Brand new member, so apologies if this has been addressed, but I couldn't find it with a search. I am specifically wondering about a bracket for a BlueSCSI drive, but want to make this a more general question. Is there anything about the internal heat environment of the compact Macs that would make PLA (or any other likely filament) a bad choice for printing parts to be used inside one? I'm not so much thinking of immediate melting as longer-term brittleness or deformation (of course, immediate melting would tend to fall on the undesirable end of the spectrum as well...).
Compact Mac Internal Heat & 3D Printed Parts
- Thread starter Doug Goodwin
- Start date
Hi, @Doug Goodwin! 
It should not be an issue. Many folks have done 3D-printed plastics in compact Macs, and I have not seen anyone point out any deformities or anything like that.
By all means, go for it.
Cheers!
It should not be an issue. Many folks have done 3D-printed plastics in compact Macs, and I have not seen anyone point out any deformities or anything like that.
By all means, go for it.
Cheers!
I have been thinking about making one, too!
In my SE/30, I do not like how the stock HDD bracket is so big and in the way. I am thinking of designing a much more low-profile frame to accommodate it.What are you thinking of doing, @Doug Goodwin?
Thanks for the reassurance @retr01. I had seen some mention that PLA wasn't the best choice for outdoor uses due to less heat tolerance, so I wasn't sure if the heat inside a compact Mac was similarly considered unwise.
I'm not planning on doing anything original this go-round, as I'm way too new to 3D printing. I will just use one of the existing bracket designs out there to mount BlueSCSI in the stock HDD bracket. I do agree, though, having that HDD bracket take up space once the spinner is gone seems unfortunate.
I'm not planning on doing anything original this go-round, as I'm way too new to 3D printing. I will just use one of the existing bracket designs out there to mount BlueSCSI in the stock HDD bracket. I do agree, though, having that HDD bracket take up space once the spinner is gone seems unfortunate.
Right. I got you, @Doug Goodwin.
Here are some operating temperature data points I extracted from various documentation by Apple. The maximum temperature for the PLA is approximately 60 degrees Celsius (140 degrees Fahrenheit). So, yes, relatively safe and below the threshold of the temperature range when PLA starts to deform at 40 to 45 degrees Celsius (104 to 113 degrees Fahrenheit). The bottom line is, as long as the compact Macs are pampered and comfortable like us, they should be fine. Whatever temperature is uncomfortable for us, it is most likely uncomfortable for the Mac and the PLA.
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