3D Printed Phone Cases: Download These 5 Models and 3D Print
As they may be manufactured from materials similar to those used in standard phone cases, 3D-printed phone covers are excellent for protecting your phone. Although hard materials like PETG and ABS are also options, TPU, a more flexible plastic, is a choice for 3D-printed phone cases. A 3D printer lets you create unique, creative designs.
Creating your own phone case is easy as long as you get the measurements correct, and if you live with many roommates or a large family, it will make it easier to identify your phone in a crowd. Nearly every retailer carries phone covers. Corner shops and mall kiosks frequently have them lying around, but the better ones frequently cost at least $10, and it's not always simple or even possible to locate one that matches your phone and your preferences. It can be challenging to find an exact match with the many smartphone models available, each with various sizes and camera configurations. In this article, we have prepared a list of STL files for phone cases that you can 3D print. You can also import them to any 3D printing software and modify them based on your needs. But w
Best 3D Printing Software
To create 3D designs of phone cases or modify the existing STL files and customize them based on your needs, you need a program that can do that without having to take a lot of time to learn. One of such tools is SelfCAD. SelfCAD is one of the easiest all-in one 3D modeling software that you can use to create 3D models and even prepare them for 3D printing. You can create 3D models from scratch by importing reference images of your design and use freehand drawing and sketching to trace around and later convert them into 3D models with ease. There are many basic 3D shapes and shape generators that you can use as the basis of your design. There are also powerful 3D sculpting brushes to modify your designs based on your requirements. The video below demonstrates how the software works.
For 3D printing, the software ensures that all the designs designed are water-tight and 3D printable. If you have files with issues with the meshes, you can use the magic fix tool of the program to fix them. There is also an in-built online slicer useful for slicing your designs and getting the Gcode to send to your 3D printer. Get to know how SelfCAD slicer works in this video.
Best 3D Printed Phone Cases
Below are some of the best phone cases that you can download and 3D print.
1. Pokémon Go Phone Cases
This 3D-printed phone case comes with an aim-assist for playing Pokémon Go, a game many people can confess to still playing on a daily basis. While the aim-helper prevents it from being used as a regular phone cover, it does serve as a cool accessory to aid in those Pokémon hunting outings that make summertime strolls more enjoyable! While this aimer is entertaining, the fantastic Pokédex phone case is also a great suggestion, which also comes with the add-on aim-assist. It has never looked so good to catch everyone.
2. Game Boy Phone Case
In keeping with the nerd theme, this is a stylish and secure Game Boy phone case that is currently available for 3D printing. Obviously, this model is more complicated than the others we've seen so far due to its general shape and assortment of colors, but if you're a gamer looking to protect your phone from drops, you'll agree that this is the greatest phone case for you!
3. Simple Phone Case With Stand
Making both phone stands and phone cases is highly useful, but they are not exclusive of one another. This phone case features a safe, reversible shell with a pivot at the back, allowing you to hold your phone in landscape mode while watching videos or taking calls without using your hands. You'll question how you ever managed without it once you print yourself a foldable phone stand to go with your case.
4. Maze Phone Case
Have you ever run out of content to look at on your phone while waiting for a friend to arrive? Many apps and games are available to keep you entertained, and Twitter certainly has something new to offer, but sometimes you just want to have some good ol' fashioned fun. This sleeve is simple to print and features a design for a lengthy maze. Although it is impractical, it is a terrific method to keep your mind active while waiting at a café or at a bus stop.
5. Parametric Phone Case
This adaptive phone case is perfect if you're new to 3d printers and aren't yet confident in your abilities to alter designs precisely. It was made to fit any model. The design may be changed to fit your phone by simply entering the dimensions into your favorite software. Other than that, you might need to adjust the camera layout or add extra buttonholes, but other than that, you ought to be ready to go!
Where Should You Get the Files for 3D Printing?
1. Thingiverse
Thingiverse is one of the biggest online model repositories, with millions of users. In reality, there are over 7,000 various models found while searching for "phone cases"! Thingiverse is the place to go if you need some truly bizarre designs or have a less popular phone model.
Finding the ideal model is made simple by the way Thingiverse is set up. You can look for models that have been "phone case"-tagged, or you can arrange your results by how many people liked a certain design. Additionally, you may specify if a model is changeable or how many "Makes" it has
2. MyMiniFactory
Another reliable source for high-quality 3D models is MyMiniFactory. It provides a respectable range of phone cover models; a search for "phone case" turns up about 500 different options. While some of these versions (such as the "I am Groot" phone case) are more specialized, others would please anyone.
On MyMiniFactory, most of the phone case models are available for download for free; however, some are premium models that normally cost between $2 and $8 to download. The expensive phone cases weren't significantly higher in grade than the free cases, though, in our opinion. Additionally, despite the fact that some models on the website can be customized, we were unable to locate any silicone sleeve models that worked with this option.
3. Cults3D
Another website with a wide selection of 3D models is Cults. Compared to Thingiverse and MyMiniFactory, it offers a somewhat smaller selection of phone cover models, but there are still many high-quality options available. Cults may have what you're searching for if you're seeking a distinctive phone case!
The majority of the designs on Cults have had 3D printing optimization. Additionally, they are neatly structured, and while searching, you may filter by free, safe, and highlighted models. There are also some CAD mockups and other files available; nonetheless, they weren't necessarily intended to be 3D printed. As a result, we advise only testing models that include images of the finished product in the product details.
4. CGTrader
3D models are available on CGTrader for a range of uses. Many of the models on CGTrader, in contrast to the aforementioned sources, are intended for designers and engineers rather than novice 3D printers. As a result, in addition to typical STL files, you'll probably also uncover CAD sketches and MAX files while searching. By enabling you to search by file type, polygon count, and price, CGTrader is fortunately well structured.
The variety of 3D printable objects on CGTrader is somewhat lower than it first appears because it's mostly geared toward designers. We estimate that fewer than 500 of the approximately 2,000 results from a simple search for "phone case" are actually printable. However, CGTrader can be helpful if you're using a tool that can convert design files (like MAX) into 3D printed files (STL).
5. GrabCAD
GrabCAD, one of the biggest online libraries for 3D models, has over 4,500,000 CAD files. That makes it a fantastic source for 3D-printed phone cover files, of course. Similar to CGTrader, many of the GrabCAD files are intended for professionals rather than those just entering into 3D printing.
Undoubtedly, GrabCAD has fewer 3D printable files due to its emphasis on engineers. Less than 100 printable silicone sleeve models were actually available on the website. The models are, however, available in a variety of formats, including STEP. This implies that they can be simply modified with the right design software skills. For simpler 3D printing, STEP files can also be converted to STL files.
Protect Your Phone With Custom 3D-Printed Cases
Phone cases are among the first items everybody wants to print after receiving their first 3D printer, and this is actually a part of what makes 3D printing so appealing: producing useful items with practical applications. Take the first step towards designing your own needful by learning modeling software like SelfCAD with interactive tutorials and sample models to help you ease into its interface while understanding what the software can do for you.
Enjoy powerful modeling, rendering, and 3D printing tools without the steep learning curve.
Need to learn 3D modeling? Get started with interactive tutorials.