MS Surface Pro 3 Auxilliary Cooling Fan

thingiverse

MS Surface Pro 3 Tablets frequently overheat when performing complex tasks like 3D editing. This excessive heat can lead to speed issues such as CPU throttling. To prevent my tablet from overheating under pressure, I devised a solution. When docked, the fan must not obstruct airflow and provide sufficient ventilation while optionally drawing power from USB ports (several on the dock and one on the power supply). The design should not interfere with the case's stand or create any blockages in airflow around the housing for optimal cooling, despite an intended gap between the housing and computer back panel. I opted for a 120mmX120mm fan that offers good airflow capacity; smaller fans can work but more is generally better. This fan is quiet and comes equipped with grills to protect fingers from accidental contact. The fan also features speed control, which I purchased from Amazon. In this design, size is the primary factor. My objective was to provide extra air at the top right corner intake while cooling the back panel and blowing past the air outlet on the right side without obstructing ports in the upper right corner or interfering with dock use. The housing attaches to the fan via grill screws on the supply side, with the upper screws requiring a bit of a stretch; be cautious. Three pads support the unit at the top and right sides, which I reinforced with felt pads to prevent damage to the tablet. To print this design, supports are necessary; I used PLA 210,60 with a brim, resulting in some minor clean-up requirements. The performance has been excellent so far.