<p>This is one of those &quot;yes, if&quot;, or &quot;no, but&quot; situations.</p>
<p>The short answer is that if you have a printer that is only being used for a material such as PLA then the average user will see no advantages from having an enclosure as they print perfectly well at ordinary room temperature, and slight variations in temperature have minimal effect because they're stable and don't warp or shrink very much.</p>
<p>You can probably stop reading here.</p>
<p>Even for printer businesses, most PLA-based print farms use basic open-frame bed slinger-type printers as there are no benefits to enclosing them, so it's not worth the additional cost.</p>
<p>If your printer is in your bedroom, the only advantage that an enclosure would provide you with PLA is that it would be a little quieter.</p>
<p>The exception to this is if your printer is in an area that has high temperature variations, or high levels of humidity. For example, my 3D printer is in a room with two pottery kilns and a wood steamer. Or it being in an outbuilding where it gets down to double digits below freezing.</p>
<p>Some materials don't require enclosures for quality reasons, but having one with proper venting is a good idea due to the fumes that they give off. However, this isn't an issue for most people as these materials are less common.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-01-01T12:47:55.447Z
How about reduction in air pollution with an enclosure?
Bob Ortiz
CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-01-01T17:47:55.770Z
@Bob Ortiz, if your printer is in an area with a lot of dust, or you spray paint in the area, then it could prevent it from getting into your printer, I guess. But generally speaking, if the air pollution in your room is bad enough to effect printer filament then you're probably in danger from it yourself. What are we talking about, fumes from a generator, or welding?
Aaargh Zombies
CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-01-01T18:09:53.090Z
Ah that's another thing I didn't think about. I meant to trap the fumes from the printer itself in an enclosure. But indeed it also keeps dust away from the printer, yet another advantage. It seems to me that an enclosure has a lot of benefits that increase the stability of the (printing) environment.
Bob Ortiz
CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-12-26T12:41:49.963Z
2023-12-26T15:24:47.787Z
2023-12-26T15:24:47.787Z
Aaargh Zombies
<p>Some materials need a heated chamber, which in itself is an enclosure already. However materials such as rPLA, PLA, PHA don't necessarily need a enclosure, or even a heated bed.</p>
<p>Could printers that only print with such materials still benefit from print enclosures in terms of print quality?</p>
<p>Also, are there other reasons to put printers that use only such materials inside enclosures?</p>

<print-quality><printer-building><enclosure><chamber>
Does every 3D printer need an enclosure?
Bob Ortiz
# Does every 3D printer need an enclosure?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2023-12-26)

Some materials need a heated chamber, which in itself is an enclosure already. However materials such as rPLA, PLA, PHA don't necessarily need a enclosure, or even a heated bed.

Could printers that only print with such materials still benefit from print enclosures in terms of print quality?

Also, are there other reasons to put printers that use only such materials inside enclosures?

**Tags:** print-quality, printer-building, enclosure, chamber

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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2023-12-26. Score: 3

This is one of those "yes, if", or "no, but" situations.

The short answer is that if you have a printer that is only being used for a material such as PLA then the average user will see no advantages from having an enclosure as they print perfectly well at ordinary room temperature, and slight variations in temperature have minimal effect because they're stable and don't warp or shrink very much.

You can probably stop reading here.

Even for printer businesses, most PLA-based print farms use basic open-frame bed slinger-type printers as there are no benefits to enclosing them, so it's not worth the additional cost.

If your printer is in your bedroom, the only advantage that an enclosure would provide you with PLA is that it would be a little quieter.

The exception to this is if your printer is in an area that has high temperature variations, or high levels of humidity. For example, my 3D printer is in a room with two pottery kilns and a wood steamer. Or it being in an outbuilding where it gets down to double digits below freezing.

Some materials don't require enclosures for quality reasons, but having one with proper venting is a good idea due to the fumes that they give off. However, this isn't an issue for most people as these materials are less common.

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: How about reduction in air pollution with an enclosure?  
> **username_1**: @Bob Ortiz, if your printer is in an area with a lot of dust, or you spray paint in the area, then it could prevent it from getting into your printer, I guess. But generally speaking, if the air pollution in your room is bad enough to effect printer filament then you're probably in danger from it yourself. What are we talking about, fumes from a generator, or welding?  
> **username_0**: Ah that's another thing I didn't think about. I meant to trap the fumes from the printer itself in an enclosure. But indeed it also keeps dust away from the printer, yet another advantage. It seems to me that an enclosure has a lot of benefits that increase the stability of the (printing) environment.  

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