How We 3D Print Rivian Accessories: Materials, Process, and Why It Matters
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By Matt, Niftly3D
When people receive their Niftly3D console organizer, the reaction we hear most often is some version of "this doesn't feel like an aftermarket product." That's the goal — and it doesn't happen by accident.
A lot of 3D printed accessories look homemade because they are. Ours don't, because we treat the process the way a manufacturer would: right materials, right tolerances, real testing. Here's what that actually looks like from our workshop in Las Vegas.
It starts with a real problem, not a product idea
Every accessory we make started as something we needed ourselves. The console organizer came from my youngest daughter getting frustrated digging through the Rivian center console every evening to check the mail. The cup holder insert came from cups rattling around in oversized factory holders. The full-length tray coming soon came from customers who wanted simplicity over the two-level sliding system.
We don't design products speculatively. We design them because we're Rivian owners who ran into a problem, couldn't find a good solution, and built one. That starting point matters because it means the product gets tested in real conditions — our own truck, every day — before it ships to anyone else.
Why material choice is the most important decision we make
Not all 3D printed accessories are equal, and the biggest reason comes down to material.
The most common 3D printing material is PLA. It's cheap, easy to work with, and produces clean-looking parts. It's also the wrong choice for anything that lives inside a vehicle.
On a hot summer day in Las Vegas, Phoenix, or Dallas, the interior of a parked car can reach temperatures that PLA simply can't handle. It softens, warps, and loses its shape — slowly at first, then obviously. You'd end up with a tray that no longer fits, rattles, or worse, can't be removed without a fight.
Some Rivian accessories are made from ABS or ASA, which are also heat-resistant materials. We evaluated both. ABS and ASA are more rigid than PETG, which sounds like a benefit but can actually work against you in an application like this — a part that can't flex at all is more prone to cracking under impact or stress. PETG has a slight flex to it that makes it more impact-resistant and durable in daily use. There's also a practical reason we prefer PETG in our workshop: ABS and ASA release fumes during printing that require serious ventilation. PETG prints cleanly, which matters when your workshop is in your home and your kids are part of the operation.
We use PETG for all structural components. PETG handles automotive interior temperatures reliably, resists impact, and holds tight tolerances over time. It's what engineering-grade parts are made from, and it's what belongs in a $60,000 truck.
For components that need grip or vibration dampening — like the flexible arms inside our cup holder insert — we use TPU. TPU is rubber-like, flexible, and grips cups of different sizes without cracking or degrading. It's the right material for that job in the same way PETG is right for the organizer body.
We don't use PLA. Ever. For in-vehicle parts, it's the wrong tool.
Four printers, running every day
Our workshop runs on four Bambu Lab printers operating daily. Bambu Lab makes some of the most precise consumer-grade 3D printers available — fast, consistent, and capable of the tight tolerances that a vehicle-specific fit requires.
Tight tolerances are what separate a part that drops in perfectly from one that wobbles. The Rivian center console has specific interior dimensions, and our organizer is designed to match them precisely. A millimeter of slop in the wrong direction means movement, which means noise, which means a frustrated owner.
Each printer runs clean. We maintain them regularly, and every part that comes off the line gets a visual and physical inspection before it goes into packaging. If something doesn't look right, it doesn't ship.
The iteration process — how good design actually happens
The first version of the console organizer worked. It was a real improvement over anything else available for the Rivian. But it wasn't perfect.
After shipping the early units, we heard from a handful of owners that the upper sliding tray could shift under hard acceleration or braking. Not dangerous — just annoying, and not acceptable to us. We went back into CAD, redesigned the slide mechanism with tighter tolerances and added resistance geometry, and the problem was solved. The current version stays exactly where you put it at any speed.
That's how real product development works. You ship, you listen, you improve. We're a small family operation — Matt on engineering, Pri on photography and creative, Bird on packing and fulfillment — which means there's no bureaucracy between a customer complaint and a design fix. When someone tells us something isn't right, we fix it.
What "OEM fit" actually means
Several of our customers have described the console organizer as something that "doesn't feel like an aftermarket product" or that "looks like it came with the car." That's what we mean by OEM fit — not just that it fits inside the console, but that it fits the way a factory part would.
That means:
- Drop-in installation with no tools, no modification, and no adjusting
- No movement once it's in place — not when you corner, not when you brake, not when you hit a pothole
- A matte finish that matches Rivian's interior aesthetic rather than clashing with it
- Dimensions tight enough that the part feels like it was made for the space — because it was
Achieving that requires designing specifically for the vehicle, not adapting a generic design and hoping it's close enough. Every measurement in our console organizer comes from the actual Rivian interior. We test in both the R1T and R1S to confirm consistent fitment across models and years.
Why we print locally instead of outsourcing
We get asked occasionally why we don't have parts manufactured overseas or use a large-scale printing service. The answer is quality control and speed.
When Pri, Bird, and I make every part ourselves, we know exactly what went into it. We catch problems before they ship. We can update a design on Tuesday and have the improved version in the mail by Thursday. We can fulfill a surge in orders without waiting weeks for a container to arrive.
It also means you're buying something made by the people who designed it and care about it — not a product that passed through six hands before reaching you. That matters to us, and based on the reviews we get, it matters to our customers too.
What's coming next
We're currently finishing the full-length console tray — a fixed, non-sliding version that spans the full width of the center console for owners who prefer a simpler layout. It uses the same PETG construction, the same precision fit, and the same matte OEM finish as the rest of our lineup.
Sign up for early access at the bottom of this page and we'll let you know the moment it's available.
The short version
If you're evaluating 3D printed Rivian accessories and want to know what separates good from mediocre, here's the checklist:
- PETG or CF-PETG construction — not PLA, which warps in hot interiors
- Designed specifically for Rivian — not adapted from a generic template
- Tested in actual R1T and R1S interiors — not just dimensioned from photos
- Tight tolerances — parts that fit precisely don't rattle
- Made by people who own a Rivian — because they're the ones who actually know what's wrong with the stock interior
That's what we build. Every part, every time.
Shop Rivian R1S & R1T Accessories →
Niftly3D is a father-and-daughters design studio based in Las Vegas, Nevada. We design and manufacture precision-fit interior accessories for the Rivian R1S and R1T, built for real daily use and shipped from our family workshop. Questions? Email us at support@niftly3d.com.