Parametric Axial Cooling Fan Shroud

thingiverse

I spent days looking for a cooling air flow solution that wouldn't blow hot off my extruder but would provide ample airflow. There were many fan mounts out there, but they all seemed designed for some other extruder or another. I had a unique setup, and nothing fit me perfectly. I grabbed a couple of fan mounts, made clips to hold them in place, but neither worked due to various issues. One mount was an openSCAD parametric ring funnel that wasn't parametric enough. I fixed a few bugs in the code, learned some new openSCAD skills, and still couldn't find the right cooling solution for my setup. I printed another fan shroud and struggled with mounting it, but ultimately gave up after days of tinkering. I waded through pages and pages of fan mounts and other random search results, hoping to stumble upon something that fit my needs. Frustrated by the lack of suitable solutions, I decided to create one myself. For this custom fan mount, I wanted every aspect to be parametric and adjustable, with the rest of the design adapting to changes as needed. The cone is designed in two pieces: a concentrator and a snoot. The opening can be angled in either piece or in both, depending on the desired configuration. The mounting tab is defined by a single parameter that extends from the fan mount a specified distance. This tab's height, width, angle, slot size, and more are all adjustable parameters. You can even make the trapezoidal mount twist or move side to side as needed. There are STL files included for reference, but be warned: printing these might not yield usable results without some trial and error. To use this design, grab a copy of openSCAD, take measurements, figure out your fan size, and plug those numbers into the parametric section. I've printed about 20 of these fan shrouds to ensure everything works as intended. I hope someone else in my situation can use this design and save themselves some time. Maybe it'll even help one of the artists whose creations I admire. This is the third version of the SCAD file I've uploaded, with improvements including proper tab positioning on the trapezoid and parameters to adjust its position when twisted. If you encounter any issues or have suggestions, feel free to let me know. When printing this fan shroud, consider using ABS due to its proximity to a hotend. You can print it in place on the opening of the fan without supports, but be aware that infill may not matter unless you make it thick. After printing, attach your fan and mount it to your extruder. I haven't needed to trim or scrape any excess material. I designed this using openSCAD, a programming language with an Algol or C-like syntax. If you're familiar with coding, you'll likely adapt quickly to its methodology. You can create objects piece by piece, add or subtract from them as needed, and preview your design before printing. Edit 1: I've fixed the step on the inside of the funnel where the transition occurs between the first and second parts. This was achieved by using the average thinning of horizontal and vertical walls, but if this isn't sufficient, I may need to create a custom polygon at the expense of built-in smoothing. Edit 2: The tab is now properly positioned on the trapezoid, as long as it's not twisted to the side. There are parameters to adjust its position in that case. The trapezoid can be leaned to one side, and the tab should move with it. Edit 3: If a tab was offset so that it leaned past the left edge of the funnel and fan mount, the item might not have a flat back for printing. I've made the "clipping cube" larger and offset in the -x direction to cover this possibility.