One of the many design faults in the CriCut Maker is the loading of the cutting mat done via a spring-loaded bar with rubber rollers.
This bar has two springs to keep it on tension for loading the mat, which won't be a problem if wasn't that those springs do push the rollers down all the time, even when the machine is not working. So unless you are using the machine several times a day or every day, the rubber rollers will be flattened because of staying in the same position and pushed down by the tension springs.
This little gadget will solve the problem, by lifting the roller bar so that the rubber rollers won't be under pressure. It's a wedge, but it's sized to fit perfectly in the machine, and has a design that keeps it in place yet is easy to remove.
You need two of them, to be placed on each end of the roller bar. Do not use them in the middle, because the metal bar is slightly flexible.
The author marked this model as their own original creation.