When you hear the term “planetary gears”, you might imagine some random gears floating through space, orbiting a star. And that isn’t actually so far off from the real thing. The concept of planetary gears, also known as epicyclic gears, relates to an early understanding of our solar system and planetary orbits. Early depictions of the solar system had our planets orbiting in planar, circular orbits, which is exactly what planetary gears do.
In the case of planetary gears, there’s a central “sun” gear meshed with surrounding “planet” gears, which ride along an outer “ring” gear. Generally speaking, planetary gears can be used to change the torque and speed of a rotating shaft, as would be seen in a gearbox. The advantage of planetary gears is that they’re much less prone to jumping teeth or stripping out under higher loads. They’re also more compact than similar “linear” gearboxes.
If you just need to have one of the following gears but don’t have the setup to have it precisely made, consider reaching out to a 3D printing service. Through Craftcloud by All3DP, you can find the best prices and services to get your model printed in your choice of a huge variety of materials and finishes. The best part? The service is free, meaning you only have to pay for the cost of printing and shipping the parts.
Now, let’s launch into the list of the best and most interesting 3D-printed planetary gears!
Planetary Pulley System
3D printing can be a great asset in an educational environment. This pulley combines simple geometry with a planetary gear bearing to perfectly demonstrate how an Archimedes pulley system functions.
The models require little-to-no support. You will want to keep part orientation in mind when slicing your pulley for maximum durability, as you will want forces to be applied in the same direction as your layer lines, not against them.
- Who made it? MichalFanta
- How printable/popular is it? This model sports around 400 downloads and 3 confirmed makes.
- Where to find it? Printables
1,048,576:1 Planetary Reduction System
Now, we know what you’re thinking. Why in the world would you need a gear reduction ratio of 1,048,576:1?
It turns out (like with many 3D printed objects) that there is no particular reason, other than that it can be done. But don’t scoff until you’ve seen for yourself how 2,000 turns result in 2.6 mm of end rotation.
This kind of precision gives even the most expensive positioning stages a run for their money.
- Who designed it? mgg942 (with parts from aubenc)
- How printable/popular is it? At least 3 makers have shared their prints, but the real number is surely higher, given the 7,000 downloads!
- Where to find it? Thingiverse
Mechanical Clock
You’ll be right on time when you make this extremely popular model for an almost entirely 3D printed mechanical clock. It’s classy looking as well and makes a great wall piece for your home.
The winding mechanism includes a nested planetary gear that allows the clock to continue running even while it’s being wound up. This item prints with PLA, just note that it does need a few extras like pins and screws in addition to the print itself.
- Who designed it? TheGoofy
- How printable/popular is it? There are an incredible 79 makes and 27 remixes of this complex clock.
- Where to find it? Thingiverse
Toy Robot Arm
This multipurpose toy robot arm with planetary gears could be used for anything from a lamp to a camera stand, so it’s quite functional and fun!
It prints at a 0.2-mm layer height and will need some kind of lubricant for the gears. The creator also provides a GitHub file.
- Who designed it? tmackay
- How printable/popular is it? There are three makes of this clever design on Thingiverse, and there’s also a simpler version.
- Where to find it? Thingiverse, Cults
Human-Powered Gear Fan
Our next model showcases how planetary gears can be used to build a hand-crank fan. The stackable planetary gears allow you to fine-tune the speed of a fan by adding or removing gear stacks. The more gear stacks you add, the faster the fan spins (and the harder you have to crank).
While the majority of the parts are simple prints, you will want to test your tolerances before printing your own fan. Support is required for many of the parts. You will also need additional hardware for assembly, which the designer has provided in the description of their model.
- Who made it? ericcherry
- How printable/popular is it? This model has 66 downloads and over 2,300 views on Cults.
- Where to find it? Cults
Spool Holder
Here’s an easy, straightforward, and practical spool holder with planetary gears as a mechanism that you can easily assemble at home.
Note that some users have mentioned that they needed to resize the wheels, so just be aware when you download the files. The instructions also include an assembly guide and a video of the spool holder in use.
- Who designed it? nenoff
- How printable/popular is it? This project features six makes and one remix so far.
- Where to find it? Thingiverse
NEMA 17 Gearbox
When we talk about functional 3D prints, nothing could be more functional than a planetary gearbox that actually works with an existing stepper motor.
This 43.3:1 planetary gearbox fits a NEMA 17 stepper motor for use in larger projects. A notable use is for robotic arms.
The size of this gearbox is impressive as well, with its diameter being about two-quarters of its height. Compact, yet powerful.
- Who designed it? Gear_Down_For_What
- How printable/popular is it? Two makes of this gearbox have been shared on Thingiverse, and the designer has several other planetary gearbox models for you to check out.
- Where to find it? Thingiverse
Helicopter Powertrain
Anyone who’s ever said 3D printing can’t make anything useful has never seen this print. This functional (granted, still plastic) gearbox for a helicopter is a great teaching tool.
A prime example of the many uses of planetary gears, this model demonstrates how rotation in different axes can translate to a spinning helicopter blade. Conveniently, this build comes with many easy-to-follow assembly photos.
- Who designed it? konchan77
- How printable/popular is it? This model has been downloaded 3,300 times with 2 posted makes.
- Where to find it? Thingiverse
Gear Bearing
Although it can’t be disassembled, you can’t go wrong with printing this super cool gear bearing with herringbone gears.
The dimensions can be easily adjusted in Thingiverse’s Customizer app and it prints in PLA as a single part. It’s a super popular print with great reviews: The masses have spoken!
- Who designed it? emmett
- How printable/popular is it? This simple but incredibly popular model is approaching 1,000 makes and has a whopping 6,856 remixes.
- Where to find it? Thingiverse
Herringbone Gear Knob
A unique take on the herringbone planetary gear design. Customize your 3D printer’s LCD screen with this cute little gear knob and your favorite color of filament!
The print-in-place design is best printed on a well-calibrated printer and may still need a little force to loosen up the outside gears after printing. You can scale this model up or down to suit other electronics as well!
- Who made it? schutz
- How printable/popular is it? This model has been downloaded over 50 times and there are 4 confirmed makes.
- Where to find it? Printables
High Torque Bowden Extruder
As mentioned earlier, planetary gears are great at increasing torque. Applied to 3D printing, this can be extremely helpful in the extruder department.
This planetary gear Bowden extruder increases the torque in a 5:1 ratio, which is impressive considering its small size. With this at your disposal, you should have no problems printing the rest of the items on our list.
- Who designed it? alexspeller
- How printable/popular is it? Judging by the almost 2,500 downloads, quite a few 3D printer enthusiasts have upgraded their printers with this geared extruder.
- Where to find it? Thingiverse
Pen Holder
If you’re interested in multipurpose designs, then this pen holder may be the perfect print for you. This functional pen holder doubles as a fun little planetary gear desk toy with a small revolving base. You can store all of your pens, markers, and tools in this print to clean up your workspace and add some style.
It’s a very simple print that most machines can tackle without much tuning. Try using a metallic filament for a sleek, authentic look.
- Who designed it? AF_inventions
- How printable/popular is it? This design is currently sitting at 125 downloads.
- Where to find it? Cults
Hyperbolic Gear Set
Most people have never heard of a hyperbolic gear, let alone a hyperbolic planetary gear. However, this alien-like gear set shows some interesting properties, including the ability to arbitrarily set the planet gears at an angle to the central gear, much like our planets do in our real solar system.
Although this device is a toy demonstration, it shows the principles of off-axis power transfer quite well.
- Who designed it? jsteuben
- How printable/popular is it? This has been downloaded over 30,000 times and has 44 confirmed makes.
- Where to find it? Thingiverse
Light Switch
For the hardcore gear heads, this fully-functional planetary gear light switch would be the perfect addition to a workshop or garage. Aside from being a unique way to turn your lights on and off, this setup uses a wrench as the switch component.
The print comes in five pieces and has instructions for assembly as well as post-processing. It should fit standard US outlet sizes and is best if printed in alternating colors for a nicer aesthetic effect.
- Who designed it? Michael Graham
- How printable/popular is it? This cool light switch upgrade has well over 11,000 views on Pinshape, while 6 makes have been shared on Thingiverse.
- Where to find it? Pinshape, Thingiverse
Print-in-Place Music Box
PLA isn’t really known for its acoustic properties. This 3D printed music box showcases that perfectly. While the music itself may fall flat, the design showcases the many uses of planetary gears.
This is a very technical print that will put any printer to the test. You will want to use a 0.2-mm layer height and prepare yourself for a moderate amount of post-processing before you are finished. Luckily, the designer has provided a very in-depth guide for the whole project.
- Who designed it? tmackay
- How printable/popular is it? This model has been downloaded around 100 times.
- Where to find it? MyMiniFactory
Open/Closed Sign
Is this place open for business, or closed for a while? Let people know with this clever “open” and “closed” sign.
If you’re a bit unclear on the process, commenters and remixes have helpful improvements or suggestions to check out. Note that it has a fairly large number of files to print. Watch how it works below!
- Who made it? MattsHub
- How printable/popular is it? This clever sign has 15 makes and 7 remixes on Thingiverse.
- Where to find it? Thingiverse
Water Motor
The one problem with planetary gear systems is a power source. You could, of course, use a motor, but what fun is that?
This planetary gear water motor is a 3D printed “concept device”, using running water from a hose to spin a turbine, in turn powering the planetary gearbox. While not particularly efficient or waterproof, it is a cool proof of concept for those hot summer days.
Conveniently, this build includes a demonstration as well as an animated video of its assembly.
Puzzle Cube
Not only is it beautiful to look at, this creative puzzle box with planetary gears core is a fun challenge for puzzle lovers everywhere.
The puzzle box prints at 0.2-mm layer height and will need some tools and paint for its full effects, and just keep in mind when printing that some parts need supports and some don’t, so it’s best to check everything thoroughly for a perfect fit.
- Who made it? tmackay
- How printable/popular is it? There are three makes and three remixes on Thingiverse. The designer has also released updated mechanisms for this box, but these no longer include the planetary gears.
- Where to find it? Cults, Thingiverse
Cyberpunk Mask
This model is for those who don’t really need a functional planetary gear system for anything. If you simply like the look of them, why not try out this cyberpunk planetary gear mask?
It has two planetary gear systems on each side of the mask. They’re not particularly functional, but they do look great for a future-meets-past cyberpunk costume.
This model is printed in multiple pieces, so if you don’t have a multicolor printer or setup, you can still print each piece in a different material for stunning results.
- Who designed it? Nikobotics
- How printable/popular is it? This model has been downloaded over 3,500 times, with 2 makes posted.
- Where to find it? Thingiverse
Fidget Spinner
Planetary gears have many uses, such as increased torque, but this planetary gear fidget spinner is simply meant to entertain (for hours on end).
Although this model isn’t entirely 3D printed, bearings are pretty standard for makers to have lying around. Overall, while this is a simpler version of a planetary gear, it has caught our attention based on its unique purpose.
- Who designed it? bda
- How printable/popular is it? This model has 17 makes and 3 remixes on Thingiverse, and the photos clearly show how well it can turn out.
- Where to find it? Cults, Thingiverse
License: The text of "3D Printed Planetary Gear: The 20 Best Models of 2023" by All3DP is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.