Area 51 Access Card Holder

My plastic access card holder eventually tore from regular use, so I decided to design and 3D print my own replacement. While looking for a theme, I came across Titteufff’s "Lightbox Area 51" model (link) and found its aesthetic appealing. Inspired by that design, I created this custom access card holder. As Tittefff's design is a lightbox, I can't directly use his model so I mimic his design inspiration instead.

I've made it in two color schemes:

• Black – Bold and striking.
• White – More subtle and office-friendly.

The design consists of two halves that need to be glued together after printing.

Design Considerations

Initially, I made the holder slightly thicker, but even with just a 1.2mm difference, it significantly increased the weight. Since I wear my lanyard all day, I wanted something lightweight, so I redesigned it to be as thin as possible without compromising strength.

However, in doing so, I found that the HID access card fit too tightly in the holder. To improve usability, I increased the internal width by 0.2mm to allow smoother insertion while still ensuring a snug fit.

Important Notes

• This holder is specifically designed for HID access cards. If your card is a different size, it may not fit properly.
• Please check your card dimensions before printing to avoid sizing issues.

Hope you find this design useful! Let me know if you have any feedback.