Designing Custom iPad Display Stands with the Desktop Series

As the Content Engineering lead, our team builds external-facing content that showcases our products and their real‑world ROI. This often means creating the very displays that will present our technology at events, ensuring they look professional and function flawlessly.

The Challenge

During the Canadian Manufacturing Technology Show (CMTS) in Toronto, we demonstrated our printers and accompanying 2nd‑generation iPad Pro 12.9” kiosks. Existing iPad stands were either bulky or lacked the aesthetic we needed. With a tight deadline, we had to design a custom case that hid the home and power buttons, kept the device powered, and matched our booth’s sleek look.

The Solution

I engineered, prototyped, and delivered a minimalist, factory‑ready case in less than a week. The design consists of four interlocking pieces that lock around the iPad. Two backplate panels bolt to a sleeve on either side using heat‑set inserts (see heat‑set insert guide) to provide concealed fasteners on the sleeve’s backside. The backplate aligns with a standard podium stand’s bolt pattern, ensuring the device stays level. Removal is as simple as unscrewing two screws on the case’s rear.

Leveraging our in‑house Desktop Series 3D printers, I iterated through design variations over the week. Early unit tests confirmed component fit; mid‑week a full prototype guided minor tweaks. By Monday, we had five completed stands—three for the show, one backup, and one for an office iPad used in visitor check‑in.

The Onyx material’s production‑grade finish and the Desktop Series’ rapid iteration capabilities enabled us to deliver a durable, long‑term fixture in just days. This stand is now a reusable solution for our future trade‑show booths and demos. Markforged’s platform—from early design to low‑volume production—fits seamlessly into any workflow. Request a demo to see how we can help accelerate your production process.