Plastic enclosure stand

thingiverse

Customized Simple Enclosure Used for Printing ABS on Anycubic I3 Mega When printing ABS on my Anycubic i3 mega, I rely on a customized simple enclosure made from a plastic sheet and an ABS stand that clamps onto the printer's upper frame. The enclosure effectively prevents dust from falling onto the printer, reducing the need for frequent cleaning. In contrast to most enclosures, this one uses ordinary materials that can be replaced with better alternatives if desired. However, it's essential to avoid including electronics within the enclosed area, as high temperatures can rise and compromise their operation. On my setup, the temperature of the enclosed air stabilized at 40C on the upper frame level. The key benefit provided by this enclosure is minimal air movement or temperature fluctuations while printing ABS, which helps prevent warping. In areas with significant human traffic, such as mine, printing sessions can be disrupted easily. The plastic sheets used in my enclosure are easy to roll up when needed and can be raised in small increments to monitor the printing process without disturbing the build area. I placed the spools of filament directly in front of the printer for convenient access using a TUSH (available on Thingiverse) with one leg attached to a ceramic tile floor for stability. To prevent the spools from separating, I glued them together in the middle. Power switches are also easily accessible on the back side of the printer. When building an enclosure, it's crucial not to include the lower part of the Anycubic i3 mega, which requires continuous cooling. I use TMC2208 drivers for all my motors, resulting in a significantly cooler printer compared to those with original drivers. Additionally, I've recently added heat sinks to the back of my X, Y, and extruder motors, which have greatly improved their cooling performance. The STL files used to create this enclosure were printed using ABS at 0.2 layer height with no necessary supports, thanks to six lines of brim. However, I do not recommend using PLA for this setup, as it deformed over time in a previous design attempt. Proper ventilation is essential when printing with ABS, requiring air to exit the room in one direction and fresh air to enter from another source, such as an open window. My current setup does not spread fumes around the area, but only warms the air due to the printer's heaters. It's crucial to maintain a comfortable environment and never leave the printer printing for extended periods without monitoring. When working with ABS, it's also important to keep the filament spool within the enclosed area to maintain its temperature, dryness, and condition. Some users employ separate driers with heaters, but I make use of my printer's heat to keep the filament dry. When not printing for an extended period, I remove the filament and store them in a closed plastic bag with silica gel. I've also developed a customized filament dryer to recondition moisture-contaminated filaments, which is used exclusively for that purpose. The position where I placed the spool is a warmer area where warm air from the board fan exits, although I should have placed it on the upper area with a spool holder initially. Testing revealed that attaching the spool holder to the printer frame affects print quality. I hope this information proves helpful to you as it has for me.