Board game inserts are one of the highest-value FDM applications for tabletop gamers. A printed insert organizes tokens, cards, dice, and boards into a setup that stays sorted between sessions, sets up in minutes rather than 20, and fits back into the box cleanly without the cardboard insert’s tendency to collapse under component weight. This guide covers the design approach for creating inserts that work for the specific games you own.
The Insert Design Process
Step 1: Inventory everything in the box. Count and measure every component type: card decks, token sizes, board sections, rulebook, player pieces, dice. Group items by type. Identify which items stack efficiently (cards, tiles) and which need individual recesses (meeples, custom dice, standees).
Step 2: Measure the box interior. Width, depth, and height of the usable interior. Account for the lid’s card component on the inside if it overlaps the insert space.
Step 3: Plan the layout on paper first. Sketch which components go in which zone. Heavier components go at the bottom. Components used most frequently go in the easiest-to-access positions. The rulebook usually goes on top as the last layer.
Step 4: Model in TinkerCAD or Blender. The insert is a flat tray sized to the box interior with dividing walls at the planned positions. Start with a flat base the full size of the box interior. Add walls as Box shapes at 2-3mm thickness. Subtract component-sized recesses where needed.
Key Design Rules for Usable Inserts
Add 1-2mm clearance to every component measurement. Meeples and tokens need room to be picked up. A recess sized exactly to the component can’t be emptied by hand.
No lids on interior trays. Open-top compartments that you can see into at a glance are faster to use than covered trays. Reserve covered trays only for components that need protection from movement (like custom wooden tokens that scratch each other).
Finger wells on card stacks. Any card stack recess should have a small circular or oval cutout at one end of the slot floor. This finger well lets you push cards up and out from below rather than pinching the top card.
Print flat sections as separate tiles. A large insert that spans the full 256mm of your print bed is one approach. Alternatively, print the insert as several smaller tiles that fit together in the box. Smaller tiles are more reliable prints, easier to reprint if one fails, and can be arranged differently to accommodate component count variations (expansions).
For filament: eSUN Matte PLA in a neutral dark grey or black gives a clean professional appearance that doesn’t compete visually with game component colors.
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