Automatic Litter Box – Modular Print Prep + Prototype Enhancements

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In this iteration I did two main things:

1. Prepared the enclosure for 3D printing by slicing it into separate parts (so every section fits the printer, prints cleanly, and can be assembled like a kit).
2. Continued enhancing the prototype, improving geometry, fitment, and overall stability.

This post focuses on the design work behind that process.

🧩 Part 1 — Slicing the Design Into Printable Pieces (Print Preparation)

The enclosure is too large/complex to print as one single piece, so I broke it down into modular sections:

• side panels
• curved corners
• top/bottom segments
• internal ribs/plates
• connectors/locks (the “tabs” that make everything align and snap together)

Wireframe / part layout planning

This stage is about planning where the split lines go and making sure every part can be printed without ugly supports.

Shaded layout — verifying pieces + alignment

Here I’m checking that each part is correctly separated and that the connectors line up around the full perimeter.

🧱 Part 2 — Connector System (Tabs / Locks / Alignment Guides)

Once the model is split, the next problem is:
How do you make 20+ printed parts assemble cleanly and hold shape?

That’s what these images show:

• small connector blocks
• alignment tabs
• consistent spacing so everything sits square
• reinforced corners so it doesn’t flex

Internal grid + connectors visible (print kit view)

This looks like an exploded “construction set” view — showing how every piece will lock into the frame.

Exterior shell pieces + connector placement

This angle makes it clearer how the curved outer shell is built up from multiple segments.

Cross-section style view (checking fit + assembly order)

This is basically a “how will it assemble in real life?” view — making sure nothing clashes and the parts can be installed in a practical order.

Clean exploded shell view (final print-prep check)

This is the final sanity check: everything is separated, connectors are consistent, and the print set looks “complete”.

🚀 What This Enables Next

By slicing the enclosure like this, I get a bunch of benefits:

• Each part fits the printer bed properly
• Less support material and cleaner surfaces
• Broken parts are easy to reprint (instead of reprinting the whole enclosure)
• I can iterate on one section at a time (corners, top shell, motor mount area, etc.)
• Assembly becomes repeatable and modular (like a real product)

Now that the print-prep design work is in a good place, the next step is printing and assembling the full shell and continuing the prototype improvements around:

• motor mount + gearing
• safety/limit switches
• cat detection sensors
• noise reduction