Print-in-Place Kaleidocycle

Name: Print-in-Place Kaleidocycle (3D printed)
Brand: Hark Tech
Price: 6.90 GBP
Availability: InStock

Small parts from £4 printed to order · UK postage from £2.95, free over £40 · usually dispatched within 2 working days
Arrives damaged? Free reprint, just film the box being opened. Returns policy

Free community design ♥ 3,702 likes ↓ 26,440 downloads

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PLA from £4 plus UK postage from £2.95. We prepare your model, print it across our calibrated production fleet and quality-check it before it is usually dispatched within 2 working days.

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We didn’t design this model. It’s a community file from its original creator, and now and then a file has a fault that only shows up when we print it, such as walls that are too thin or parts that don’t join properly. If that happens we’ll let you know and try to fix the file, which can add a day or two. If we can’t get a good print from it, we’ll refund you in full.

Good to know before you order

TPU has a £11.50 print-order minimum. ABS, ASA, PC, Nylon and PETG-CF have a £46 minimum; PA-CF has a £69 minimum. Delivery is shown separately in your cart.

Need a few parts? Add them to one cart. One order minimum and one postage charge cover the cart: £6.90 for standard materials, £11.50 with TPU, £46 with ABS, ASA, PC, Nylon or PETG-CF, or £69 with PA-CF.

Please check the model files include everything you need before ordering. We print the files as published by the creator, so you receive the parts in the model, not necessarily a finished assembly shown in any photos. These are community designs by their original creators; we manufacture and post them but cannot guarantee fitment for your specific appliance or use case - check the original design page for compatibility.

About this print

A kaleidocycle is a ring of connected tetrahedra that can be continuously folded and turned through its own centre. This version is designed to print in a single piece directly on the printer bed, with no supports required and no assembly needed afterwards. It functions as a desk curiosity and a demonstration of geometric motion. PLA at a fine layer resolution produces the smoothest movement between the linked sections.

From the original design page

Original maker's notes

By ecoiras on Thingiverse · CC-BY

A kaleidocycle that prints-in-place! No need to assemble anything; the kaleidocycle comes out of the printer bed ready to use. And it prints without supports as well.

The models shown in the photos were printed in PLA. Print at 0.2mm layer resolution or better (the blue one is printed at 0.3mm layer resolution and it doesn't move smoothly). The purple and white are 0.2mm prints and the pink one is a 0.1mm print--the three of them work perfectly well.

I have uploaded two versions of the thing. If in doubt or in a hurry, print the "PrintInPlace_Kaleydocycle.STL" at 0.2mm layer resolution in PLA and you'll be happy.

You can use the "tight" STL version if you have a good printer (*); your resulting kaleidocycle will have slightly better mechanical properties. The only difference between this "tight" model and the other one is that the slack between the moving parts is smaller, and as a consequence it wobbles less and twists better.

The pink kaleidocycle in the photos is the "tight" version. The purple and blue are the standard version and the white is halfway between.

You can see a video of the kaleidocycle in action [here](https://youtu.be/7DBbQMza6PQ)

Enjoy!

(*) if you want/need to know if you have a good printer, print the tight model and if the moving parts don't fuse together, then you have a good printer.

Formatting may have been simplified. These are the independent maker's instructions and fitment claims; Hark Tech has not independently verified them.

Printing Print-in-Place Kaleidocycle

For Print-in-Place Kaleidocycle we would normally reach for PLA — it is the easy, economical default and suits the majority of models. We set the layer height, wall count, infill and supports to suit the model and how you will use it, and those choices are already priced into your instant quote. Want a specific colour or material? Tell us and we will match it where we can.

Model details

Downloads at source	26,440
Likes at source	3,702
Original model	View on Thingiverse
Designer	ecoiras
Licence	CC-BY

kaleidocycle nosupport no support Print-in-place printinplace print in place supportless

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