Snapmaker U1 YATC - Yet Another Top Cover

Snapmaker U1 YATC – Yet Another Top Cover

The official Snapmaker U1 top cover won’t be available for a while, and most community designs I found rely on custom-cut acrylic windows (accurate, but expensive and annoying to source).
So I designed YATC from scratch in Fusion — partly to solve the acrylic problem, partly to level up my CAD skills, and honestly… because it was fun. 🙂

This cover is built around common, off-the-shelf acrylic sheet sizes you can grab from a hardware store or Amazon, while still being printable on the Snapmaker U1 itself.

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Important: Please use the 3MF file for printing — it contains the intended part layout and print-ready setup. The STL is included only for a nicer browser preview/quick visual check and isn’t meant to be the primary print file.

I consider this model a beta for now, because I've got none feedback from any 3rd party people yet. So please be careful, look at the parts if they seem to be correct. Please be gentle if I made a mistake. 🥹 But I will correct any mistake you guys will find and will remove this disclaimer when a couple of people have printed it.

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What makes this one different?

• Uses standard acrylic sizes (no custom cutting needed)

• Designed from the ground up (not a remix)

• Printable on the U1 (parts fit the build area)

• Flexible mounting: the “feet” have a bit of play and can compensate ~2–3 mm in any direction (helpful if your printer / print tolerances vary)

• Optional upgrade points:

  • 4 mm holes for heat inserts (e.g. interior filter, active heating, future mods)

  • Corner posts for cable ties (LED strips, wiring, etc.)

• Mostly parameterized Fusion file included (swap magnet sizes, acrylic thickness/dimensions, etc.)

Acrylic windows (what I used)

I used 2 mm acrylic sheets from Amazon (paid €10.56 for the set).

Sheet sizes used:

• 300 × 300 mm — for the slope - https://amzn.to/4qAC5a7

• 200 × 200 mm (×2) — left & right - https://amzn.to/4jv240u

• 200 × 300 mm — top - https://amzn.to/4aJY49V

Magnets & sealing

There are TPU gasket parts included in the print files. I glued the gasket to the acrylic with super glue.

Magnet pockets:

• Frame openings: 10 × 3 mm magnets - https://amzn.to/4aISKnb

• TPU gaskets: 10 × 1 mm magnets - https://amzn.to/4b1NSKf

⚠ Real talk: TPU is a bit annoying to glue perfectly clean to acrylic. If I did it again, I’d probably use self-adhesive magnetic tape on the acrylic instead of relying on super precise TPU alignment. But the current solution works.

Printing notes (what worked for me)

Material I used: Anycubic Translucent Grey PETG (purely for looks — use whatever you like)

Supports

• Almost everything prints support-free

• Only two parts need supports

  • I used Normal / Snug supports

  • Support Interface in PLA for super clean surfaces (multi-material on the U1 makes this painless)

Slicer / quality notes

• Parts are oriented for a clean, aesthetic print finish

• I disabled Ensure Vertical Shell Thickness
  (With my PETG + the slopes/overhangs, it caused poor wall/infill bonding)

Infill

• Gyroid infill
  Looks great through translucent PETG: evenly chaotic, and different part orientations don’t create weird repeating patterns.

Warping / enclosure trick

My PETG was a bit picky with bed adhesion. Since you’re printing a top cover for a U1, I simply placed a box over the printer to get the interior to around ~45°C — after that: no warping at all.

Assembly overview

• Parts are joined using dowels.

• The dowels are split lengthwise in the files so they print easily.

• Assembly is simple:

  1. Print both halves of a dowel

  2. Put both halves together

  3. Insert into the hole and tap in firmly

• Acrylic panels get the TPU gaskets + magnets, then snap into place.

Don’t worry if your prints aren’t micron-perfect: the design tolerates small inaccuracies, and the feet/adapters help compensate.

About remixing / Fusion file

I’m not enabling remixing for this model — not because I dislike remixes, but because I want to prevent a “top-cover jungle” where users can’t tell which version is the current one, what changed, and which features are missing.

That said:

• I’m happy to incorporate improvements and ideas — just post them in the comments or DM me.

• I’m including the Fusion file so you can experiment locally, adjust parameters, and learn from it.

Future add-ons

Inside the cover there are 4 mm holes for heat inserts, intended for accessories like:

• an internal filter

• active heating

• other mods

I’m currently working on a few extras and plan to publish them later.

Quick BOM (Bill of Materials)

• Acrylic sheets, 2 mm:

  • 300×300 (1×) - https://amzn.to/4qAC5a7

  • 200×200 (2×) - https://amzn.to/4jv240u

  • 200×300 (1×) - https://amzn.to/4aJY49V

• Magnets:

  • 10×3 mm (frame pockets) - https://amzn.to/4aISKnb

  • 10×1 mm (TPU gasket pockets) - https://amzn.to/4b1NSKf

  • Or magnetic band - https://amzn.to/4pyClFS

• TPU filament (for gaskets)

• Super glue (or alternative mounting method like magnetic tape) - https://amzn.to/3Z1qp4h

• Optional: heat inserts + screws (if you add accessories)

Disclaimer

This is an unofficial community design. Use at your own risk, double-check clearances, and don’t leave your printer unattended if you’re experimenting with heating, filters, electronics, etc.