How to get ideas for objects or products you can design & 3D Print
There are a number of ways to get ideas for what you can 3D print yourself. You can spend time just thinking and hoping the ideas will naturally come out of your brain. Or, you can use techniques to get ideas or develop them to the next level. The Innovation Step-by-Step book guides you through this. You could start with the challenge of “what could I 3D print” and produce hundreds of ideas…and then zero in on the best one based on your criteria. It is a process. A good technique to use at the idea generating stage of your design process is idea mining. Many websites share ideas for what you can 3D print. You can research these articles or blogs and make a list of ideas you’d like to consider. (I’ve included a list of great articles at the bottom of this post that list ideas.)
What I’ve done for you here is make a long general list of nearly 300 basic objects you might be able to design and 3d print yourself. Take a look at the list and highlight any that are interesting to you. Next, think about how you will make that product or design unique…add your own creativity to it. Is there a way you might customize it or add a theme?
List of ideas to 3D Print
Adjustable Wrench
Airplane gliders
Anatomical heart
Arm
Army man collection
Art Bin Connectors
Assorted buttons
Bag Clip
Bag Handle
Bag Holder
Barrel
Basket
Battery Box
Battery Holder
Belt
Bird Feeder
Bottle opener
Bowl
Box
Box Maker
Buckle
Buddha
Builder set
Business Card
Business Card Cases
Buttons
Cable Chain
Cable Holder
Cable Keeper
Cable Savers
Cable Spool
Calendar Blocks
Camera Holder
Can Handle
Can Holder
Car Windshield Ice Scraper
Carabiner
Card cases
Card Holder
Case and Card Holder
Case Handle
Cast
Catapult
Cheese Press
Cheese Slicer
Cherry Pit Remover
Chess board
Chess pieces
Chip Clip
Christmas tree
Citrus Juicer
Clip Holders
Clock
Coaster
Coffee Bag Lid
Coffee Sleeve
coin organizer
Coin Sorter
Cookie Cutter
Crane
Cups
Custom Outlet Cover
Custom Pipe Fittings
Cutlery (Silverware)
Decorative hearts
Derby Cars
Desktop Organizer
Dice
Digital Sundial
Dinosaur Bones
Dog Tag
Doll Shoes
Domino Set
Door Graber
Door handle
Door stop
Drawer box
Drawer Knobs
Drill/Screwdriver Bit Holder Bracelet
Drink coasters
Drink dispenser
Earbud Holder
Earbud Wrap
Earring tree
Earrings
Easter eggs
Egg hunt basket markers
Egg separator
Electrical Outlet Wire Wrap
Elephant
Face
Faucet Water Fountain Attachment
Fetus model
Fighter Jets
Figurines
Filament cutter
Finger wrench
Fishing lures
Fishing Rod
Flute
Fly Swatter
Fossil models
frame
Frog
Furniture Coasters
Furniture Miniature
Game Card Box
Garden hose flow controller
Garlic Press
Gear
gear assembly
gear ring
Gear Wraps
Gears
Globe
Golf tee
Grocery Bag Carrier
Guitar
Guitar Pick
Guitar wall mount
Hair Comb
Hand Crank Fan
Hand Crank Mixer
Hanger
Hanging Light
Hat
Headset for Smartphone
Helmet
High Heels
hinge
Holder
Instrument
iPad Stand
Jar Handle
Key hook
Key Organizer
Key Tag
Keychain
Knife Rack
Knife Sheath
Lamp Shade
Laptop Stand
Lateral Hook
Lego style blocks
License Plate Frame
Light Switch Cover
Light Switch Plate
Little plane
Lobes
Loft Window Bracket
logo
Long box
Loofah
Luggage Label
Luggage tag
Maker Stand
Mask
Maze
Measuring cup set
Measuring Cups
Measuring Spoons
Mechanical Pencil
Mini GoPro Stand
Mini Lamp
Modular Planters
Modular soap dish
Molecule builder set
Mug
Name Tags
Nut Cracker
Nut, Bolt, and Washers
Orange Peeler
Organizer
Outlet protectors
Outlet Shelf
Painting stencils
Paper Clip
Paper Weight
Party placards
Pasta or Spaghetti or Ravioli Maker
Paste Pusher
Pedal
Pen Cap
Pencil Pen Brush Holder Stand
Pencil toppers
PEZ Dispenser
Phone Case
Phone Wallet Case
Piggy Bank
Planter tile
Plastic Hammer
Plate
Platform Jack
Play set
Pliers
Post-it Note Box
Postage Stamp Holder
Project Box
Pumpkin
Puzzle
Quadcopter
Rattle
Razor Hanger
Refrigeraator Magnet
Replacement Parts
ring
Ring toss set
rocket
Rubber band canon
Rubber band Catapult
Rubber Band Launched Glider
Rubber band powered car
Salt and Pepper Shakers
School bus
Scissors
Screw
Screwdriver
Sculpture
SD Card Storage Mountain
Sea Shells
Self-Watering Planter
Sharpener
Shoe
Shoe Ties
Shovel Handle
Shower Head
Shredder
Skull
Snowflake
Snowman
Soap Dish
Solder Cableholder
Spare Key
Spare Parts For Your Dishwasher
Spatula
Speaker Amplifier
Spinner
Spinning cube
Spinning tops
Spoon
Stackable Square Tray
Stand for a Computer
Stencils
Straw
Sweep Stand
Table top bowling
Tablet Stand
Tape Dispenser
Teapot/Coffee Pot
Ten Sided dice
Tent Spike
Thermos
Tic Tac Toe Set
Tie bar
Tire organizer
Toilet Paper Holder
Tool-box inserts
Tooth Brush stand
Toothpaste tube squeezer
Topper
toy car
Toys
Track set
Trash Can
Tray Drawers
Tree Branch
Tweezers
Twelve Sided dice
Twenty Sided Dice
U-hook
USB holder
Vaccum Cleaner Attachment
Vase
Violin
Wall Flower Mount
Wall Outlet Shelf
Wallet
Watch Band
Water Bottle
Water Slider
Water Spout
Wave spin
Wedge door stop
Whistle
White board pencil
white board solar system
Wind up bunny
Window crank
Windshield scraper
Wine Charms
Wine Rack
World map
Wrench
Zipper handle
What are your 3d printing ideas? What have you been able to design and 3d print with your desktop 3d printer? What basic objects have you done? Any tips for others as they start brainstorming ideas for what they might be able to design and 3d print? Just leave a comment and contribute to the discussion!
Here is a “toolkit” of articles that show ideas for what you might 3d print. Many of the ideas on my long list above come from synthesizing these lists…doing a “meta-analysis” of 3d printing ideas.
https://all3dp.com/cool-things-to-3d-print-useful/
http://www.thingiverse.com/
http://www.instructables.com/id/101-useful-practical-functional-3d-prints/
http://www.digitaltrends.com/home/useful-3d-printed-household-items/
https://3dprinter.dremel.com/3d-printing-models
http://www.pcmag.com/slideshow/story/312146/8-simple-practical-3d-printer-projects
http://www.askmen.com/entertainment/galleries/top-50-things-you-can-make-with-a-3d-printer.html