Parametric Net Pot / Net Cup (Thingiverse 790339)

Summary

"Parametric Net Pot / Net Cup for Hydroponics / Aeroponics / Fogponics" by Thingiverse user leemes (published April 2015) is the longest-lived and most-remixed parametric net cup design on the platform. Rather than a fixed STL, it is an OpenSCAD script exposing key dimensions — cup diameter, height, wall/mesh style, and lip — through Thingiverse's Customizer, so a user can generate a net pot sized exactly to their system (2-inch cloning collars, 64 mm holes, 6-inch deep-water lids, and beyond) without any CAD knowledge. The design is licensed CC BY-SA, and a decade of community remixes (including larger 6-inch variants and pre-sized derivatives) demonstrates its role as the de facto starting point for printable hydroponic net cups. Net pots are the single most-replaced consumable in hydroponics and aquaponics — they hold the plant and grow medium while letting roots reach the nutrient solution — so a parametric, printable version directly cuts recurring costs for classrooms, households, and community gardens. Print one in 20–40 minutes from a few grams of PLA or PETG instead of buying commercial cups.

Guiding Principles

• Open Source — Full OpenSCAD source is published under CC BY-SA; anyone can modify, redistribute, and remix (hundreds of remixes exist).
• Modularity — One parametric model serves arbitrary systems: DWC lids, NFT channels, tower modules, and aeroponic misters all use the same generator with different dimensions.
• Community Self-Sufficiency — Communities can print consumable net cups on demand instead of depending on garden-supply supply chains.
• Food Sovereignty — Removes a recurring-cost barrier to home and community hydroponic food production, especially where commercial net pots are expensive or unavailable.

Learning Outcomes & Transferable Skills

Learners practice 3D Printing fundamentals (slicing thin-walled mesh geometry, orientation, PLA vs PETG for water exposure), introductory CAD via OpenSCAD's parametric variables (a gentle on-ramp to code-based design), Food Production (cup sizing relative to collars, media, and root architecture), and Systems Thinking (matching cup dimensions to hole spacing, flow rate, and crop choice). Editing the OpenSCAD parameters is also an excellent first step toward designing original hydroponic components like those in Layers to Leaves.

How to Replicate or Build On It

1. Open the Thingiverse page and use the built-in Customizer (or download the .scad file and open it in free OpenSCAD) to set diameter and height.
2. Export STL, slice at 0.2 mm layers, and print in PETG (best for prolonged water contact) or PLA; no supports needed.
3. Scale up: print batches for a class set of Layers to Leaves towers, DWC buckets, or NFT rails.
4. Build on it: remix the script (CC BY-SA requires attribution and share-alike) to add ribs, label tabs, or media-specific mesh — and publish your remix back to the community.

Considerations & Constraints

• Cost: Free files; each cup uses roughly 5–15 g of filament (≈$0.10–0.30 at ~$19/kg) — far below commercial net pots bought in small quantities.
• Skill Level: Beginner — no CAD experience needed with the Customizer; basic OpenSCAD literacy only for deeper edits.
• Space/Climate: Works anywhere hydroponics does; printed cups are UV-sensitive if PLA is used outdoors — prefer PETG or ASA for sun exposure.
• Tools Required: Any FDM printer, slicer, and (optionally) OpenSCAD; Thingiverse Customizer runs in-browser.
• Ongoing Maintenance: Rinse between crop cycles; printed mesh can harbor biofilm, so sanitize cups between plantings.
• Access Barriers: Thingiverse requires a free account for Customizer saves; Thingiverse has intermittent availability — mirror the .scad file locally.

Prerequisites

• None required

Primary Source

https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:790339 (CC BY-SA, OpenSCAD source + Customizer)