Can you make a phone case with a 3D printer? You bet’ya – in this article, I will cover the basics of designing a phone case for printing in 3D. This is a practical how-to guide featuring step-by-step instructions with illustrative photos.
Bonus: I have also included tips and tricks for designing the perfect case! So you can create your customized item with whichever color(s) you want, in any design that suits you best. Also, the same process goes for printing other items, like designing 3d printed miniatures.
How To Design A 3D Printed Phone Case
Creating (Or Finding An Existing) A 3D Model Of A Case For Your Phone
In order to create a 3d model of a phone case, you first need a digital representation of what you want. There are actually two main ways you can do this: use other people’s designs and photos.
Paid Sites with Borrowed Designs and Photos
There are several websites which offer a database of 3d models designed by other people. Some of them charge a small fee for downloading these models, but some will allow you to download for free (although some at a quality level too low to be useful for printing the case).
Free Sites with Your Own Designs and Photos
You can also go to a free website like Google Sketchup (which is what I use to create the model shown in this article). You can either draw your own design and/or import a photo which you can then convert into a 3d model. Just remember that to make your case really stand out, it’s important to have an original design.
Designing The Case From Scratch
In this section, I will show you how to design your own 3D printed case. Since there is no accepted standard for 3d printed phone cases, there are a lot of different possibilities. However, it’s always better to be unique rather than copy others’ designs.
The first step in designing a phone case is to determine the dimensions of the piece you want to print. In the case of a phone case, there are three dimensions that you need to know.
- The first dimension is the overall size of the piece (e.g., 4-inches by 3-inches by 0.2-inches). This is how big you want the interior space of the case to be, so that it will fit whatever smartphone you plan on using it for (along with any other elements or accessories).
- The second dimension is the thickness of the wall (e.g., 0.2-inches). This is the distance between the interior and exterior surfaces of the case.
- The third dimension is for the size of holes you will add for routing cables (e.g., 0.5-inches by 0.5-inches). This dimension is important for the final look of your case.
To be sure of the measurements, print out a test case and measure it at all three dimensions. Since 3d printers work one layer at a time, you won’t need to worry about cutting the piece into separate pieces. As long as you can achieve all your desired dimensions, you’re good to go with this design!
But if you want to make improvements, which is often necessary with 3D printed objects, there are a couple of things you can do.
For example, if your measurements don’t work out, you will have to make some changes to the design to make it fit. You may want to ask a friend for help by letting them try on the case and see if it fits the phone (since 3D printed objects can be so hard to judge by eye). Or you can try making a second version of the case with slightly different dimensions.
Quick Tips For Designing A 3d Printed Phone Case
- Thicken the walls of the phone case to increase its durability
- Design with an opening for a camera lens or a flash
- If designing your own case, try to avoid designs that are already popular with other people. If you do choose your own design, try to be unique and original.
- Besides the case, you can also create a cover for the phone using a 3d printed snap on accessory. I will cover how to design and print on plastic in another article (to be released soon).
- Also, you can make a belt clip by adding an extra layer (3-inches) of thickness at the bottom of the case.
- Another great use for your 3d printed phone case is functional: you can use it as a holder for your phone! Here are some other ideas:
- Place a small battery inside it. This will charge the battery while your phone is charging in another location.
Conclusion
I hope you enjoyed this article on designing and printing a phone case. What are some of your favorite designs? Please feel free to add a comment about them!
Related posts:
Are 3D Printing Pieces Strong?How To Get Involved With 3D Printing For Cosplay Events
FAQs
Recommended Flexible Filament (TPU)
Polymaker TPU filament is great for printing Phone Cases and other flexible 3D prints. PLA and ABS will not work well for 3D printing a phone case, unless your simply printing it for fun. If you'd like a functional phone case, you'll want to purchase flexible TPU filament.
How can I design my phone case? ›
How to create your own phone case
- Part 1. Select a phone case. Choose an iPhone or Samsung case, then pick your model.
- Part 2. Add your design. Make the phone case your own with a personal design.
- Part 3. Order your phone case and we'll take care of the rest. Order your phone case and we'll take care of the rest.
A phone case can take anywhere between 3-8 hrs to 3D print depending on the complexity of your design and your chosen 3D printing technology.
How to design clear phone case? ›
Everyone's favorite decorative tape is the perfect solution to jazzing up a clear phone. Laying down the washi tape in stripes is an obvious solution, but it can also be fun to do a pattern of repeating squares or to cut the tape into different shapes.
Is there anything illegal to 3D print? ›
Patented Objects: Having a patent on an invention or innovation means no one else can create, use, or sell a product without the patent holder's permission. Therefore, 3D printing of a patented object is illegal, and the patent holder could sue for patent infringement.
What Cannot be 3D printed? ›
However, materials that burn rather than melt at high temperatures cannot be processed safely by sintering or melting, but can be used when extruded through a nozzle for 3D printing. Wood, cloth and paper cannot be 3D printed using these processes.
What materials are used to design a phone case? ›
As mentioned before, common phone case materials include plastic, silicone, leather, metal, and wood. Plastic or polycarbonate is known for its durability, affordability, and lightweight properties. Silicone or gel is flexible and offers good shock absorption.
How do you design on Casetify? ›
Get Started
- Sign up with Casetify. Log into Casetify with your Instagram or Facebook account to check out our submission guideline. ...
- Create and submit your design. Use your original images from Instagram, Facebook and personal photos along with the templates provided to create your ideal phone cases. ...
- Get the word out!
You can create any case the same way. In my example below, I used a gold glitter phone case, black textured vinyl, and transfer tape to add my custom design to the phone case. The first step is to load your design in Design Space. Then cut and weed your image.
How often do 3D prints fail? ›
Failed 3D Prints (31%): Failure in 3D prints, whether due to design flaws, printing errors, or material inconsistencies, contributes significantly to waste. This issue is not just environmental but also affects cost-efficiency and time management in the printing process.
As a 3d printing company, we always get asked: "how much does it cost to 3d print?". Our answer has always been "it depends" as there are factors that contribute to the cost of 3d printing. You're looking at anywhere between $3 to $1000(or even more) for the cost to 3d print based on these factors.
How much does it cost to print a phone case? ›
Customization options in printed customized phone cases. Explore our extensive customization options for phone cases at just ₹100.00.
What is the best material to print a phone case? ›
PETG: PETG is a "hard" material that is the "best-of-both-worlds" of PLA and ABS. It is overall resilient like ABS, yet has the ease of printing and variety that PLA filaments offer. PETG also does not degrade from UV exposure. TPU: TPU is a "soft" material and is what most commercial soft phone cases are made of.
Can we 3D print phones? ›
It is possible to use 3D printing technology to manufacture certain parts of a mobile phone, such as the casing or buttons, but it is not currently possible to 3D print all the necessary components to assemble a fully functioning mobile phone.
Can you 3D print electronic devices? ›
Full electronics printing: Some 3D printers are able to fabricate a fully 3D structure from a dielectric (non-conductive) material while also printing conductive materials within that structure. This allows for multi-layer PCBs and electrical features embedded within a thermoplastic structure.
