are part of the design.\n- Running gap 0.40 mm per side, 0.80 mm on diameter — part of the design, drawn as is. On the 45° faces the same 0.40 mm is measured square to the face (0.57 mm along the axis).\n- Bed: the three tubes stand nested, coaxial, all on their bottom ends.\n- Support while printing: every lip and flange is a 45° diamond or wedge: the inward lips of tubes 1 and 2 have 45° undersides, the outward flanges of tubes 2 and 3 have 45° undersides and tops. Tubes are open both ends; nothing overhangs more than 45°.\n- Captured both ways: each inner tube's flange (reach 1.6 mm) sits between the outer tube's bottom lip and top lip, so it can neither drop out of the bottom nor pull out of the top.\n- Freeing it: hold the outer tube, pull the inner tube up a few millimetres and push it back; then the middle one; turn each a little.\n- Motion: stage 1 slides 50.8 mm, stage 2 54.8 mm (computed to the flange-on-lip stop): 68 mm collapsed, 173.6 mm extended. Each tube also turns freely in the next.\n\nkey  value  what\ngap_mm  0.4  running gap per side on every moving interface (radial, axial, under captured parts) — part of the design, not a tolerance\ntube_1_od_mm  40.0  outer tube\ntube_2_od_mm  32.0  middle tube\ntube_3_od_mm  24.0  inner tube\nwall_mm  2.0  every tube\ntube_1_h_mm  60.0  \ntube_2_h_mm  64.0  \ntube_3_h_mm  68.0  \nlip_reach_mm  1.6  radial overlap of each flange behind its lip\ntravel_1_mm  50.8  tube 2 out of tube 1, drawn (collapsed) to flange-on-lip stop\ntravel_2_mm  54.79  tube 3 out of tube 2\nlength_collapsed_mm  68.0  as printed\nlength_extended_mm  173.59  all stages out to their stops\nbottom_play_mm  1.98  each tube can drop this far below the drawn position before its flange sits on the lower lip\n\nFiles elsewhere (not hosted by Xem Studio; license as stated by the publisher):\n- Xem Studio: Print-in-place mechanism design (geometry computed in the generator) — web — Xem Studio design — https://xemstudio.com/\n\nFree files (Xem Studio Design License, Xem Studio; STEP + STL, 4 parts): https://xemstudio.com/files/hardware/print-in-place-telescoping-tube/index.json\nAPI: https://xemstudio.com/api/geometry?object=print-in-place-telescoping-tube\n",
 "sources": [
  {
   "publisher": "Xem Studio",
   "title": "Print-in-place mechanism design (geometry computed in the generator)",
   "url": "https://xemstudio.com/",
   "formats": [
    "web"
   ],
   "license": "Xem Studio design",
   "license_verified": true,
   "hosted": false
  }
 ],
 "xem": {
  "status": "free-files",
  "sheet_free": true,
  "mesh_price_usd": null,
  "step_price_usd": null,
  "tolerance_mm": null
 },
 "related": [
  "print-in-place-captive-wheel-axle",
  "print-in-place-barrel-hinge-180",
  "print-in-place-multi-knuckle-hinge",
  "print-in-place-captive-turntable",
  "print-in-place-dovetail-slider",
  "print-in-place-articulated-chain",
  "print-in-place-ball-joint"
 ],
 "fits": [],
 "dimensions": "exact (nominal, no printing tolerance)",
 "dimension_rule": "All geometry on Xem Studio is exact (nominal, true size) with no printing tolerance. Where a part meets another part, the object lists its mating features (feature, exact size, what it mates with, fit class: press, slide, run, socket, clamp or designed). Apply your process's allowance to those features only; 'designed' gaps are part of the design and stay as drawn.",
 "mating": [],
 "faq": [
  {
   "q": "What stops the tubes pulling apart?",
   "a": "Each inner tube has an outward 45° flange near its bottom that meets the outer tube's inward 45° lip at the top — a cone-on-cone stop."
  },
  {
   "q": "How far does it extend?",
   "a": "105.6 mm in total (50.8 + 54.8), from 68 to 173.6 mm."
  }
 ],
 "files_license": {
  "name": "Xem Studio Design License",
  "holder": "Xem Studio",
  "url": "https://xemstudio.com/license/",
  "note": "Xem Studio's own design: free to use, print, modify and sell things made from it; not to be republished or redistributed as files."
 },
 "offers": [
  {
   "file": "print-in-place-telescoping-tube-assembly",
   "formats": [
    "step",
    "stl"
   ],
   "price_usd": 0,
   "license": "Xem Studio Design License",
   "step": "https://xemstudio.com/files/hardware/print-in-place-telescoping-tube/print-in-place-telescoping-tube-assembly.step",
   "stl": "https://xemstudio.com/files/hardware/print-in-place-telescoping-tube/print-in-place-telescoping-tube-assembly.stl",
   "note": "The whole print as laid on the bed (3 bodies, already assembled); STEP keeps each moving body a separate solid"
  },
  {
   "file": "print-in-place-telescoping-tube-tube-1-outer",
   "formats": [
    "step",
    "stl"
   ],
   "price_usd": 0,
   "license": "Xem Studio Design License",
   "step": "https://xemstudio.com/files/hardware/print-in-place-telescoping-tube/print-in-place-telescoping-tube-tube-1-outer.step",
   "stl": "https://xemstudio.com/files/hardware/print-in-place-telescoping-tube/print-in-place-telescoping-tube-tube-1-outer.stl",
   "note": "Outer tube Ø40 × 60, wall 2, 45° lips top and bottom"
  },
  {
   "file": "print-in-place-telescoping-tube-tube-2-middle",
   "formats": [
    "step",
    "stl"
   ],
   "price_usd": 0,
   "license": "Xem Studio Design License",
   "step": "https://xemstudio.com/files/hardware/print-in-place-telescoping-tube/print-in-place-telescoping-tube-tube-2-middle.step",
   "stl": "https://xemstudio.com/files/hardware/print-in-place-telescoping-tube/print-in-place-telescoping-tube-tube-2-middle.stl",
   "note": "Middle tube Ø32 × 64, wall 2, 45° flange outside, 45° lips inside top and bottom"
  },
  {
   "file": "print-in-place-telescoping-tube-tube-3-inner",
   "formats": [
    "step",
    "stl"
   ],
   "price_usd": 0,
   "license": "Xem Studio Design License",
   "step": "https://xemstudio.com/files/hardware/print-in-place-telescoping-tube/print-in-place-telescoping-tube-tube-3-inner.step",
   "stl": "https://xemstudio.com/files/hardware/print-in-place-telescoping-tube/print-in-place-telescoping-tube-tube-3-inner.stl",
   "note": "Inner tube Ø24 × 68, wall 2, 45° flange outside"
  }
 ],
 "markdown": "https://xemstudio.com/objects/print-in-place-telescoping-tube/index.md"
}