Enclosure

[BrayChristopher 36]

Ok, so I am thinking about trying some materials other than PLA. Specifically I am going to try CPE and XT.

It is my understanding that these materials (like ABS) benefit from warmer ambient temps during the print. And no drafts. Also, slow even cooling after the print is done.

My plan is to get a BIG plastic bag and just drop it over the entire UM2E.

http://flashgamer.com/hardware/comments/heated-build-chamber-on-the-cheap

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Ziploc-Heavy-Duty-XL-Big-Bags-4-ct/14089250

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0159D8I38?psc=1

http://www.webstaurantstore.com/24-x-30-kenylon-plastic-oven-bag-10-pack/999PB2430.html

I do NOT plan on adding a heater. I am hoping that the heat from the build plate and nozzle will be enough.

Now for the questions.

Does this plan make any sense?

Do I need to be worried about over heating the motors? I really don't want to hack the unit and move the motors to the outside.

Should I poke some holes in the top of the bag to let it "breathe" a little.

I have the UM2E up on tall feet and I will prop up the bag so that it does enclose the electronics underneath.

Thanks in advance for your advice.

[Dim3nsioneer 557]

Enclosing a 3D printer is not without risks. There has been a case where an enclosed 3D printer caused a fire which burned down a whole house.

However, one can do it the right way which is for me:

- temperature control of the inside with a safety switch for the printer if temperature hits a threshold

- placing the electronics on the outside of the enclosure

- usage of non-flammable or at least self-extinguishing materials (i.e. UL V-0) for the enclosure

Simply putting a bag over the printer is not a very good idea IMHO.

[Labern 774]

I print with CPE and XT without an enclosure. I have had a few warped prints but that it can be avoided as this was due to my inexperance.

With a hot bed, good coat of gluestick and slow bottom layers it normally turns out pretty good.

[BrayChristopher 36]

My final set up.

More of a "draft guard" than an enclosure.

I took an extra large oven bag and cut it open along one edge. I wrapped it around the front, sides and top then used binder clips to hold it in place.

The entire back side is open. The electronics underneath can breathe because of the tall feet.

[ultiarjan 1,223]

This is my setup, I'm very pleased with it, absolutely needed to get any decent layer bonding in ABS.

https://www.youmagine.com/designs/ultimaker2-top-cover-clips

https://www.youmagine.com/designs/um2-minimalist-front-panel

+ I have my feeder motors outside the machine on the back.

+ I have a few connected smoke detectors in the house (better safe than sorry..)

[tommyph1208 55]

My solution on the UM1

Those are 5mm. thick acrylic panels cut from the open source drawings to fit snugly into the printers open frame holes... The panels are held in place with magnets glued into little slots in the panel sides, and matching ones drilled into the edge of the printers frame... Top is not physically closed, but I have a crossflow fan blowing across the build area...

[DeathMachine 23]

My final set up.

More of a "draft guard" than an enclosure.

I took an extra large oven bag and cut it open along one edge. I wrapped it around the front, sides and top then used binder clips to hold it in place.

The entire back side is open. The electronics underneath can breathe because of the tall feet.

 

Bugging the Boss, Nice!

[Kevparang 10]

I have the RoBo 3D, It is unenclosed and the risk for fire is not worth it, I can print Polycarbonate easily.

[neotko 1,417]

I have the RoBo 3D, It is unenclosed and the risk for fire is not worth it, I can print Polycarbonate easily.

 

To who are you answering what? Risk of what? And also what?

I get that you are young and want to call others attention but dude, chill out.

[Kevparang 10]

It says risk of fire. I am trying to help, is that a problem?

[tommyph1208 55]

I have the RoBo 3D, It is unenclosed and the risk for fire is not worth it, I can print Polycarbonate easily.

 

Risk of fire wait what!? How hot to you think these enclosures get?

I get that you (probably) shouldn't put a loose paper bag over your printer with the risk of it falling into the build area and catching fire on the hotend.

I can't possibly see how you would egnite the sheet-based polycarbonate or acrylig enclosures presented here, with the kind of temperatures we operate with for 3d printers (or even the temperatures they may reach if sensors fail)

Edited August 19, 2016 by Guest

[gr5 2,094]

Even if you completely enclose your UM2 with bed at 110C the air inside doesn't really get hotter than around 45C as far as I've been able to achieve. You would have to add some insulation as well if you want to get hotter than 45C I expect.

[ultiarjan 1,223]

Even if you completely enclose your UM2 with bed at 110C the air inside doesn't really get hotter than around 45C as far as I've been able to achieve.  You would have to add some insulation as well if you want to get hotter than 45C I expect.

 

my experience is different....

printing at bed 100, head 270 (ABS) my setup got really hotter (guess in the 55/60 area) which gave problems with the cooling of the E3Dv6, so i had to cut a few holes in the curver box I use as top enclosure... now I keep it around 45c

https://www.youmagine.com/designs/ultimaker2-top-cover-clips

[BrayChristopher 36]

I discovered a local Fab Lab and decided to use that as an excuse to do some laser cutting.

https://www.youmagine.com/designs/ultimaker-2-extended-enclosure

I think I am going to need to put a sticker on the door so I don't forget it is there and run into it.

I am not a big fan of the cost of this setup. It was about $80 worth of acrylic. But my boss really hated the oven bag.

[frederiekpascal 193]

It's better (and absolutely more safe!) to spend a few euros for a enclosure like mine.

This setup cannot burn down your house.

[chuck-yanke 10]

What is that cover and who makes it?

[BrayChristopher 36]

This setup cannot burn down your house.

 

No offense, I just want to understand.

What features of your setup make it safer than another?

[frederiekpascal 193]

 

This setup cannot burn down your house.

 

No offense, I just want to understand.

What features of your setup make it safer than another?

 

I was referring to your oven-bag

[BrayChristopher 36]

I was referring to your oven-bag

 

To be fair to the oven bag, it is rated for 375f (190c).

Acrylic has a melting temp of 320f (160c).

Just saying.

The bag does look super ghetto.

[Wisar 86]

Unless your printer is in a temperature controlled room, and maybe on the warm side, a cover is essential for printing ABS (IMHO). It can help with printing anything that requires higher temperatures for the build platform as the warmup phase will be shorter than if the printer is open. I have two Ultimaker 2's recently upgraded to 2+'s and I have a cover for each of them:

After Market Cover for Ultimaker 2

 

I did the whole wrap the printer thing but gave it up as a bad job on multiple fronts not the least that it was ugly whereas the cover from Germany looks great. There may not be a huge fire hazard with the bag approach but anything that could get in the way of cooling the electronics is a bad thing and draping oven bags can easily do that.

I have thousands invested in my printers, paying an additional couple hundred for covers that looks as good as the printer seems like a good investment.

One note however. Obviously a cover is not needed for PLA and I had a number of occurrences of nozzle jams that I wonder might have been attributable to heat buildup under the cover. It seems that I had fewer jams when I did not have the cover on while printing PLA. With the UM2+ upgrade in place it seems this is not an issue as I am keeping the covers on all the time without issue. No scientific data to back one way or t'other.

[gr5 2,094]

If all you care about is bed warm up time you can put a diaper/towel/hand cloth/rag on it while preheating and that saves you more time than an enclosure. I don't usually do that however as I like to get the entire enclosure up to 30-35C before starting the print.

[BrayChristopher 36]

diaper

 

YES!

[Wisar 86]

If all you care about is bed warm up time you can put a diaper/towel/hand cloth/rag on it while preheating and that saves you more time than an enclosure.  I don't usually do that however as I like to get the entire enclosure up to 30-35C before starting the print.

 

...but when you walk away and the print starts with the diaper on the build platform? Oops.

Speaking of enclosures...I wonder what the dimensions of the Ultimaker 3 are going to be. I suspect that I will need a new enclosure!

[gr5 2,094]

Murphy's law dictates that it will be off by 2mm in one critical dimension somewhere such that nothing fits and no amount of duct tape or chewing gum can get it to work such that it all has to be redesigned.