Have an enclosure for your electronics 3D printed

What people have enclosures printed for

We get requests like these regularly. Think for example of:

• a case around a home-built circuit or a small computer board;
• an enclosure for a small screen with buttons, for example as a control panel on the wall;
• a cover with a cut-out for a fan;
• a case around a sensor you want to mount somewhere;
• a new enclosure for a small device whose old one broke or went missing.

Is it a single part that broke, such as a cover or a knob? Then see having a replacement part 3D printed.

With or without a 3D file

You have a file or a link

Upload your enclosure as STL, OBJ, 3MF or ZIP, up to 50 MB per file, or paste the link to a model from a 3D model site. If the enclosure consists of a box and a lid, supply each part as a separate file. If it can be printed as it is, you receive a quote within 48 hours. Does a model you found almost fit, but does an opening need to be larger or a connector cut-out move a little? Then we can adapt it. That is design work; the cost is stated in the quote up front.

You only have the dimensions

Then we can design a simple enclosure to your dimensions. If that takes little time, you pay a fixed amount from € 29.00 including VAT, with one round of revisions. If it is more work, we charge € 49.00 per hour and the quote tells you up front how many hours we expect. You receive the quote within 3 to 5 working days. You pay for the design only once: a second copy later only costs the printing. More about design work is on having a custom 3D design made.

What we need from you

The more precisely you supply the details, the better the enclosure fits. Send us:

• the dimensions of what goes inside: length, width and height, preferably measured with callipers;
• the position and size of every opening: connectors, cables, buttons, a screen or lights;
• how the board has to be fixed, with the distance between the mounting holes;
• how the enclosure has to close: with screws, a snap-fit lid or a sliding lid;
• where it will go: indoors or outdoors, on the wall or loose on a table;
• whether anything inside gets warm;
• photos from above and from the sides, with a ruler or tape measure next to it.

Upload photos under "Upload your own file" as PNG, JPG, JPEG or WEBP, up to 50 MB per file. Not sure whether your file can be printed? Ask for a check first. We do not charge for that.

What matters with a printed enclosure

Clearance between the parts

Parts that slot together, such as a box and a lid, need a little room. Without that clearance the lid jams; with too much it sits loose. If we design the enclosure, we take that into account. If you supply a file yourself, check it beforehand.

Walls, details and screws

Walls and details thinner than about 0.8 mm do not come out cleanly. Fine screw threads do not print well either. Tell us in your request how you want to fix the parts together, and we will check whether that is feasible in a print.

Heat and ventilation

PETG handles heat better than PLA, but if something inside gets quite warm, the enclosure needs ventilation openings. Tell us in your request what goes inside and whether it gets warm, and we will take that into account. PETG is not suitable for parts that are constantly very hot.

Outdoors

PETG handles moisture better than PLA, so an enclosure for outdoors can be made in PETG. A printed enclosure is not automatically sealed against rain, though: water can get in through seams, openings and cable entries. That is why we do not promise a seal or a protection rating.

Mains voltage and safety

Ordinary PETG is not a flame-retardant plastic, and our prints are not certified for applications where safety depends on them. For electronics that run on an adapter or a battery, a printed enclosure is a common solution. For an enclosure around mains voltage (230 volts), or for a device that has to meet safety requirements, ordinary PETG is not the right choice: that often calls for flame-retardant material, which we do not print. See also article 9 of our terms and conditions.

Why PETG for an enclosure

PETG is impact-resistant, slightly flexible and does not splinter. That helps with an enclosure that takes the occasional knock, and with a tab that has to snap into place and needs to flex a little to do so. We print in PETG only, in 47 colours, all at the same price per gram. The difference with PLA is explained under PETG vs PLA.

What does a printed enclosure cost?

You pay for the weight: € 0.19 per gram of PETG, with a minimum of € 8.00 per order, VAT included and with no set-up costs. An enclosure is mostly empty inside, so the material is mainly in the walls, and the price depends mostly on the size and the wall thickness. If you have an STL file, drop it into the price calculator for an estimate. If the enclosure still has to be designed, the design costs are added. Having more made? From 5 pieces you get 10 percent and from 10 pieces 15 percent volume discount. Shipping costs € 4.50 for a small and € 6.95 for a large parcel; collection in The Hague is free. How the price is built up is explained on what 3D printing costs.

How it works

1. Upload your file or paste a link in the request form. No file yet, but you do have photos? Then choose "Upload your own file", upload your photos and put your dimensions in the description. Only dimensions? Then choose "Just an idea" in the request form and put them in the description.
2. You receive a quote without obligation: with a file within 48 hours, for design work within 3 to 5 working days. The quote is valid for 14 days.
3. If you agree, you pay online. Only then do we get started.
4. With a file, your enclosure is ready within 2 to 4 working days after payment. If it has to be designed first, your quote tells you when it will be ready.
5. Collecting it in The Hague costs nothing; we can also send it. Your personal tracking link always shows how far along it is.

Frequently asked questions about having an enclosure printed

Can you print a box and a lid?

Yes. They are two separate parts, which we both print and deliver together. Tell us in your request how the lid should be fixed; we will then check what is feasible in a print.

Can the enclosure be larger than the print bed?

Up to 350 x 320 x 325 mm we print an enclosure in one piece. If it is larger, we print it in sections; read more under large 3D printing.

Can I have several made at once?

Yes, up to 999 pieces per request, with a discount from 5 pieces and a bigger one from 10 pieces. If you order as a business, you receive an invoice with a VAT breakdown after payment.