A Better Way to Wear Your Pump: Twiist Mount Project
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I’m raising $1,400 for a 3D printer, materials, and testing so I can build a better mount for the Twiist insulin pump.
I’ve had Type 1 diabetes for 30 years. It's a disease that consumes daily life and the supplies are a cost that never stops, buying Insulin, infusion sets and cgms. Don’t get me wrong with the advent of the insulin pump, controlling diabetes has never been easier and that automatic process should have solved all of the problems, right? But there are small things that happen daily that many people haven't considered. If you've ever used a pump, you know exactly the sort of problems I'm about to describe: door handles, car doors, kitchen drawers, bumping into a door frame.
The pump and tubing are on you all day, every day. Something as simple as rolling over in bed can cause a snag and yank out your site. Your tubing catches a handle while cooking and pulls the site right off you. The pump gets knocked loose in a doorway. Then it derails everything. It’s infuriating and you have to stop what you’re doing and fix it. Sometimes you have to take time off work to change your infusion set. Sometimes you run out of supplies early because you ripped one out.
Most mounts only give you one way to wear your pump, and the fix is usually tape. I’ve tried different adhesives and different tapes over the years, and in my experience none of them worked. They all fell off before I got the full use out of them, and I kept paying for more. If you’re sensitive to adhesives, it’s even worse.
I want something you buy once, that stays put, and that makes wearing a pump easier and having just a little more control over your life.
The design I’m building
- Multiple mounting options. One way doesn’t fit every body or situation, so the mount will offer several ways to wear your pump.
- Magnetic breakaway. The base stays secured to you, and the pump holder snaps on with precisely placed magnets and steel plates. When tubing catches a handle or the pump gets knocked in a doorway, the breakaway section is designed to release first, reducing the chance of the infusion set or adhesive being pulled loose. Reattach in seconds without re-mounting.
- Tubing channel and guide. A built-in channel holds the tubing securely against the mount to cut down on snags and tangles. Always know where your tubing is at.
- Closer to your site. Mounting the pump near your infusion site means less loose tubing to catch on things, and the freedom of not feeling a cord all day.
- Built for those who move around alot. An option designed to stay mounted through work, workouts and sweat.
- Reusable, with tape optional. One mount you can reuse. Wear it with a reusable strap or hook-and-loop fastener, or add tape if you prefer it. People who react to adhesives can skip the tape entirely.
- Precision and testing. Getting the magnets right takes precise placement and thorough testing. They have to hold during normal movement, release under a hard snag, and not set off any pump sensors or alerts. I’ll test magnet sizes, plate thicknesses, and materials (flexible TPU for comfort, nylon for strength) until the balance is right. Magnet placement will follow pump manufacturer guidance.
Built for everyone
Training hard, working with tools and harnesses, or can’t wear adhesives? This is meant to work for you.
Always one complete kit. Too many accessories are sold as a base price plus a pile of add-ons. My mount will always be sold as one complete kit: base, breakaway section, tubing guide, straps, tape, and everything needed to wear it as designed. Replacement tape will be available separately at a fair price, but you’ll never need to buy add-ons to get the mount working.
I’m starting with the Twiist pump and want to build kits for other pump models.
Why I need my own 3D printer
Ordering samples from overseas means long waits and high shipping. Every revision can take weeks. With my own printer I can:
- Print and test samples fast, adjusting the design in days instead of weeks
- Produce small runs locally, with better quality control
- Cut the cost per unit by avoiding overseas manufacturing and shipping markups
- Pass those savings on and aim to keep the final kit affordable
Where the money goes (starting goal: $1,400)
Estimated costs:
Bambu Lab P2S Combo 3D printer: about $799
TPU and nylon filament in multiple colors: about $200
Velcro, magnets, and steel plates for testing: about $95
Filament dryer and hardened nozzle: about $100
Platform and payment processing fees, plus extra materials for testing and revisions: the remainder
All costs are estimates and may change. Anything left over goes toward additional testing and materials.
Stretch goal ($1,950): 3D scanner. A scanner lets me capture the exact shape of the Twiist pump and test fits against real contours, so every part fits accurately. It will also make it much faster to build mounts for other pump models.
My commitment to you
A mount for Type 1 diabetics, made by a Type 1 diabetic. This is just me right now, so your feedback matters. Tell me what works, what doesn’t, and what you need, and I’ll use it to shape the design. I’ll keep you updated along the way and be open about how your support is used.
How you can help
If you can give, thank you. If you can’t, sharing this page helps just as much. Let’s build something together.
Thank you for believing in a better, simpler way to live with Type 1.
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