3D printer cabinet
A 3D printer cabinet or 3D printer enclosure is an enclosure for a 3D printer that can improve print quality and increase safety by controlling the environment around the printer. The enclosure can be either a separate part from the printer in the form of a box, cabinet, cover, or tent, or be an integral part of the printer. An enclosure can prevent the spread of volatile organic compounds and particulate matter, reduce dust and odors, provide vibration isolation for reduced vibration and sound isolation for reduced noise, and protect users from touching moving or hot parts.
Cabinets are available both as assembled aftermarket products and kits or completely homemade, and often feature transparent panels, options for connecting to an exhaust or ventilation system to outdoors, and sometimes options for drying or storing filament, or storing tools related to 3D printing. They may also have a thermometer and hygrometer for automatic temperature control and ventilation control, as well as measuring air pollution.
Printer technologies
Printer enclosures can be relevant for all types of printer technologies. In the consumer market, they are best known for resin printers that need protection from ultraviolet radiation, and for some materials in filament printers where encapsulation is virtually required for printing high-temperature filaments such as ABS plastic.In industry, enclosures are very relevant for powder-based printing technologies such as multi-jet fusion and selective laser sintering, among others, as small dust particles can be very harmful to the respiratory tract. In addition, dedicated enclosures are used in post-processing to remove powder from 3D printed parts using compressed air.
Health and safety
Use of filament printers can have negative effects on health and safety due to dust and harmful emissions. Filament printers are a major source of volatile organic compounds and particulate matter. 3D printers emit ultrafine particles, and research has shown that these are small enough to lodge deep in the respiratory system and be difficult for the body to eliminate.One study measured over 400 different types of VOCs, several of which were irritatants, sensitizers, asthma-inducing, odorants, carcinogens, developmental toxicans, and reproductive toxicants, which can cause inflammation, respiratory diseases, neurotoxicity, and cancer.
Some specific VOCs that have been measured from 3D printing include lactide, styrene, ethylbenzene, formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, nonanal, tetrahydrofuran, cyclohexanone, butanone, crotonaldehyde, acrylic acid, hydroxyethyl acrylate and methyl methacrylate.
The effect of temperature on printing
Print quality can be both improved and degraded by a cabinet. In general, it is beneficial to maintain a consistent temperature to prevent warping of the workpiece, prevent drafts, and keep out dust.The temperature must be adapted to the material, and must neither be too high or too low. PLA plastic is usually printed at room temperature, while too high temperatures can cause heat creep, clogged nozzles due to burnt plastic, string formation, blobs, overhangs, poorer details and weaker parts. Some plastic materials require higher chamber temperatures.
Feeding cold air into a warm chamber can be problematic in that it creates a cool draft. If the chamber has ventilation, it can be an advantage to have roughly the same air pressure inside and outside and some form of heat recovery to avoid cold drafts.
Most consumer 3D printers are designed for indoor use at room temperature, and placing such printers in garages or outdoors can cause print quality issues if the temperature is too low, there is high humidity, cold drafts, or sudden changes in temperature. Printing outdoors or in unheated rooms therefore places greater demands on humidity and temperature control.