An Easy to Install 3D Printed Light Switch Cover Without Removing the Current One!

We have made an interchangeable light switch cover. The function of the cover is for decorating and can be easily attached using magnets that stick to the screws that hold the cover to the switch. The cover is tool free and can be customized with color or even images. The project came about when we realized the problem of people being scared of taking the cover off of a light switch because of the electricity. But with our product, the cover goes over the existing cover and is easily removeable because its attached using the screws that hold the original cover on and magnets in the new cover.

Supplies include a light switch cover, a magnet, a digital caliper, fusion 360, and a flash forge 3D printer. We varied in filament color, Green and Yellow, but color is not a specific requirement.

Our goal: Create an easy to install light switch cover without removing the current one!

We started by measuring a standard light switch cover, 3D modeled it, and printed it just as a reference. After we made that, we enlarged the size of the model so that it would fit over the original cover. This ended up being slightly too small and wouldn't fit over the original cover. We change the model again and reprinted. After we had that printed out we ordered square magnets and glued them in place where the screw on the original cover hit the back of the oversized one. The 1:1 model is known as V1, The slightly enlarged one is V2, and the one with magnets that fit over is V3.

We learned from V3 that we needed to add recesses where the magnets go so that the magnets could be more accurately located and so the cover would sit more flush. And from V4, which is the previous one mentioned, we learned that we needed to raise the height of the sides of the cover so that again it would sit flush. This ended up working but now the cover would slide up and down on the the original cover.

In this final model, we glued an image onto the face of the cover as proof of concept. After it was glued on, it was clear coated over to give it better durability and looks. This "Final" model is the same as V5 but has an image on it.

In the future, we plan on editing the model for the cover so that it virtually has no play on the cover. We plan to do this editing the model around the opening where the switch comes out at by adding a lip around it on the inside so that it catches on the edge so it doesn't move.