Side Panel System

Are you printing this enclosure designed by @TylerSpurgeon for your 3D printer? Do you want some nice acrylic panels on it, but you live in a condo and don't have access to a workshop and don't want to pay extra to have large expensive panels cut to size and don't want to have to drill a bunch of holes in the panels? Then this might be your solution.

These panels create a rim around a standard-sized (read cheaper) acrylic panel. Because the acrylic sits inside the groove on the inner edge, there is no need for cutting or drilling the panels. The parts are designed to overlap with the frame sections, which helps make the frame more rigid (similar to how screwing in a full-sized acrylic panel would). There are also versions with a cable cutout if you need to pass through some wiring (see the pictures). And obviously there are also parts to assemble a door using the same principle, including hinges and a handle. The door hinges do require a modified frame section, so you might have to reprint a couple of them if you already have the whole enclosure done.

I tried to maintain the design cues of the original project as much as possible, so that the whole thing looks like it fits together. The side panels and the hinges use the same ¾" screws as the enclosure project; the door panels require slightly shorter 9/16" screws. The hinges also use the same metal pins specified in the enclosure project, and the door panels use the same 12x2mm magnets as the enclosure's corner pieces.

The panels were designed for a 24"x24"x30" enclosure with 18"x24"panels (1/8" thick), but should also work for a 24"x24"x24" enclosure with 18"x18"panels (just use one less side piece on each edge). Because the design is parametric, it can also be used to create parts for other enclosure and panel sizes (within reason). In my case, the panels were (as advertised) exactly 0.25" short in both dimensions, so that is the default set provided here — 17.75"x23.75".

If you want to use this design, please source your acrylic panels first and confirm their final size before you start printing! I bought my panels from BuyPlastic.com and they seem to be a reliable and affordable provider (I'm not sponsored, just a happy customer). As long as your panels are no more than .25" shorter than the specified dimensions, they should fit. The grooves are also designed with a little bit of extra tolerance just in case your panels are larger instead.

Important note: the frame pieces must be printed vertically, i.e. on their thin edge! I spent hours looking for a way to have them print flat, but the groove for the acrylic panel simply doesn't come out clean enough, no matter what kind of support scheme I tried. I was worried that the parts would break off the plate during printing, but in the end I didn't have a single failure, despite the slicer's warnings.

Assembly can be a bit more tricky however, so here are a few tricks.

When assembling the panels for a side, I suggest the following approach. Start by laying the enclosure down with the side you're assembling facing up. First, screw in the two bottom corner panels and the side panels in between them. Second, slide in the acrylic sheet until it's seated properly, then slide on the two top corners so you can rest the panel down on the frame. Next, lift up the acrylic by one corner and slide on the side panels on one side, then the other, and finally on the top edge. A small rubber mallet can be useful here when a piece won't slide smoothly. When all the frame parts have been placed properly and everything fits into the indent, start screwing everything down, beginning with the two top corners. Make sure to adjust the position of the panels before screwing them in, so they fit flush with the frame.

When assembling the door, attach together two corners, the bottom, and several of the pieces going up on each side; then slide in the acrylic panel, and finish by attaching the rest of the pieces. Make sure that the braces are screwed in straight! If you're using an electric screwdriver, be wary as their extra torque can mess up the alignment very quickly; I suggest using it in manual mode, at least for the final tightening. There are slight indentations in the panel undersides to help with alignment. Once the frame is complete, attach the hinge adapters and the door handle.

If you are building an enclosure with unusual dimensions or your panels are not quite standard-sized, leave me a note and I will see if I can accommodate you. And if you think I forgot to mention something in the text above, please let me know!

Updated 2024-06-27: added two half-sized pieces by user request (I haven't tested either one).