3D Printer Cabinet / Enclosure

cults3d

A simple to build 3D printer cabinet. This will fit all hobby printers. You just need to measure up the maximum dimensions of your printer taking into account the travel of the various components and add a bit of margin to the dimensions. I designed this for my Prusa 3 Mk3. The cabinet is merely intended to keep the printer & print warm to reduce shrinkage of the print and help keep it attached to the printer plate. The cabinet is designed with an opening front door to allow access to the printer without having to lift off the cabinet every time you want to gain access.The hinges are designed to allow the door to lay flat on top of the cabinet when open. The corner pieces are make to accept 10.0 mm twin wall polycarbonate sheet. This was chosen to give a good strength to weight ratio, insulation and a cheap price. An example is given here https://www.wickes.co.uk/Wickes-10mm-Twinwall-Polycarbonate-Sheet---700-x-2500mm/p/246000 The front access door is made from 2.0 mm thick acrylic sheet. The thickness of the walls in the corner pieces gives a 2.0 mm gap between the polycarbonate panels. This allows for slight errors on straightness when cutting the panels and ventilation. The parts and sizes of the panels are listed in the Bill Of Materials. It is a good idea to have some ventilation to prevent the printer electronics from overheating. It may be necessary to experiment with your particular printer to determine what works best. The panel gaps can simply be closed by adding DIY draft excluder strip. Location pins are provided if you wish to mount the cabinet on a base. These locate into the holes in the bottom of the lower corner pieces. The size of the panels will depend on what printer you have. When sizing the panels ensure you leave space for the print plate to move back and forth throughout the entirety of its movement. The same goes for the print head. Take into account any cables that may be attached to moving parts of the printer. A cable escutcheon is provided for the printer mains cable. Again where this is located will depend on your printer. Screw sizes are, Self tapping 4 x 18 mm for the corner pieces Self tapping 4 x 10 mm for the handle Please note this cabinet is not sealed. It will NOT stop dangerous gases or particles. An example is the carcinogenic Styrene given off when printing ABS. Always print in a well ventilated room. If you wish to share a room with a printer obtain a sealed cabinet and an extraction or filter system.