Enclosure
I’m thinking to build a enclosure to protect my printer. But I have a dilemma.
For now, I only want to print PLA, for what I understands, enclosure is less useful for the temperature, than PVC and other materials.
For my dilemma, does this is better to place the power supply outside of the printer? Or to add a few fan to exit the hot air from the enclosure instead of putting the power supply outside?
RE: Enclosure
I originally made a LACK enclosure and had no issues. That said, I installed a 120mm fan on the top of the enclosure to pull air out and keep it mostly cool. It hovered around 80ºF inside while preventing tiny hands and paws from getting to the printer. I've since purchased an enclosure from 3D Upfitters. I had to modify it to keep the temperature and noise down, but is otherwise good. I used the same 120mm fan and printed some covers for all of the expansion holes. It is still louder than the LACK enclosure, but there is a dedicated shroud that pulls fresh outside air over the PSU. When printing for long hours I've walked over to touch the PSU metal cover and found it cool to the touch.
If you decide you want to try the 3D Upfitters enclosure ($250 + shipping) then I recommend cutting a hole in the side for a larger fan than what comes with it.
RE: Enclosure
I think I will go with smaller fan, but maybe 2 on the power supply side, and one on the other side, with vent in the bottom.
For the enclosure, I will do it full custom. I work in a sheet metal shop, and it will be easy to do something.
RE: Enclosure
In an enclosure with PLA your biggest issue is the extruder motor getting too hot. The heat travels the shaft to the drive gear and starts melting the PLA. As it's not the biggest source of heat I don't think moving the PSU outside the enclosure is going to help that much.
There are mods out there to put heat sinks and/or fans on the extruder motor as well as extruder mods that move the extruder motor and use a belt to indirectly drive the extruder gears. I saw one fan mod posted on here where the person attached a tube to the fan and connected it to an external port on the enclosure so it would bring in fresh cool air for the extruder motor.
RE: Enclosure
For the PSU, I have read that it does not like too much heat. And the reason in the enclosure that I have seen, that the PSU was outside the box.
RE: Enclosure
For the PSU, I have read that it does not like too much heat. And the reason in the enclosure that I have seen, that the PSU was outside the box.
That will be an issue when you print at hotter temps, but for PLA the extruder motor (and it's effect on the filament) is going to be your main concern.
As you go up the heat scale, in addition to the PSU not being happy, the Rambo board can get unhappy too and give you temp errors.
RE: Enclosure
For the PSU, I have read that it does not like too much heat. And the reason in the enclosure that I have seen, that the PSU was outside the box.
If you don't want to move the PSU outside you can simply make a duct to provide fresh air to the PSU case. Since you will be going with a fully custom enclosure anyway, this will reduce the need to modify your printer. There's nothing worse (for me) than wanting to pull the printer out of the enclosure for any reason only to have to disassemble a bunch of stuff first. I do too much tinkering to use an enclosure that requires more than simply lifting a cover off of it.
Also, I haven't had issues with the PLA softening issue since I installed the 120mm exhaust fan. Mine actually blows into a 4" drier hose and out a window. Having the fan run full blast all the time keeps the temperature from ever going over 80ºF for PLA and 85ºF for PETG.
RE: Enclosure
Thank with your experience, I will well ventilate my enclosure.
RE: Enclosure
I originally made a LACK enclosure and had no issues. That said, I installed a 120mm fan on the top of the enclosure to pull air out and keep it mostly cool. It hovered around 80ºF inside while preventing tiny hands and paws from getting to the printer. I've since purchased an enclosure from 3D Upfitters. I had to modify it to keep the temperature and noise down, but is otherwise good. I used the same 120mm fan and printed some covers for all of the expansion holes. It is still louder than the LACK enclosure, but there is a dedicated shroud that pulls fresh outside air over the PSU. When printing for long hours I've walked over to touch the PSU metal cover and found it cool to the touch.
If you decide you want to try the 3D Upfitters enclosure ($250 + shipping) then I recommend cutting a hole in the side for a larger fan than what comes with it.
Why did you switch from the Lack to the 3D Upfitters enclosure?
Scott
RE: Enclosure
I got tired of the thin acrylic walls. They felt pretty cheap, as they flexed and moved just by opening or closing the bedroom door. I also didn't like how I had to bend down to see the printer and MMU2 if I was standing up. The 3D Upfitters enclosure is all acrylic, so I can see everything from anywhere in the room. It wasn't a huge inconvenience, really.
RE: Enclosure
another option is to go for a computer server cabinet, I picked one up on ebay for £21 (yeah I got lucky, but brand new ones are from only £80).
removeable sides, ventilation, armored glass front.... and you can add a shelf with ease..
RE: Enclosure
another option is to go for a computer server cabinet, I picked one up on ebay for £21 (yeah I got lucky, but brand new ones are from only £80).
removeable sides, ventilation, armored glass front.... and you can add a shelf with ease..
I've avoided server cabinets because I didn't want to spend a lot of time plugging the holes, and around my part of the USA they're about $200.
RE: Enclosure
I’m thinking to build a enclosure to protect my printer. But I have a dilemma.
For now, I only want to print PLA, for what I understands, enclosure is less useful for the temperature, than PVC and other materials.
For my dilemma, does this is better to place the power supply outside of the printer? Or to add a few fan to exit the hot air from the enclosure instead of putting the power supply outside?
Rathy,
I have and am using the Original Lack enclosure, for all materials that I print, including currently PLA, PETG, and specialty PLA. I have my Power supply mounted outside. The enclosure has some modifications: extra small smoke/fire detector, LED lights inside, one external adjustable spool holder and pass thru, Leg holder/stabilizer for a 3rd Lack table, adjustable legs, sitting on a puzzle mat, and has a 1" piece of pink foam insulation under the printer.
My take is: This works well and was REALLY inexpensive even with all of my modifications. The only issue is choosing the mods I wanted to do and the time it has taken me to print/test them all. The "noise" is less than the printer on my original Ikea table and the printer doesn't really heat up all that much. I do gain the benefit of keeping constant breezes off of the prints and warping the plastics because of improper cooling. That is the main reason for an enclosure. Venting would be nice but right now I am not using ABS, HIPS, Flex, Nylon, or Carbon Fibre. When I do, I will use some kind of ventilation. My next enclosure build (already working on it), is the New Prusa Lack enclosure for i3 MK3S with MMU2. First to find the right filament retraction system and mount it in a dry box.
Robin
I am the inveterate tinkerer. I can tink up most anything.
RE: Enclosure
For the PSU, I have read that it does not like too much heat. And the reason in the enclosure that I have seen, that the PSU was outside the box.
That will be an issue when you print at hotter temps, but for PLA the extruder motor (and it's effect on the filament) is going to be your main concern.
As you go up the heat scale, in addition to the PSU not being happy, the Rambo board can get unhappy too and give you temp errors.
Gnat,
In the Prusa Lack enclosure I have not seen temps over 36c. The Plexi sheets are vented enough to allow for some heat exchange but not a breeze lifting parts off of the heatbed. Should I want to ventilate I would use indirect top mounted cooling. Early on, without the enclosure, I had a hell of a time printing a 5 pointed star using PLA. It would just lift off like a rocket ship and also shrink. Now with the air conditioning on in my basement I can print those parts without warp, shrink, and lift off.
Just sayin'.
Robin
I am the inveterate tinkerer. I can tink up most anything.
Enclosure / Unattended printing / Fume extraction / Fire Hazard
(posted originally as a stand alone topic; then found this thread; coied over and set original to private...)
Hi Folks,
Since short time I am an enthusiastic user of an i3 MK3s.
As this will now convert from nice gadget to every day (and night) tool, I am considering a housing.
I decided against the very common IKEA Lack solutions, because I had concerns if anything goes wrong and catches fire...
(The Lack basically is plastic covered paper honeycomb) So I went for something not so easy flammable. I came across
those 19" network wall mounted cases:
https://shop.efb-elektronik.de/shop/de/schranksysteme/19-wandgehaeuse-basic/19-wandgehaeuse-basic-tiefe-600-mm-ral7035.html?filterStatus=WGB-1909GR.60
This manufacturer offers them at low price (about Euro 80) and they are available through Conrad, Jacob and others.
I selected the 15 Units height variant (535 width, 600 deep, 707 height,) which easily holds a MK3 with the standard spool holder on top.
and 600 is plenty room for the heatbed to travel back w/o any cable mods.
The main aspect for the housing is fire danger and not so much heated print chamber, although this might be useful for ABS
printing (together with a fume extraction fan and piping leaving the workshop window...). It will have (externally) a control box with
an self-holding relay for powering the box. This then will have a security stop mushroom and the relay can be released also be a
fume detector in the box.
Do you have any experience with heated printing housing? What temperature is recommended as trade off between
warping etc. of ABS and difficulties (PETG parts of printer, Printer controller, Power supply maximum temperature)?
I think I will place the power supply externally anyway and replace it by a stiffening bracket.
On the other side a defective PSU might be one of the possible sources of fire (and therefore I would like to have it inside).
But on the other hand the smoke Power cutoff will also switch off the mains going to PSU.
The fume extraction will be something like a pipe fan and some 125mm diameter piping. The airflow will be reduced to
a level not affecting print and possibly temperature controlled (after inside housing temperature)
Has anybody experiences about the maximum temperature for the controller? are there any possible mods(like additional heatsinks)?
I think I already saw fan ducts for blowing into the controller.
I soon plan to upgrade with a MMU2S.
I plan to feed filament from below (seen several LACK configurations that do this)
The 19" Wallcase is fixed on top of an IKEA STUVA FRITIDS (Large drawer mounted on top to hold the filaments)
Does anybody has arguments _against_ omitting the filament buffer (I think the handling might be simpler if the tubing goes simply down
and tangles into the drawer with the filament spools; I hope this then will not cause any mess of retracted filaments...)
Thank you for any comments / sharing of experience (I am a newbee on 3D printing),
but wanted to open this discussion and share my experiences, even if very little
(maybee this kind of housing is of interrest for others too...)
Greetings