Flashforge 5M Enclosure, Fans and Lights.

Flashforge 5M Enclosure, Fans and Lights.

I was quite fortunate to get a customer return 5M at a very good price at a local auction, followed up by an Amazon customer return Enclosure kit at a good reduced price. The 5M was only missing the instructions and the enclosure kit some screws ( replaced from my collection and the magnets, easily bought.

Please note, All of the 3D models here are remixes of existing ones.

CASE/ENCLOSURE
So I then printed off the parts for the enclosure (from the Flashforge web site (https://wiki.flashforge.com/en/knowledge_corner/printer-mod-and-diy), only to find that the top parts ( Risers) lay about 1 to 2 mm above the metal frame so the magnets did not connect with the metal frame. The problem was the thickness of the top of the uprights (guard plates) and the tops of the plastic sheets on the sides. So I was going to have to alter these. At the same time, for reasons explained below, I then needed to modify some Risers further. Firstly, to accommodate a temperature control for an extraction fan and the to securely hold the LCD display/controller, as i kept knocking it off ( magnets did not give a strong enough bond) and could see that I was going to run a significant risk of damaging the ribbon cable.

a) the back two top (Risers), in case other, have the same problem as I did.

b). Riser B to accommodate the temperature controller Unit ( see below)

c). Riser A to include a much more secure case for the LCD, in two parts, namely the modified riser A and the top lid for Riser A.. I recommend assembling the LCD holder and lid and screw together to make sure it all fits, before assembling the top onto the printer. The lid has threaded holes to take screws and the screws I used were: for the outer part M4x20, for the top M4x30mm and the bottom one M4x2mm (see pictures). I have included a redirection of the USB connection from the side to the front, using this Right Angle Adapter Male to Female 90 Degree Bend: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/192949304170 . You have to be careful, the first one I bought bent the wrong way, inwards rather than out.

d) remix of Shielding plate to include the name “Adventurer 5M”.

POWER & WIRING
I took the 24v power off the spare outputs on the PSU, which I then split to give several 24v power lines. For the cables I used some I had in my collection like these: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B08JVB3K7C

You will need to be fairly confident that you can solder and protect the joints.
NOTE: I take no responsibility if you break your printer though any of this work and itit will invalidate any wararnty!

I just used some cables in my collection to link the various connectors together and heat shrink to protect the joints.

To take the wiring of the Temp. Controller and the LEDs supply from the top into the back and own to boards and PSU, etc., I drilled a hole in the 5M case as seen in the photos. If you are going to do this you need to make sure that there is nothing under the hole *(for example it is close to a motor, etc.) and I suggest drilling a very small hole first, to be sure. Use magnets, put sticky tape, lose, under the hole and round the top where you are drilling to collect any fillings from the drilling.

To guide the cables around the Risers I used the clips designed by mrusk : https://www.printables.com/model/334123-cable-clips-for-usb-and-power-cords

I have included pictures which I hope will be useful.

FANS & FILTERS
While I was waiting for the the 5M to arrive I had bought 2 HEPA filters, having noted there were fixings for them in the 5M, as in the 5MPro. However, when the 5M arrived I realised that there were no fans for them.
From my reading, it seems that the 5M pro and 5m motherboards are different. The 5M pro has three air circulation fans in total. There is one inside the case that takes air around the chamber. In the back of the 5M Pro there is a recirculating fan at the top that filters the air in the chamber by passing it through the upper HEPA filter, back into the chamber. The third fan at the back, at the bottom, extracts air through the other HEPA filter and passes it out of the printer. From what I have read I think this latter fan is controlled by a sensor in the 5M Pro that monitors particulates in the chamber and at a certain point the fan kicks in and increase extraction, though the bottom HEPA filter, out of the cabinet. However, the hardware and sofware for this are lacking in the 5M.

So, I initially decided to just have the recirculating fan and filter the air through the upper HEPA filter. To do this I used this one by Jwidess and did not need to remix anything: https://www.printables.com/model/1243577-flashforge-adventurer-5m-recirculating-air-duct-50 . I have included photos of my actual build. I printed mine in PETG. The screws I used were M5x10mm and M3 x 12mm, 2 with smaller heads for fitting the duct.

The first fan I tried from Amazon had a very low flow rate, so I ended up using this 24v, 5015 Blower: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0C8TDZ7H6 . However, the flow is still nowhere near as good as that of the one I used in another filter project ( a
Delta BFB1012VH Turbo Cooling Fan 9733 DC12V 2.70A 3Pin ) and I may look at this again to use a 24v 9733.

Initially, I was not going to use the lower HEPA filter, and was just going to blank it off ( I have included the blank- just in case someone does not want to fit the lower fan - remix of sbar091’s: https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:6671781 ). However, I then saw this relatively cheap (see Aliexpress) W3230 temperature controller: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0B12W3C7F . It seemed to me there must be a relationship with fumes/particulates and temperature, and so this might just mimic what the 5M Pro does, so I decided to add it in. I also like the feedback it gives on temperature in the enclosure. Be warned, it does not come with any instructions, but there are videos on YouTube, such as https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=64YBz_F-MKA .

The ducting I used was that made by David, here: https://www.printables.com/model/1178727-flashforge-adventurer-5m-not-pro-lower-filtration I had to remix the lower fan duct, due to a bit of wobble with my fan. It is now tight around the fan and does not need anything else to hold it in place, once the back panel is fitted. There was a gap when the fan I was using was fitted, between the fan and the case, so I added a washer/filler piece to fill this. Afterwards, I found that there is also one here: https://www.printables.com/model/937459-flashforge-adventurer-5m-lower-rear-fan-spacer-to Note, duct may need altering and the thickness of the spacer may vary with the actual make/model of fan used, The fan i used was a 24V, 40mm, 7700 rpm, 0.04A, 4020, as here: .https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0DQD65ZJR. Printed in PETG.

LED ENCLOSURE LlGHTS

My initial attempts on fitting LEDS failed. It turns out that LED Socket wiring (+/-) on the motherboard is reversed, compared to that for the fans (see photos). For the LED lights I bought these one : https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/156968103473?var=458470537353 , and cut them down to fit the holder. The holder is a remix, to make it a bit longer, of that by Sniffynose :https://www.printables.com/model/831737-flashforge-adventurer-5m-ad5m-led-mod .
Printed in PETG.
I used 2.9 x 9.5mm screws to fix the LED holder to the case.

LID HINGES

The hinges for the lid are a remix of those for the enclosure front door. They are a bit fiddly to fix correctly, so that the lid lays flat as it should. I have included a hinge with holes all the way through where it goes onto the actual perspex lid. This can be used to drill the holes in the lid in the right place. So position tee 2 hinges where they should go. Then, with the lid closed in position, for each one in turn, put pressure on the one that will be attached to the case, so that it does not move, and then, through the holes, mark where the screw holes will go in the sheet of perspex. If you are brave enough, you can drill the holes straight through. It is very important to make sure that the hinges are in the right position.
Then attach the hinges to the perspex and, with the lid down and in place, drill through the screw holes on the back part into the case. Note these holes must not be too large..
With the lid closed attach the hinges to the case. The lid should now lift and close correctly. If you find it is a little bit out, then you cam make the screw holes in the perspex more oblong to allow the lid to move slightly in the direction you want, and then tighten the screws when the lid is in the right position.

NOTES

I am not very happy with the use of magnets to hold things together in the structure, I have superglued my magnet holders into the side perspex sheets as they kept falling out.

I'm also adding some clips that screw into the Risers and fix them down onto the frame, so it is not so loose. I will put the up when they are done..

Also, if I was to do this again, I might have a look at the modification of Rickee Palmer: https://www.printables.com/model/1079697-flashforge-5m-enclosure-v3 . I found this after I had started my build, but it seems to address a lot of the issues that I have with the Flashforge enclosure..