A recent upgrade to our TAZ 6 3D printer from LulzBot got us talking about the enclosure options they offer. We decided to go ahead and purchase the acrylic enclosure to optimize our prints by limiting environmental disruptions.
Printing certain materials can be difficult without an enclosure. The lab space we have is not ideal for printing ABS (Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene) due to the drafts caused by the air filtration system. The prints were warping and lifting from the bed, causing many prints to fail.
The enclosure provides an inexpensive and effective solution to this issue. The instructions walk through the entire assembly process, starting with printing four brackets for the upper joints. Download the STL files or purchase pre-printed brackets here. The enclosure sits on top of these to help hold it in place once it’s assembled as it will be in two separate pieces for ease of accessing the print bed and changing out the filament.
(Image source: LulzBot)
The acrylic pieces have a letter etched in the bottom corner for identification. One thing to note is that not all of the pieces are symmetrical, so ensure they are in the correct orientation before mating the pieces. Do not overtighten the bolts as this can crack the acrylic. However, if this occurs, you can contact printedsolid.com for a replacement piece.
After assembling, place the two halves of the enclosure over the brackets and the printer is now ready to handle more types of filament with its new, sleek enclosure. For a visual demonstration of the enclosure assembly, head over to our YouTube channel and watch our video.