{
 "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-two-axis-gimbal",
 "name": "Print-in-place: two-axis gimbal (nested rings, Ø76)",
 "kind": "hardware",
 "category": "3D printing",
 "group": "Print-in-place mechanisms",
 "year": null,
 "question": "How do you 3D print a gimbal (universal pivot) in one piece?",
 "tags": [
  "3d printable",
  "print in place",
  "no assembly",
  "no supports",
  "mechanism",
  "stl",
  "step",
  "gimbal",
  "universal joint"
 ],
 "aliases": [
  "print in place gimbal",
  "3d printed gimbal rings",
  "print in place universal joint",
  "gyroscope rings stl",
  "nested rings gimbal"
 ],
 "overall_mm": {
  "length": 76,
  "width": 76,
  "height": 8
 },
 "official_cad": false,
 "xem_status": "free-files",
 "les": false,
 "free_files": 4,
 "url": "https://xemstudio.com/objects/print-in-place-two-axis-gimbal/",
 "sheet_txt": "https://xemstudio.com/objects/print-in-place-two-axis-gimbal/sheet.txt",
 "sheet": {
  "basis": "Xem Studio design: concentric sphere bands, 45° cone pivots; one designed running gap of 0.40 mm",
  "overall_mm": {
   "length": 76,
   "width": 76,
   "height": 8
  },
  "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: all three rings lie flat and concentric on the bed; the two pivot axes (X and Y) are horizontal at mid-height, 4 mm up.",
   "Support while printing: the facing edges are concentric sphere bands (the inner one only 13° off vertical at the bed), and each pivot is a 45° cone on a horizontal axis in a 45° cone socket; nothing overhangs more than 45°.",
   "Captured: each ring hangs on two opposed cones, so it cannot drop out; the sphere bands keep the 0.40 mm gap at every angle.",
   "Freeing it: hold the frame and turn the middle ring through a full turn, then the inner disc; the first turn breaks the bed contact.",
   "Motion: the middle ring turns 360° about X and the disc 360° about Y — checked in the model every 30° × 45° with no contact; together they point the disc in any direction (two-axis gimbal)."
  ],
  "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"
    ],
    [
     "outer_d_mm",
     76,
     "frame ring outside diameter"
    ],
    [
     "h_mm",
     8,
     "all three rings, as printed"
    ],
    [
     "ring_1_sphere_d_mm",
     54,
     "middle ring outer sphere band"
    ],
    [
     "disc_sphere_d_mm",
     36,
     "inner disc sphere band"
    ],
    [
     "pin_d_mm",
     5.2,
     "45° cone pivots, two per axis"
    ],
    [
     "center_hole_d_mm",
     10,
     "inner disc"
    ],
    [
     "rotation_x_deg",
     "360 continuous",
     "middle ring in the frame"
    ],
    [
     "rotation_y_deg",
     "360 continuous",
     "inner disc in the middle ring"
    ],
    [
     "mount_holes",
     "4 × Ø3.4 on Ø67",
     "frame"
    ]
   ]
  }
 },
 "sheet_text": "Print-in-place: two-axis gimbal (nested rings, Ø76) — dimension sheet\nSource: Xem Studio, https://xemstudio.com/objects/print-in-place-two-axis-gimbal/  (sheet CC BY 4.0; files Xem Studio Design License, https://xemstudio.com/license/)\nBasis: Xem Studio design: concentric sphere bands, 45° cone pivots; one designed running gap of 0.40 mm\nCatalog version: 2026-10-20\n\nOverall (mm): length 76.0, width 76.0, height 8.0\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: all three rings lie flat and concentric on the bed; the two pivot axes (X and Y) are horizontal at mid-height, 4 mm up.\n- Support while printing: the facing edges are concentric sphere bands (the inner one only 13° off vertical at the bed), and each pivot is a 45° cone on a horizontal axis in a 45° cone socket; nothing overhangs more than 45°.\n- Captured: each ring hangs on two opposed cones, so it cannot drop out; the sphere bands keep the 0.40 mm gap at every angle.\n- Freeing it: hold the frame and turn the middle ring through a full turn, then the inner disc; the first turn breaks the bed contact.\n- Motion: the middle ring turns 360° about X and the disc 360° about Y — checked in the model every 30° × 45° with no contact; together they point the disc in any direction (two-axis gimbal).\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\nouter_d_mm  76.0  frame ring outside diameter\nh_mm  8.0  all three rings, as printed\nring_1_sphere_d_mm  54.0  middle ring outer sphere band\ndisc_sphere_d_mm  36.0  inner disc sphere band\npin_d_mm  5.2  45° cone pivots, two per axis\ncenter_hole_d_mm  10  inner disc\nrotation_x_deg  360 continuous  middle ring in the frame\nrotation_y_deg  360 continuous  inner disc in the middle ring\nmount_holes  4 × Ø3.4 on Ø67  frame\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-two-axis-gimbal/index.json\nAPI: https://xemstudio.com/api/geometry?object=print-in-place-two-axis-gimbal\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": "Why are the ring edges spherical?",
   "a": "A sphere band keeps the same 0.40 mm gap to the next ring at every tilt; flat-sided rings would jam after a few degrees."
  },
  {
   "q": "What are the pivots?",
   "a": "45° cones Ø5.2 at the base on each ring, two per axis, running in 45° cone sockets of the next ring out."
  }
 ],
 "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-two-axis-gimbal-assembly",
   "formats": [
    "step",
    "stl"
   ],
   "price_usd": 0,
   "license": "Xem Studio Design License",
   "step": "https://xemstudio.com/files/hardware/print-in-place-two-axis-gimbal/print-in-place-two-axis-gimbal-assembly.step",
   "stl": "https://xemstudio.com/files/hardware/print-in-place-two-axis-gimbal/print-in-place-two-axis-gimbal-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-two-axis-gimbal-frame",
   "formats": [
    "step",
    "stl"
   ],
   "price_usd": 0,
   "license": "Xem Studio Design License",
   "step": "https://xemstudio.com/files/hardware/print-in-place-two-axis-gimbal/print-in-place-two-axis-gimbal-frame.step",
   "stl": "https://xemstudio.com/files/hardware/print-in-place-two-axis-gimbal/print-in-place-two-axis-gimbal-frame.stl",
   "note": "Frame ring Ø76 × 8 with the X-axis cone sockets and 4 × Ø3.4"
  },
  {
   "file": "print-in-place-two-axis-gimbal-ring",
   "formats": [
    "step",
    "stl"
   ],
   "price_usd": 0,
   "license": "Xem Studio Design License",
   "step": "https://xemstudio.com/files/hardware/print-in-place-two-axis-gimbal/print-in-place-two-axis-gimbal-ring.step",
   "stl": "https://xemstudio.com/files/hardware/print-in-place-two-axis-gimbal/print-in-place-two-axis-gimbal-ring.stl",
   "note": "Middle ring: sphere bands inside and out, X-axis cones, Y-axis sockets"
  },
  {
   "file": "print-in-place-two-axis-gimbal-disc",
   "formats": [
    "step",
    "stl"
   ],
   "price_usd": 0,
   "license": "Xem Studio Design License",
   "step": "https://xemstudio.com/files/hardware/print-in-place-two-axis-gimbal/print-in-place-two-axis-gimbal-disc.step",
   "stl": "https://xemstudio.com/files/hardware/print-in-place-two-axis-gimbal/print-in-place-two-axis-gimbal-disc.stl",
   "note": "Inner disc: sphere band Ø36, Y-axis cones, Ø10 centre hole"
  }
 ],
 "markdown": "https://xemstudio.com/objects/print-in-place-two-axis-gimbal/index.md"
}