An enclosure for a 3D printer has many benefits, such as stable temperature and reduced warping, safety and emissions control, and noise reduction. An enclosure keeps fumes and particulates contained, making them much easier to filter or vent with HEPA or carbon filters if you add one. In the event of a fire, it can also help slow the spread of flames. Check out this article to learn more about the advantages.
Custom enclosure by Alveo3D
Printercase
Before diving into the list of more affordable modular printers, we want to let you know that Alveo3D provides a custom enclosure and a series of 3D printer enclosures called PrinterCase. Our enclosure is of the highest quality and comes with many professional security add-ons. Sometimes, it may exceed the budget of hobbyists, which is why we decided to write this article.
Once you have chosen the enclosure that suits your needs, the next step is to consider a filtration system that works well with your enclosure. The enclosure model we recommend works primarily for belt-driven (bed-slinger) machines such as Bambu lab A1, Prusa MK4, or SPARKX i7 because almost all CoreXY machines today already come with enclosures.
I. Printables #681278 (Print Any Size)
This is a fully modular 3D‑printer enclosure design you can download and print from Printables.com. It’s built to be adaptable to many different printer sizes and styles, perfect for DIY enthusiasts on a budget who want a high‑performance enclosure without buying an expensive kit.
Why It’s Great:
- Modular and customizable: The design lets you assemble an enclosure to fit your exact printer footprint and dimensions. Ideal for less common or larger printers.
- DIY‑friendly: All structural elements are 3D‑printed; you can add clear panels (acrylic/polycarbonate) and hardware to complete your build.
- mproved heat retention: By enclosing the build space, it helps maintain more stable and higher internal temperatures, beneficial for advanced filaments like ABS, ASA, and Nylon that are prone to warping.
- Expandability: You can integrate filtration (HEPA/carbon filters), lights, filament holders, and other accessories based on your needs.
Source: Printable
💡Great paired with:
Our AlveoOne or AlveoOne-R systems. The filtration unit can either be mounted on the wall of the enclosure for AlveoOne or placed inside the enclosure for AlveoOne-R.
One of our customers has integrated AlveoOne into their modular enclosure for a Prusa MK3+
II. Printables #356301 (for Bambu Lab P1P)
The ARC Enclosure for Bambu Lab P1P is a printable, modular enclosure system designed specifically to fully enclose the popular P1P 3D printer.
To ensure a true enclosed environment, pair this with clear acrylic or polycarbonate panels and consider adding a HEPA/carbon filtration system or a small fan vent to manage emissions during high‑temp prints.
Source: Printable
III. MakerWorld A1 Enclosures (for Bambu Lab A1 / A1 Mini/ Creality)
This is a 3D-printable enclosure designed for the Bambu Lab A1 that helps protect the machine from dust and creates a semi-enclosed space for printing. It’s a popular community project you can download and assemble yourself by printing the structural frame and adding cut panels like acrylic or polycarbonate.
Source: Makerword
We see many low-cost DIY enclosures from other sources that we do not recommend. These enclosures present a fire hazard and increase the risk to your 3D printer. Here are some examples.
These enclosures pose a fire risk ⚠️🔥 ☢️
