LayerCase - Portable Modular Framework Laptop 12 Mainboard Case (Battery Compatible)

Intro

My desk is small, so I wanted a case that takes up as little space as possible. LayerCase is a slim slab that turns the Framework Laptop 12 mainboard into a mini PC workstation you can carry, without leaving the laptop behind. All four expansion cards stay usable, the audio jack sits on the front, the power button board on the back, and an optional battery module keeps it running unplugged. Need more? Add a layer, like a USB hub, and make it yours.

Size: 287x162x39 mm , about [a book / 2 stacked notebooks]; Parts: [24]; Screws: [26-29]; Prints on: ~160mm beds; Internal parts for service: 4 screws away

Battery module: swap, don't reprint

With the battery module fitted, LayerCase works like a built-in UPS: unplug it, move it to another table, and carry on without shutting down.

Going from no battery to battery doesn't mean printing a second case. You swap one module: a cover that completes the side wall, or a housing that holds the battery. The battery sits fully enclosed and connects through its contact pads, just like in the official FL12 case. It makes the case a bit bigger, but it stays slim.

Parts to swap: bay_case_cover to (bay_battery_case_base and bay_battery_case_lid) 

Ports and I/O

Any of the 4 expansion card slots can power LayerCase.

- Front: 2 expansion cards (left: video) + audio jack

- Back: 2 expansion cards (one: video) + power button board (houses the fingerprint reader, if you have one)

- Top: power button, back-left corner

Cooling

LayerCase keeps the stock fan and heatsink. Feet lift the case off the desk, so air is drawn in from the bottom and pushed out the left side.

Layer system

LayerCase is built in layers, and a layer is where you add your own features. My own idea is a USB hub layer to extend the I/O, but a layer can hold any mod the community comes up with. After the contest, if there's interest, I'll release a universal blank layer you can shape in CAD.

Disclaimer

I don't own a Framework Laptop 12 mainboard. LayerCase was designed around Framework's official FL12 case STEP files, so the mainboard sits in a housing based on the real thing. I studied several teardown photos to reserve enough space for the audio and power button boards, and worked alongside the official case files to meet key requirements like not trapping heat. If you print it, I'd love your feedback.

Print notes

No supports needed, and every part is already split to fit ~160x160 mm beds.

- ABS or ASA: case lid, case base and vent (heat-exposed parts)

- PETG, ABS or ASA: all other parts

- PLA: fine for the accent ring

- Colors to match the renders: [part → color list]

- Infill: 15% cubic

- Print time of major parts (Bambulab ABS 15% Cubic infill):

• Base front: 1h 34m, 56g

• Base back: 1h 43m, 64g

• 2x Accent strips: 28m, 7g

• Panels + Vent + Foot x4: 1h 20m, 24g

• Battery Base + Lid: 3h, 125g

Total Weight: 276g

Total Print Time: 8h 5m

Not accounting for other smaller parts, so prepare to invest in this print.

Parts you'll print

- base_front + base_back — the case base, split in two, with the printed standoffs that hold the mainboard's captive screws

- clip_front + clip_back — clamp the mainboard down onto those standoffs and secure it

- front_panel + back_panel — the I/O panels, the front and back walls, where the expansion cards and audio jack sit

- lid_front + lid_back — cover the mainboard from the top

- close_layer_front + close_layer_back — the decor layer: it finishes the case and makes it modular, and currently holds the vent standoff and the accent strip

- accent_strip_front + accent_strip_back — press fit into the close layer to add a color accent

- bay_battery_case_base + bay_battery_case_lid — the battery case that attaches to the bay, the open side wall

- bay_case_cover — closes the bay instead, if you don't have a battery

- vent — slides into the case base and screws from the top onto the lid

- framework_logo ×2 — the gear icon, press fit into the logo cutout on each I/O panel

- power_button_top + power_button_stem — the top button; the stem reaches down to the mainboard's power button

- foot ×4 — lift the close layer off the desk so air can flow in

Files and what's next

STL files are there to print right away. STEP and Fusion files are included too, so you can open the design, change a layer, or build your own module without starting from scratch.

If I win a mainboard, I'll keep developing LayerCase and test it on real hardware. If not, the source files stay available so anyone can carry it forward.

Assembly hardware:

ALL SCREWS ARE M3

Base Assembly

Bring the base_front and base_back as shown in the image, this is now the Base Assembly:

Note: base_front has a ventilation cutout for the mainboard's cooling system

Then screw them using 2x20mm for each side:

Now bring the Mainboard and put it in the case as shown in image (the part that has the vent should coincide with the mainboard)

Take clip_front and put it on the board aligning it with the screw hole and screw it using 1x8mm, positioning like in the image:

Take clip_back and do the same as in clip_front, align, screw and it using 1x8mm must clamp the mainboard securely to the Base Assembly

Front Panels Assembly

Take front_panel, align with mounting holes ON THE base_front (the base_front piece as a reminder has a vent hole) as in the image, screw it into Base Assembly using 2x8mm screws:

Same for back_panel as for front_panel but aligning on the base_back:

At the end you should have this assembly:

Close Layer assembly

Take the close_layer_front and close_layer_back, align their side holes and use 2x20mm screws to secure the parts:

Note: the close_layer_front has a vent hole to distinguish it from the close_layer_back counterpart

Take accent_strip_front and accent_strip_back and mount them on the close_layer_front and close_layer_back respectively by press fitting them, giving you now the Close Layer Assembly:

Mounting Close Layer Assembly to the Base Assembly

Take Base Assembly and align it with the Close Layer Assembly (front has vent holes to be sure you are orienting it right)...:

Take 4x10mm screws and screw the Base Assembly into the Close Layer Assembly as in the holes in the image:

Power Button Assembly

Take the lid_back (that has the power button cutout):

Put in the power_button_top in the cutout facing upwards the power button pattern:

Flip the lid_back without making the power_button_top fall down:

Add the power_button_stem orienting the part with the hole to the hole of the power_button_top as shown in the image making you the Power Button Assembly:

Flip back the lid_back with holding the Power Button Assembly and use a 8mm screw to screw from the Power Button Assembly together:

Lid Assembly

Get the Base Assembly, attach back_lid with the Power Button Assembly (as in the last step), take 2x20mm screws and screw in the lid_back to the Base Assembly as shown for the holes in the image:

Get the lid_front, align with the front of the Base Assembly, take 2x20mm screws and screw the lid_front to the Base Assembly:

Take 2x20mm screws and secure as shown in the image the lid_front and lid_back from both sides (1 hole for each side):

Vent Assembly

Take the vent part, and align it with the Base Assembly hole for the vent and use 8mm screw to secure vent to the Base Assembly using the shown hole in the image:

Decor Assembly:

Looking at the front_panel:

Take framework_logo and press fit it into the front_panel:

Looking at the back_panel:

Take a second framework_logo and press fit it into the back_panel:

Feet Assembly

Flip back the current Case Assembly (the whole piece that we built so far with mounting Base Assembly, Close Layer Assembly, Lid Assembly...):

Press fit the 4xfoot pieces into the case as shown in the image:

As a friendly reminder you can pour hot glue into the foot components to give traction to the case.

Choose your needs

Given the case supports battery and not battery modes, these final instructions fork for the given modalities.

Choose the Battery instructions if you have a battery you want to use with the Mainboard and the Case, otherwise choose Default.

Default

Position the case as shown in the image:

Take bay_case_cover and position it as in the image:

Take 2x10mm screws and as shown in the image screw them in:

Battery

Position the case as shown in the image:

Take your Framework 12 Battery

Take bay_battery_case_base and position inside the battery:

Take bay_battery_case_lid and align it with the holes identified in the image, use 3x10mm screws to mount the lid to the case of the battery, giving you Battery Case Assembly:

Take the Battery Case Assembly, slide from top to the case bottom as shown in the 2 images below:

Take 2x10mm screws and mount the Battery Case Assembly into the Case Assembly using the shown holes in the image below:

Done!
Enjoy the case!