Heated 3D Printer Enclosure

thingiverse

This is a heated/temperature-controlled 3D printer enclosure for my Lulzbot Taz5. It has 3D printed corner pieces that are a bit better than you can buy from 8020. Much less costly to print than to buy. ;-) (These don't require that you notch the corners of the panels like their part 4042 does. You can cut the panels perfectly square.) Also made my own hinges. Print 8 corner pieces and four hinge pieces. Print the corner pieces out of Inova or NVent or similar copolyester. These really need to be strong. PLA or HIPS won't do. Print the corner pieces with the triangular surface (outside chamfer cut) flat on the bed. Print slowly with the cooling fans going close to maximum. The parts have some tough overhangs, but if you print slowly with good cooling and a brim, they come out fine. The 8020 extrusions are 10 series, which are 1 inch square T slot type. If you buy them from 8020 (www.8020.com) you will pay about $75 for ~325 inches of 10 series extrusion, plus about $20 cut charge, plus about $40 to tap the ends. You need 24 "low profile head" 1/4-20 screws to hold the corner pieces. You can get these screws from 8020 for ~$14. They do a very nice job cutting and tapping the ends of the extrusions so it is worth the money, especially if you don't have the proper tools. Bought the "CoroPlast" top, back and sides from Home Depot for ~$10 each and the acrylic front panel for ~$25. You can likely find these cheaper if you look around a bit. You can use cardboard if you are on a budget. Again, you can buy very nice polycarbonate double-wall translucent corrugated panels, plus a clear polycarbonate door, cut to size, from 8020 for ~$150 for all of them. Pretty good price for cut-to-size. Two 3" #10 bolts/screws and eight 1/4-20 screws and nuts for the hinges. Heater with temperature control was an Ebay item that was a bargain at $25. You can see it in the last picture. You can use a very compact 120vac space heater with a built-in thermostat instead if you are on a budget. Print Settings Printer Brand: LulzBot Printer: TAZ 5 Rafts: No Supports: No Infill: 30% Notes: Print the corner pieces out of Inova or NVent or similar copolyester. These really need to be strong. PLA or HIPS won't do. Print the corner pieces with the triangular surface (outside chamfer cut) flat on the bed. Print slowly with the cooling fans going close to maximum. The parts have some tough overhangs, but if you print slowly with good cooling and a brim, they come out fine.