Lifeguard Stand Cupholder

A practical problem

At GCIT’s indoor pool, drinks could spill or get in the way when placed loosely on the lifeguard stand. I designed a removable cupholder that hooks over the stand’s arm, keeping a drink accessible without drilling into or modifying the stand.

Design decisions

I modeled the holder as a single piece with a cylindrical cavity and a hook sized around the stand arm. The goals were a compact shape, straightforward installation, low material use, and compatibility with common drink containers.

A drain hole lets condensation and splashed water escape. Fillets soften exposed edges, and the recessed GCIT lettering personalizes the part. The model combines extrusions, hollow geometry, a text cut, and fillets.

Printing and use

I printed the holder in white PLA for use indoors, using adaptive layer heights. The one-piece design reduced assembly work and was intended to limit the need for support material.

The initial print fit the stand and kept drinks within reach during shifts. I evaluated it through everyday use rather than a controlled load test.

What failed and what I learned

After a few weeks, an accidental elbow bump cracked the holder near the mounting junction. The initial fit worked, but the failure showed that the mount needed to tolerate incidental impacts as well as the weight of a drink.

A future revision would focus on the mounting junction, load path, and print orientation, followed by fit and impact testing. I have not yet documented a tested replacement. This project taught me to evaluate how a part is likely to be bumped or handled in normal use, not only how it supports its intended load.