Laptop docking station and desk organizer
3D printed desk setup made of four PLA parts. Vertical laptop dock, hidden KVM enclosure, built in storage, MagSafe charging stand.
- Tools
- Fusion 360
- Material
- PLA, 522.68 g
- Cost
- $155.98
The four parts
- Laptop Holder. Holds the laptop on its side so I can plug it into the KVM.
- KVM Box. Encloses the KVM switch. Open compartment doubles as desk storage.
- KVM Lid. Closes the box and adds a second storage pocket.
- Charging Stand. Holds an Apple MagSafe puck so an iPhone docks upright in Standby mode.
Design choices
- Vertical dock saves desk space and hides the KVM ports.
- KVM enclosure keeps front and back ports exposed.
- Built in organizer uses the volume around the KVM switch for storage.
- MagSafe stand has a recessed pocket for the puck. Pen holder added to fill extra volume.
CAD
Modeled in Fusion 360. Each part is its own component in a single assembly so the lid, box, and charging stand share aligned edges and pockets.
- Laptop Holder: sketch extrude profile sized to my laptop's thickness, rounded slot at the base to prevent scratching. Shrunk significantly from the first version.
- KVM Box + Lid: lid forms the walls of the container, box forms the bottom. Cleaner to print this way.
- Charging Stand: pocket sized to a MagSafe puck (sized too tight, I can't remove it now). Cable channel routes out the bottom into the box.
Iterations
- KVM Fit Test (Failed Print 1): first version of the KVM box. Iterated on slot width and wall geometry. Forgot the front hole.
- Combined laptop + KVM (early): first attempt merged the laptop dock and KVM into one body. Too large for any printer available, including the Prusa XL, and would have warped. Had to redesign since the whole thing was built from a single sketch.
Assembly
m3 screws hold the box together. The laptop stand uses m4 screws since it carries more weight. Heat press inserts in the lid for the bolts that get removed semi regularly. The charging stand is screwed directly into the plastic.
KVM cables exit the back of the box. The MagSafe cable runs through a channel in the charging stand.
Bill of materials
| Item | Qty | Price | Provider |
|---|---|---|---|
| PLA filament | 522.68 g | $10.45 | DCI Lab |
| KVM switch | 1 | $105.00 | Amazon |
| Apple MagSafe cable | 1 | $39.00 | Apple |
| Screws | 9 | $1.08 | DCI Lab |
| Heat press inserts | 9 | $0.45 | DCI Lab |
| Total | $155.98 |