Xem Studiomeasured geometryLibrary › Joinery › 3D-print connectors ·
Snap-fit cantilever joint (hook and catch)
How do you design a snap-fit for 3D printing? · Hardware · basis: Xem Studio design — geometry computed in the generator from traditional proportions
Also called: snap fit, snap fit 3d printing, cantilever snap fit, snap fit design, snap fit dimensions, 3d printed clip, snap-fit joint, encaje a presión, unión a presión, Schnappverbindung, Schnapphaken
Exact dimensions. True size, with no printing tolerance added.
- length
- 25.0 mm
- width
- 16.0 mm
- height
- 29.0 mm
Notes
- Woodworking joint drawn for 3D printing: the parts lock together by shape, so a print can be joined without glue or screws. Drawn at true size with the parts line to line (zero gap) in their assembled position — add your printer's fit allowance to the mating faces (your AI or slicer can do this).
- The basic printed snap: a cantilever arm with a hook that springs into a window. Keep the arm's strain low: for PLA/PETG the undercut should be no more than about 6–7 % of the arm length.
- Print the arm along its length in the plane of the bed — layer lines across the arm make it snap.
Snap-fit cantilever joint size chart
| dimension | value |
|---|---|
| stock | 2 mm arm, 8 mm wide, 18 mm long |
| parts | hook part, catch part |
| hook | 1.2 mm undercut, 30° lead-in |
| assembles | push in: the arm flexes and the hook clicks into the window |
| holds | pulling apart until the hook is pressed back |
Where the files are
Other publishers' files are linked, not hosted. "verify" = check the license at the link before commercial use.
| Xem Studio | Joinery design (geometry computed in the generator from traditional proportions) | web | Xem Studio design |
Free files
★ Free files 3 parts. Xem Studio design: free to use, print and sell things from; not to be republished as files. Xem Studio Design License. index.json
| snap-fit-cantilever-joint-hook-part | Part with the cantilever arm and hook | STEP · STL |
| snap-fit-cantilever-joint-catch-part | Mating wall with the catch window | STEP · STL |
| snap-fit-cantilever-joint-assembled | All parts in their assembled position (each part its own solid) | STEP · STL |
https://xemstudio.com/mcp to Claude, ChatGPT, Cursor or any MCP client (free, no account, one minute) and it can look up exact sizes, mating fits and free STEP/STL from every chat.Plain text: sheet.txt · JSON: /api/geometry?object=snap-fit-cantilever-joint
Fits with
Questions
How long should a snap-fit arm be?
Long enough that the hook undercut is a small share of its length: 18 mm for a 1.2 mm hook here.
Which way should a snap-fit be printed?
With the arm lying flat along the bed, so the layers run along the arm.