Upgrade your workshop: Unleash packaging potential with 3D printing upgrades
The Milwaukee Packout system is more than just storage; For the organized businessman or the enthusiastic DIY enthusiast, it’s a modular world. But even the best systems have gaps—it’s the small setbacks or inefficiencies that make a custom solution shine. Enter 3D printing: the ultimate toolkit for perfectly personalizing your packaging.
Gone are the days of settling for generic organizers or clunky makeshift tools. With affordable desktop FDM printers (e.g., Creality, Prusa, Bambu Labs) and easy-to-use design software (TinkerCAD, Fusion 360), creating custom Packout enhancements is now firmly in the realm of DIY. Let’s dive into some powerful upgrade ideas you can print yourself!
Why DIY packaging customization is important
- Hyper-Personalized Organization: Precisely designed brackets your Specific drill bits, screwdrivers, screws or unique tools.
- Maximize space utilization: Eliminate wasted gaps in drawers or boxes with custom inserts that wrap around your gear.
- Added features: Adds features not included in Milwaukee – integrated measurement tools, specialized mounts, quality of life improvements.
- Enhanced durability and protection: Create padded stands or reinforced sections for delicate items (laser levels, digital calipers).
- Cost-Effectiveness (Usually!): Printing custom dividers or brackets is often cheaper than purchasing multiple specific organizers.
- Pure satisfaction: Solving a workspace problem with a solution of your own design is a huge source of pride.
Inspire your creativity: Top DIY packaging upgrade ideas
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Intelligent internal organization:
- Precision Drill/Dowel Organizer: Ditch the flimsy pallet. Design segmented walls to securely grip specific sized drill bits, driver bits, nuts, bolts, dowels or electrical connectors. Label holders integrated into the print provide instant identification.
- Special holder for tools: Make a snap retainer for your favorite screwdriver, pry bar, utility knife, soldering iron or glue gun to prevent knocks and ensure it’s always where you want it.
- Deep drawer dividers: Dividers tailored to the tools in deep drawers prevent sliding clutter and create intuitive compartments.
- Electrical Box Organizer: Organize wire nuts, staples, relays and circuit breakers in dedicated divider inserts.
- HVAC/Roof Specific: Special tray for screw/coil/tile gauge tools.
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Functional work surfaces and exterior enhancements:
- Integrated measurement tools: Embed ruler, angle finder or protractor directly Place in the front of the drawer, recessed to avoid jamming.
- Handle type phone/tablet holder: A clip that securely attaches to the Packout handle frame, keeping your device accessible and protected without obstructing the handle.
- Compact Side Loading Bottle/Tool Holder: The sturdy frame has side-mounted holders for holding drinks or frequently used tools/pencils, freeing up valuable top box space.
- External charging station: Design compartments or clips to securely mount a USB charger or battery holder directly to the Packout wall. Crucial: Ensure safe cable management and clearance.
- Center Grip Strengthener: Printable overlay (using grippy TPU filament) improves comfort and leverage on the center grip of the Packout organizer.
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Connection and stacking improvements:
- Safety cover organizer: Take advantage of the flat surface inside the crate lid! Print lightweight pallets for fasteners, sandpaper, tape measures, or markers.
- Customized feet/pads: Print replacement parts specifically designed for Packout latches, or add removable non-slip feet to accommodate smooth surfaces.
- Shelf bracket: Design brackets and use Packout mounting cleats to create small shelves (can be used for clipboards, makeshift boxes) on the sides of the stacking unit.
- Dedicated module interface: Combine multiple thin organizers into a single unit to meet unique storage needs (e.g. electronic components, spools of thread, painting supplies).
- Professional tool integration (more advanced):
- Drill/driver skin mount: Clip the drill skin securely directly to the side or inner lid of the box, minimizing wasted space and keeping the battery handy.
- Router blade box insert: Customized foam-free holder (PETG/Nylon CF) with clip to store delicate router bits vertically and securely.
Materials matter: choose the right filament
- People’s Liberation Army: Affordable and easy to print. Best for interior-specific dividers, organizers or prototypes. Avoid high temperatures/heavy loads.
- Polyethylene glycol: Best choice for most Packout upgrades. Stronger, more durable, impact resistant, and able to withstand higher temperatures than PLA. Has good moisture and chemical resistance.
- ABS: Stronger and tougher than PLA/PETG, but may deform and emit fumes during printing. Ventilation/enclosure required.
- ASA: Superior UV resistance and durability compared to ABS – ideal for organizers exposed to sunlight on the job site.
- Nylon (PA)/Nylon-CF: Excellent strength, flexibility and wear resistance. Ideal for clamps and high stress components. It absorbs moisture and is more difficult to print.
- Thermoplastic polyurethane/thermoplastic elastomer: Flexible and grippy. Ideal for non-slip mats, seals or bottle holders that need to be curved.
Design and printing considerations:
- Measure twice, print once: Accurately measure your Packout components and Projects you are organizing. Consider tolerances (0.2mm gaps are common).
- Modularity: Design parts to be modular and stackable wherever possible to allow for future flexibility.
- Wall thickness: Ensure sufficient thickness for strength (~3mm+ for load-bearing parts, 1.5-2mm for dividers).
- filling: Increase the infill percentage (20-50%) for parts that require strength/stiffness. Honeycomb patterns generally provide a good strength/weight balance.
- Hardware integration: Plan to embed magnets, nuts, or Velcro straps into the print for enhanced functionality.
- platform: Leverage existing Packout-specific designs using Thingiverse, Printables, and Cults3D as a starting point or inspiration. CAD skills unlock ultimate customization.
Carbon fiber nylon printed gear rack.
When DIY meets professional manufacturing:
For truly mission-critical components, complex geometries requiring high resolution, structural metal parts, or large-scale production runs, desktop FDM printing has reached its limits. This is related to Professional rapid prototyping services like GreatLight become priceless.
Weiguang Leverage Advanced Selective Laser Melting (SLM) Metal 3D Printer and sophisticated production technology. They solve complex metal rapid prototyping challenges and deliver One-stop post-processing and finishing – Smoothing, heat treating, plating, painting – ensuring the part is truly suitable for the shop.
Material strength: In addition to plastics, GreatLight offers rapid prototyping in a variety of areas Customizable metal (stainless steel, aluminum alloy, titanium, Inconel) and engineering plastics (PEEK, ULTEM). Need a sturdy forged buckle for heavy-duty Packout straps? Or use custom metal brackets to securely integrate specialized equipment? Provided by Gretel Precision, durability and scale Desktop printers cannot print complex metal parts quickly or affordably, making them the preferred choice for rapid prototyping companies.
Conclusion: Transform your Packout ecosystem
3D printing democratizes customization. Applying this to your Milwaukee Packout system can unlock incredible potential. It transforms you from a passive user to an active system architect. Solve inefficiencies, protect valuable tools, and achieve an unparalleled organization tailored specifically for your Workflow – Many components are available at a fraction of the commercial cost.
Start small: Print a tissue insert for those ever-moving drill bits. Master PETG printing. Once you’ve mastered the basics, you can tackle more ambitious projects, like a modular drawer system or custom tool mounts. Embrace an iterative process—test, refine, reprint. The flexibility is unmatched.
While desktop printing opens up tremendous possibilities, remember Precision metal parts and high-volume production Venture capital is where experts like it huge light shine. Their industrial SLM printers and comprehensive finishing services handle complexities and materials beyond the DIY realm, ensuring the success of your most challenging custom Packout integration projects.
Stop disrupting your workflow. Grab a caliper, fire up the slicer, or work with a rapid prototyping expert to start building the Packout ecosystem for your project actually deserve it.
DIY Packaging 3D Printing FAQs
Q1: Is 3D printing really powerful enough for shop tools?
one: absolutely, When you choose the right material and design. PETG and ASA prints are very sturdy for organizers and stands. For functional parts under high stress (gear clamps, latches), Nylon CF has an excellent strength-to-weight ratio. The design must combine sufficient thickness and smart geometry. Metal printing (such as GreatLight’s SLM) necessary for final structural integrity.
Q2: Where can I find the starting design?
one: Popular platforms include Thingiverse, Printables (Prusa), and Cults3D. search "Package," "milwaukee packaging," or specific ("Packing drill bit holder," "Packaging drawer dividers"). Be sure to check the print settings and comments. As your CAD skills improve, consider modifying existing designs.
Q3: What is the best printer/material for Packout upgrade?
one: Reliable FDM printers (eg Bambu Labs P1 series, Prusa MK4, Creality K1) are ideal. PETG filament (Overture, Polymaker, eSun) are your default workhorses. use ASA for outdoor/UV exposure part. Nylon-CF (like Polyimide PA6-CF) Great for clamps/high stress items. TPU is great for flexible/grippy elements.
Q4: How do I ensure my printed parts fit perfectly?
one: Precision is key! Use quality digital calipers. Tolerance model: Design the part to be 0.2-0.5mm smaller than the measured package size of the friction fit groove. Allow a tolerance of approximately 1 mm when moving items within the storage box. If possible, prototype a small section first.
Q5: How does GreatLight help Packout upgrade?
one: GreatLight excels when DIY printing encounters limitations:
- Complex metal parts: Use the following methods to create a sturdy bracket, specialized latch, or tool mount Stainless steel, aluminum, titanium pass SLM printing.
- Precision and Durability: Parts with tolerance or material requirements beyond the capabilities of desktop FDM.
- Production run: Efficiently produce dozens or hundreds of identical custom plugins/organizers (Nylon, PA-CF, PEEK).
- Comprehensive arrangement: Sand blast, coat (anodize, plate), paint, screen print your parts for a professional look and protection.
- Material solutions: Get high-performance polymers (chemical resistance, high temperatures) or specific metals not available on desktop printers.
Q6: Are printed parts weatherproof?
one: PLA absorbs moisture and degrades outdoors. polyethylene terephthalate Handles moisture well. ASA Has the best UV resistance and weather resistance among common FDM plastics. Metal printed parts (Stainless steel, aluminum) is apparently completely weatherproof.
Q7: Can I print parts? for packaging, but bigger Better than my printer bed?
one: Yes, by designing the parts to snap or bolt together. Design strong interlocking joints or include locating pins/holes. This requires careful planning but will significantly expand functionality. or, Large format prototyping Services, such as those provided by manufacturers equipped with them, can integrate large components together. For example, GreatLight’s SLM printers can effectively handle components up to 190mm x 190mm x 290mm (Stainless steel) and larger formats polycarbonate polymer(Maximum 400mm x 400mm x 400mm).
Q8: Are DIY printed Packout parts compatible with all Packout sizes/models?
one: Mostly, but verify. Designs are usually targeted at packaging categories: storage boxes, drawers, boxes (small/transparent/large), crates. Double check the target model description in the downloaded design, or design explicitly for your specific variant. The core installation dimensions are generally the same.
