Anycubic ACE/ACE Pro/Ace 2 Pro Easy Printable Shelf Options

Since I got into colour 3D printing with the 8 colour Anycubic Kobra 3 Max & 3v2, and the 16 colour Kobra S1 Max, is where on Earth can I put the ACE units where they can still be easily accessed for refilling, efficient operation or repair/maintenance? Over time I've tried various solutions from shoving them under tables, suspending them over the printers, attaching them to the frame or constructing elaborate 3D printed storage ideas with sliding sheves and draws. Some of these more complex ideas look great to start with, but turn into a nightmare if you need to access the tubes at the back of the ACEs. Some ideas are limited by the length of the supplied bowden tubes and data cables.

What I discovered is that sometimes the easiest solutions can be the best ones. I created these simple shelves/platforms to a scale to match the ACE Pro/ACE 2 Pro and to take up as little space as possible. This allows them to be positioned close to the printers, makes the routing of the power cord/tubes/data cables straight forward, and finally it allows easy access to the ACEs to refill them or to spin them around to clear any blockages.

When you open this 3mf file you'll find three different designs and an extra variation on one of the designs. You will need a 420x420 size printer such as the Kobra 3 Max or Neptune 3/4 Max for the one-piece shelves and they require low infill and no supports. One variation of the tall shelf with thicker legs will need a larger bed or it will need to be printed diagonally on its edge with supports. As I mentioned, infill can be kept to 10% or 15% as the weight of the ACEs is over the legs. Use the biggest layer height you have as they don't need to look pretty. The fit between the sockets and the legs is tight, so you may need to sandpaper any rough edges, but it does mean that you won't need any glue once you push them together (I stood on one to make sure the legs were fully inserted and it will never come apart again).

Remember, these are not meant to be engineering marvels, just quick and easy solutions to a pressing problem and they'll help to get you up and running while you ponder the more complex ones out there. Share and enjoy.