Enclosure Dimensions  

RE: Enclosure Dimensions

Looks like this guy https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:2358595 is a couple of years ahead.

RE: Enclosure Dimensions

@towlerg

Here is the design I am going with.  All the peices would comprise the back bottom rail(s) depending on how long a printer can print if someone has a bigger 3d printer.

Let me know what you think.

RE: Enclosure Dimensions

@towlerg

Here is a demo design of corner connector with 2 panels.

Let me know what you think.

RE: Enclosure Dimensions

I see what you're going for. I think I'm gonna try the printed 20x20 members, I don't have a printer so I might get one printed as a test.

RE: Enclosure Dimensions

@towlerg

Oh you don't have a printer?  I thought you had one.

I only made the 20x20 rails as an example with just general dimensions.  I want to get some kind of minimal standards of a box or the mk3 so I can refine the design so I know how many parts that would need to be printed on the prusa.

the corners would be adjoined by a perpendicular rail.  I am going to start designing the pieces and then when I have a definite dimension for a box I will refine and eliminate unnecessary rails that I have created.  Or I may still keep the unnecessary pieces so others can incorporate this build for different size printers.

RE: Enclosure Dimensions

Posted by: @mr-b

@towlerg

I'm sorry you were not able to find the image Tinkercads' search abilities seem to be lacking.  I thought it was just me when I tried to find it.  I thought maybe because I was the creator Tinkercad had not synched up the file for me to view yet.

Were you able to see the image in the image i inserted in the coment?

Regarding whether my build will be similar to sbeugeur.  I think the design I am thinking of is going to be much more efficient as I anticipate all one will need is panels and the printed connectors.  sbeugeur's build looks like the panels are held in place simply by sliding the panel into the aluminum rail then connecting all aluminum rails together with the printed connectors and screws.  This leads me to believe that the panels themselves may have slight movement inside the rails unless they were glued in or perfectly fit in the grooves.  I see this as a problem for builders who may not have access or ability to use glass panels and have to go with a less expensive material.  With this in mind, my design would accomoodate any size thickness of panel or material due to the ability to change size dimension using a cad program such as Tinkercad and printing them custom to your material.  When you adjust the width of the rail; the inner flanges would naturally adjust in size to compensate for the difference.  PETG inner flanges would hold up to slight bending when the panel gets pushed in as that slight bend of the flange against the panel is what holds the panel securely in the rail. One could try to print flexible filament (flanges) onto the PETG (rails), but I have never tried because I did not have a printer.

Today I was thinking of just what you pointed out in your comment about the prusa not being able to print the full length.  I came up with a solution to print the rails in segments with a female end and a male end to join the smaller rails together for the needed length.

Tonight I will be making a design of the rail with a block inserted to represent the panel to give you an idea. 

Then after seeing what I mean it will become clearer then you can help me to start tackling the issue of incorporating rails to accomodate display panel rails as well as filament hole rails now that you will have an idea.  It all starts with a basic concept then expands from there.

I have adult ADHD so it is difficult for me to a design on paper as my mind quickly makes adjustments on the fly so I just design realtime while working in Tinkercad.

As soon as I get the new part demo done I will reply with another post.

 

Mr. B,

I made and have used the Lack enclosure to do about 7x24 printing on my MK3S for the last 12 months.  Not a bad solution.  Before that I used the photo tent from the Forum.  Both work.  I created dry boxes and use them for the filament to reduce the fouling of the filament for ABS/PLA and other highly oily discharge type filaments.  You may keep your filament dry using it inside your enclosure but you will foul up your filaments inside any enclosure.  That's why lots of people use dry boxes with PVC tubes to the enclosure.

Otherwise just use a filament dehydrator (food dehydrator converted to filament).   I just bought a dehydrator on amazon for under $100US that handles 4 spools and lots of dessicant.

The design from Thingiverse that you posted is really overkill.  I can see the display in the Prusa design and rarely have to open my enclosure.  Temps really don't get too high but I relocated my power supply outside as the Lack design from Prusa suggests.  I have had great success.

I did print the parts for the new enclosure from Prusa (for the MMU2s, as I purchased one).  But I have been so busy with my single printer I would have to buy a new one or a Mini to get the time to assemble MMU2S enclosure.  🙁

YMMV but I suggest you do the original enclosure as the total out of pocket cost was about $100 including the PlexiGlass and Lack tables.  I built 3 tables and stack them for decent height.  I also made the table connectors and adjustable legs.  I also use the retractable spool holders in the dry boxes.  I have a complete list of the Thingiverse parts and pieces and sources for the supplies (bolts, plexi, etc.), should you be serious about looking into it.

RAH

RE: Enclosure Dimensions

@big-bird

Thanks for your input but I want to make a complete design of my build and post it so others can see and try.  I know it may be overkill but is just a project I want to try.

I am considering buying the mini as it is smaller and I can easily travel with it.  I will be buying the assembled one and just use the shipping box it came in to send it wherever I go on my job.  I learned having time constraints it was difficult for me to get my mk3 assembled as i bought the kit.

Can you tell me how the mini is working out?

RE: Enclosure Dimensions

@towlerg

I talked to Prusa support about dimensions and we came to a agreement that 65 cm cubed would be good.

After reading big-bird's post about filament (what I thought of as well when I mentioned in earlier posts), I am going to shorten the H by 25 cm (25 cm is dia. of prusa spool), so I do not use wasted space.

Now I can start fine tuning the parts. 

I think I am going to save and buy in the next month a prusa mini so I may scale the pieces to be printed by the mini. 

RE: Enclosure Dimensions

Posted by: @mr-b

[...snip...]

I am considering buying the mini as it is smaller and I can easily travel with it.  I will be buying the assembled one and just use the shipping box it came in to send it wherever I go on my job. 

 

AFAIK the Mini is only offered as a 3-piece "kit". Therefore the assembled printer won't fit back inside the shipping carton. But, that said, setup should only take an hour (or around 20 minutes once you are well practiced at it). Though it is small enough that you may be able to find a large pelican-style case that you can customize the internal foam to pack it for travel. (It would be an extra piece of luggage, so make sure work is paying for your luggage if you have to fly anywhere with it. 😉 )

RE: Enclosure Dimensions

@sembazuru

On the ordering website under support it allows me to choose factory assembled.  I am waiting on customer support right now to ask them.

RE: Enclosure Dimensions

Posted by: @mr-b

@sembazuru

On the ordering website under support it allows me to choose factory assembled.  I am waiting on customer support right now to ask them.

 

Ok. That's new. I hadn't checked the ordering for a while, but I did remember that at the initial release around ERRF that Josef didn't seem to think a fully assembled MINI was needed nor was in the cards. I could be mis-remembering, Josef could have changed his mind, or someone made an error on the ordering page. I'll be intrigued to hear what support says.

RE: Enclosure Dimensions

@mr-b

"I only made the 20x20 rails as an example with just general dimensions." What material did you use? Can you get a sense of how it feels bending? (I assume its pretty weak in torsion)

RE: Enclosure Dimensions

@towlerg

I have not printed it yet towlerg because my printer is at home and  I am out of town working.  I checked the measurement on a ruler and decided 20mm is adequate.  I a going to use petg so I figure petg will be strong enough at those dimensions.  The box will not be weight bearing other than the top where I will have the spools mounted. But I agree with big bird I think I will have a plastic box to keep m filament dry and with that being the case then the top will not have any weight bearing as the dry box will be off to the back of the enclosure.

You are right torsion needs to be weak.

Towlerg now that I know the dimensions I will be able to figure the correct size and number of segments for each rail.  Also will make one length for people who want my design and can print in one size.

I am still working on design but it will not have any need for screws glue.  I am going to design the panels too, so that one can either use plexiglass or transparent filament (not completely clear like glass but still for creativity), and my panels will be able to do something plexiglass cannot.  I cannot say until I get it designed in tinkercad and it looks feasible.

RE: Enclosure Dimensions

@sembazuru

No you were right after talking to support and watching the build video they sent me to.  It is in two main parts along with the lcd panel.

To travel with it I am thinking I will lower z arm all the way down design a stabilizing printable piece to stabilize it in place and stuff clothes all around it to protect it.

If I had to bubble wrap as well I will but I should still be able to get in snugly in a suitcase.

RE: Enclosure Dimensions

@towlerg

Where are you going to get the part printed for you.  I created a Apple pencil lid holder and want it printed because I don't have access to my printer but would like it printed.

Thank you for the help.

RE: Enclosure Dimensions

If you do decide to build the ikea lack enclosure you can get the full set of acrylic panels here: https://www.printedsolid.com/products/v2-acrylic-sheets-for-prusa-lack-enclosure m for $65