Week 4 – Multifunctional Mobile Desktop Charging Dock

A compact, mobile desktop charging dock designed to automatically align and charge an iPhone, Apple Watch, AirPods, and Xiaomi smart glasses.

Project overview

In Week 4 I designed and fabricated a multifunctional charging dock that combines multiple charging standards into a single portable desktop station. The dock focuses on shape‑guided positioning and magnetic alignment, so each device “finds” the correct charging position quickly.

Build process

1) Goals & requirements

  • Charge four devices on one dock.
  • Automatic alignment: magnets + shaped pockets + guiding rails.
  • Hidden cable routing and a single power input.
  • Stable on the desk and easy to move.

2) Concept & layout planning

I compared several layouts (linear, L‑shape, stepped) and chose a stepped “terrace” structure: phone in front, watch on a side arm, AirPods in a pocket, and Xiaomi glasses on a rear rail.

3) CAD modeling

  • Parametric base with rounded edges.
  • Internal channels for USB cables and charging modules.
  • Pockets sized for the Apple Watch puck and wireless pads.
  • Underside access for maintenance and cable replacement.

4) Fabrication

I fabricated the structure with FDM 3D printing for fast iteration. After printing, I removed supports (if any), cleaned the surfaces, and test‑fit all modules before final assembly.

5) Charging modules & integration

  • iPhone: MagSafe / Qi charging pad embedded into the front surface.
  • Apple Watch: magnetic puck integrated into a side arm pocket.
  • AirPods: wireless charging area or a shaped cradle.
  • Xiaomi glasses: rear rail guiding the glasses to a USB‑C connector.
  • All modules routed to one power brick / hub inside the base.

6) Testing & improvements

  • Reliability: charging starts every time when placed.
  • Thermals: no overheating under full load.
  • Stability: dock stays in place during use.
  • Cable strain relief inside the base.

Photo gallery (10 images)

Put your build photos in an images folder next to these HTML files, and name them week4-step1.jpg … week4-step10.jpg. If your filenames differ, update the src below.

Initial sketches and layout ideas for the multifunctional charging dock
1 – Initial sketches and layout planning.
CAD model of the dock base with internal channels
2 – CAD model with internal channels.
3D printing the dock base
3 – 3D printing the main body.
Printed parts after cleanup
4 – Printed parts after cleanup.
Test fitting charging modules
5 – Test‑fitting charging modules.
Routing cables inside the dock
6 – Cable routing inside the base.
Assembly and alignment test with devices
7 – Assembly and alignment tests.
Xiaomi smart glasses charging rail detail
8 – Xiaomi glasses rail and connector detail.
Dock in use on a desk charging multiple devices
9 – Dock in use on the desk.
Final finished multifunctional charging dock
10 – Final finished dock.