Box Generator

Boxes

Parametric storage box with an optional lipped lid.

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Grid 5 mm · section 25 mm
Exact preview
Usable space96.8 × 56.8 × 32.4 mmBody outer100 × 60 × 40 mmTotal height41.6 mmWall1.6 mmLid lip6 mmLid clearance0.2 mm

Guide

Box Generator

Build a rectangular box and separate locating-lip lid as STL files. Choose Outer dimensions when you know the body size, or Usable inner when the closed box must hold an object of a known size. The builder shows the derived body, free space and closed height before export. Lid clearance is a model setting; test the printed fit with your own process.

Choose the dimension mode

Dimension input offers Outer and Usable inner. Outer keeps the body's width, depth and height as entered. Usable inner starts with the free width, depth and height that remain across the full footprint below the closed lid lip. The tool adds two walls to width and depth, then the bottom and lip height to body height. Changing modes changes the displayed input, not the saved geometry: recipes and exports retain outer dimensions.

For 100 × 60 × 30 mm of usable space, set the wall and bottom to 2 mm and keep the 6 mm lip. The body becomes 104 × 64 × 38 mm. The shipped wall and bottom defaults are 1.6 mm, so enter 2 mm explicitly for this example. The 3D printable box guide walks through the full measurement and printing workflow.

Box builder with Usable inner selected for the 100 by 60 by 30 mm example and a preview of the separate body and lid
Actual builder preview for the 100 × 60 × 30 mm usable-space example. Digital model, not a printed fit test.

Read the dimensions in the result

Keep three measurements separate. Body outer is the exported shell size. The open cavity is body width and depth minus two walls, with body height minus the bottom. Usable inner height subtracts the lid lip too, because the lip enters the cavity when closed. The status bar shows usable space, body outer size and closed total height; the lid plate adds its thickness above the body.

In this example, the open cavity is 100 × 60 × 36 mm, while 100 × 60 × 30 mm remains below the 6 mm lip. A 1.6 mm lid plate makes the closed box 39.6 mm tall. The diagram shows the dimension conversion. These are digital dimensions of the model and do not include printer shrinkage, surface texture or a measured object clearance.

MeasurementExampleHow it is determined
Usable inner100 × 60 × 30 mmInput below the closed lip
Open cavity100 × 60 × 36 mmOuter size minus walls and bottom
Body outer104 × 64 × 38 mmDerived from usable size, wall, bottom and lip
Closed total height39.6 mmBody height plus lid-plate thickness
Dimension flow: usable inner 100 by 60 by 30 mm, 2 mm walls and bottom plus 6 mm lip yield a 104 by 64 by 38 mm body; the 1.6 mm lid plate makes 39.6 mm closed height
Dimension conversion for the same box. The lid clearance changes the lip fit, not the requested usable space.

Export the right parts

Choose Body for one shell STL or Lid for one lid STL. Set downloads a ZIP with both separate STL files and README.txt. For the example, the files are box-104x64x38-w2-generatestl.com.stl and box-lid-104x64-w2-generatestl.com.stl. The ZIP is not one fused model. Inspect the parts in your slicer before printing, including orientation, bed space and support requirements.

The tool creates a plain open-top shell and a locating-lip lid. It does not add hinges, latches, mounting posts, cutouts, seals or a Gridfinity base. The nut and bolt generator makes separate fasteners if your design needs them; mounting features still require your own design. Compare the available tools in the generator directory.

Test the lid clearance

Lid clearance reduces the lip width and depth by twice the entered value, leaving that value as a modeled gap on each side. At the default 0.2 mm, the example's 100 × 60 mm body opening receives a 99.6 × 59.6 mm outer lip. The setting ranges from 0 to 0.5 mm. It does not change the free space reserved for the object beneath the lip.

The default clearance is a starting geometry value, not a guaranteed fit on every printer. Extrusion width, first-layer behavior, material and orientation can alter the real gap. Print a small wall-and-lip sample with your actual process, measure the result, and adjust clearance before committing to the complete box. Check the status bar and validation messages if a combination leaves no usable space.

Frequently asked questions

Can I enter usable inner dimensions?

Yes. Select Usable inner, enter the free width, depth and height needed below the closed lid, and the builder derives the body's outer dimensions. Outer remains available for existing designs. Saved recipes and exported models continue to use outer dimensions.

What happens when I change wall thickness?

In Usable inner mode, the builder increases or decreases the outer width and depth to preserve the entered free space where the limits allow. In Outer mode, the body size stays fixed and the open cavity changes by twice the wall change. Check the derived dimensions before export.

How is the closed-box height defined?

Closed total height is body outer height plus lid-plate thickness. The guaranteed usable height across the full footprint is body height minus bottom thickness and lip height. A 38 mm body with a 2 mm bottom, 6 mm lip and 1.6 mm lid plate has 30 mm usable height and 39.6 mm closed total height.

Is the default clearance a guaranteed fit?

No. A 0.2 mm setting models a 0.2 mm gap on each side between the body opening and lid lip. Printed dimensions depend on the machine, material and settings. Test a short sample and measure it before printing the full box.