Macbook Air 15" live and printer update

Well here it is! SlideUnderV1 Macbook Air 15"

It took a bit longer than expected, mainly because the original model was designed around my smaller printer. At that stage, the alignment for the USB ports and MagSafe was thoroughly tested and spot on. When the larger printer arrived, I assumed I only needed to increase the height and add the necessary curves, mounting holes, and finishing details.

That assumption turned out to be wrong.

The new printer uses a high-flow nozzle, and the resulting prints came out differently enough to be unusable. Lesson learned: you can’t simply move a design between printers and expect identical results. It took two full days of prototyping to achieve a properly aligned model again. This also means there will be a transition period during which I’ll be remaking all previous models. On the upside, this gives me the opportunity to revisit and improve several design choices I made along the way.

The MacBook Air mounts are the most recent designs. Their walls are 0.8 mm thinner, yet the overall weight remains the same because the walls are more solid and use almost no infill. This refinement slightly reduces the overall footprint and also increases sturdiness. The mounting holes have also been repositioned away from the thicker sections, as the previous placement required thin screwdrivers and a screw depth of nearly 3 cm.

Next, I’ll be testing whether this updated design approach can be applied to the MacBook Pro models. Unlike the Air versions, these will feature tailored ventilation that aligns precisely with the MacBook’s own vents, specific to each model.

Photo below: To demonstrate what the height the newer printer allows. Air 13" & 15". The extra height makes sure that when it's mounted, that bigger laptop are less likely to tilt upwards at the back of the dock and misalign with the usb connectors.