PLA Gum Case

Year

2024

3D printed with PLA, spring-loaded chewing gum case. Created for my Making with Form and Materials Class.

3D printed with PLA, spring-loaded chewing gum case. Created for my Making with Form and Materials Class.

3D printed with PLA, spring-loaded chewing gum case. Created for my Making with Form and Materials Class.

PAPER GUM PACKAGING SUCKS.

PAPER GUM PACKAGING SUCKS.

I’ve always hated the little paper cases that gum is packaged in. While they work pretty well when you open up a fresh pack, by the time you get to the last 4 or 5 pieces, the case has completely lost its form and is now a flat, crinkly, flimsy piece of paper stuff in your bag. The clean sticks of gum are now reduced to crumbled and cracked crumbs, and at that point you’ll just buy a new pack. And this doesn’t even account for when the case gets wet.

I’ve always hated the little paper cases that gum is packaged in. While they work pretty well when you open up a fresh pack, by the time you get to the last 4 or 5 pieces, the case has completely lost its form and is now a flat, crinkly, flimsy piece of paper stuff in your bag. The clean sticks of gum are now reduced to crumbled and cracked crumbs, and at that point you’ll just buy a new pack. And this doesn’t even account for when the case gets wet.

How do we fix this?

Well what if we made a resusable, 3D printable case for gum? It definitely already exists online, I’ve checked, so there’s no fun in that. But what if there were springs? That’s gotta be fun, right?


So that’s basically what I made.

Well what if we made a resusable, 3D printable case for gum? It definitely already exists online, I’ve checked, so there’s no fun in that. But what if there were springs? That’s gotta be fun, right?


So that’s basically what I made.

" How big
is a piece
of gum? "

I started with figuring out how many pieces of gum I would fit in the case, the size of the springs, and the thickness of the walls. Took those measurements into Tinkercad for a first version of the case.

“ How am I actually going
to put gum in the case? ”

“ How am I actually going
to put gum in the case? ”

My first idea was to make a “clip” mechanism, which I borrowed from other designs I found on Thingiverse. But the cap was difficult to remove, the clips were flimsy and required a more precise print than the printers could accomplish, so I moved onto other designs.

My first idea was to make a “clip” mechanism, which I borrowed from other designs I found on Thingiverse. But the cap was difficult to remove, the clips were flimsy and required a more precise print than the printers could accomplish, so I moved onto other designs.

1st case cap iteration.

Sliding caps? Magnets?

The sliding caps involved an “L” shaped rail, which would allow the cap to slide in and lock in place. But once again, the limitations of the printer meant that my design was inconsistent, flimsy, and often wouldn’t work. Half the time I couldn’t even get the print supports out of the tight openings.

Then I created a version with added slots for magnets. I got magnetic tape initially but realize they just didn’t work well enough, so had to order stronger magnets online.

2nd cap, 1st case iteration.

4th cap iteration.

3rd cap iteration.

2nd case iteration.

Final details.

Cleaning up models, gluing in springs and magnets.

3rd case, 5th cap iteration.

4th case, 6th and 7th cap iterations

Notes on final design, modified springboard for stability

Final product.

Case can hold 15 pieces of Extra gum, 10 is recommended.

Side slot allows for easy view of remaining pieces.

Wide opening fits hands of all sizes.

Springboard peg can be used to pull down the board to load gum.

Gum case in use - as a piece of gum is slid out, the springboard will push the next piece up to align with the ejection slot.