Yet Another Modular Small Parts Organizer System

Modular Small Parts Organizer System

I created the design with several key aspects in mind which are not or only partly met by other models I found:

Lidded drawers to prevent the parts from getting lost.

Originally the main intention was to create a drawer system that by itself fits into the drawers of my desk. To make things comfortable, the drawers should be designed so that they can be pulled out vertically. Therefore, a lid was necessary to keep the part inside.

Rack system that is defined by height units.

Every rack can hold drawers of different number of height units. This enables an additional degree of freedom for choosing the intended volume for the parts to be stowed. The system is very space-saving, as the drawers are tightly packed in the Rack.

Modular Compartment System that is defined by a grid.

The drawer accommodates inserts of different sizes to enable the most efficient use of space. The grid prevents the inserts from moving around if the available space is not fully occupied.

Drawer Body and Lid are designed to be printed in place and standing.

The most annoying aspect of other designs is that they are printed laying flat on the bed. In my case (prusa i3) this means that I have to print all of the drawer bodies and lids separately, if they are of a reasonable size.

This design allows you to print multiple drawers on the same run. However, the lid can alternatively be printed laying flat on the bed, which is better for multi colour designs without MMU.

Racks can be interconnected with keys.

Future upgrades for the rack system could include wall holders or rack stands based on key connectors.

Print and Assembly

Unfortunately the drawer system is not the easiest print. Due to the tight tolerances the printer needs to be dialed in quite well. A Layer height of 0.2 mm for Body and Lid in place works for me. I also successfully tested 0.3 mm but then with variable layer heights to provide enough resolution for the smaller details, such as the horizontal lines of the grid. For the Front element, a 0.2 mm layer height works for me. Both printed with a 0.4 mm nozzle. The layer height of the rack does not matter that much so I'd go for a 0.6 mm nozzle and a higher layer height to reduce the print time.

All parts are printed without supports. The front element has a support element that prevents it from tipping over during the print. Configure the slicer to load one element with multiple bodies for drawer with lid and also for front with support.

Bodies and Lid can be printed with two perimeters and without infill, the front should be printed with infill > 40%. The rack should be printed with at least 3 perimeters.

Separating Body and Lid is not the easiest task and requires a fair amount of force. But in almost all of my test prints it worked without damaging the components, as they are designed to be quite robust.

Note: There is a little gap between Body and the stopper of the Lid and as well between the contact surfaces of the support and the front element. Double check if they are still present after slicing. In a few of my tests they have been fused by the slicer making it hard to separate them afterwards. I think that depends on the layer height.

Another note: For the inserts, you should activate variable layer height in your slicer to ensure proper z-dimensionality. The tolerance to the lid is quite tight.

After separating the body from the lid and the front from its support, the front element can be put together with the body by sliding it in from the upper side. The snap-lock on the bottom provides a surprisingly sturdy interconnection between the two parts. Just ensure that all of the hooks are snapped in all the way.

As it provides some degree of flex / impact resistance while print quality is maintained, the parts are to be preferably printed with Tough PLA. 

Parts naming

Bodies and Inserts:

<name>_AuBB_CC_DxE_vF_GG

Rack:

Rack_AuBB_CC_DxE_H_vF_GG

The other parts are named accordingly. 

Feedback and suggestions for improvement is appreciated!

Update History:

2024-09-19: Upload of the first models.