3D Printed Cup Holder
by Kristopher Thomas
Problem: The cup holders in my car were too big to hold cans properly, leading to messes and spills when turning corners.
Secondary Problem: The car is new enough, that there are no aftermarket solutions. The manufacturer also doesn’t have an answer to this problem.
Solution: The library has a 3D printer…Letting me design and make my own from scratch!
I started off by taking a picture, and measuring the removable rubber insert inside of the cup holder. I did this to have an accurate base to start making the print from. I then uploaded the picture to Selva3D. This converted the picture into a 3D printer file.
Next I took that file and uploaded it to TinkerCad, an online, free, and easy to use 3D modelling software. Once in TinkerCAD, I used their available shapes in conjunction with each other to build a shape that would fit inside the cup holder, as well as have an opening to hold cans.
It took 3 different prototypes to get the size of the opening right for cans, as well as one that was tall enough to support the cans when turning a corner. After printing and tweaking the design a few times, I was left with a functional, 3D printed insert that will hold cans in place while driving. And it can be removed if I have something bigger than a can.
Print