3D Printing a computer case
Posted by JamezsyYT@reddit | buildapc | View on Reddit | 9 comments
I'm planning on 3D printing a computer case for my gaming PC. What do I need to consider for this build?
strength of materials? what plastics? design? heat resistance? etc.
I'm open to any and all advice.
overcrispy@reddit
I think pla or pla+ would do the job. Standard pla comes in more colors. Cheapest material to print and the cheapest printers print with it.
Heat resistance shouldn't be an issue. Pla gets soft around 160 C. If you're computer is at 160 C, it's on fire.
You can print one of the many designs online, or make your own.
Brave-Draft-888@reddit
I know this thread is a bit dated as well as this reply is. But for anyone new that is looking at this thread for advice, this is incorrect. PLA melts at 160°c. But it will soften around 60-65°c (Glass Transition Temperature). The 160°c temperature is accurate for what the printer would need to be set at to extrude the filament through the nozzle. But since its glass transition temperature is 60-65°c, PLA would not be a good option. Better options would be ABS, Polycarbonate and Possibly ASA.
Edit: Also make sure you have someway of grounding. Or use ESD-safe filament
overcrispy@reddit
60c is 140f. If your case reaches 140f you either have a huge design flaw or your 4090 connector is in flames.
Grounding is handled through the motherboard to the psu. Psu is grounded, and mobo is grounded through pins 3, 5, 7, 15, 17-19, and 24. GPU also has its own ground. Fans utilize Mobo ground (hence why there are so many, for each connection that has something that isn't grounded through psu). Metal pc cases are grounded because they are conductive. Any risk of static is mitigated with a plastic case because it isn't conductive.
Brave-Draft-888@reddit
I’m not to experienced with static electricity and how it works entirely. But I do know after taking a print off of my print bed after it has completed that it has a static charge almost every time. And to the temperature of a pc case, it can very easily reach above 60°c with modern components. A pc case regularly reaches 35°c-50°c NOT under load. While performing intensive tasks a pc case can reach temps up to 70°c-80°c. You might be able to mitigate that if you water cooler your cpu and possibly your gpu as well since most of the heat will transfer to the water in the radiator rather than the air in the case.
overcrispy@reddit
A pc case reaching 60C surface temp is insane. The backplate of a well designed gpu doesn’t get that hot.
Hell, my btc miner that runs steady at 100C is cool enough to touch, and the PLASTIC fans and ABS shrouds are just fine.
If your pc case is 90C (194F!), it’s on fire. Period. The hottest part of your cpu/gpu should ideally be below that. Even 60C is hard to imagine. That would be hot to the touch, right on the border of being able to scald you. Not once have I ever touched any computer that hot. Literally insane. Full metal, wood, whatever.
Also, idk about your 3d printer but mine is grounded. Check the ground on your wall socket. There shouldn’t be any static.
BigMathematician2433@reddit
insano? Eu tive uma Radeon 4890 que vivia em 80 graus celsius...
Meu PC hj não passa de 52 graus por causa de resfriamento líquido.
Sim, PCs podem ficar muito quentes e não é tão raro ver isso.
Lembrando que o limite operacional de microprocessadores litografados normalmente gira em torno de 90 graus celsius
aminy23@reddit
I'm somewhat uniquely qualified here as I'm a workstation PC builder and former SOLIDWORKS instructor who had fully soldered and assembled one of the first 3D printers - The MakerBot Replicator.
Back then printers were made of wood.
My biggest concern would actually be ESD safety over time as plastic can be a static prone. PC cases are made of metal and have metal standoffs to electrically ground with the power supply. Even thick foil or thin sheet metal could work.
At the very least I would aim for a metal-lined motherboard tray that's bonded to power supply's ground.
PLA is thermally compostable. While heat might not soften it units initially, prolonged heat will degrade it with time.
I would lean towards ABS which does have an odor when printing, but is more stable in the long term. It can also be polished with acetone for a top notch finish.
JamezsyYT@reddit (OP)
Brilliant advice! thank you! I had not even considered static build up. I will need to incorporate some kind of metal grounding within the case. Perhaps I build the inside supports with Metal sheets?
Luckily this one is printed in ABS, It was one of my main concerns for a plastic case - how much heat can the plastic handle before degrading.
Batman-next-gen@reddit
What did you end up using? I would like to try this with a spare pc I have