The final iteration of the accessory.
For several years, I wanted to make some kind of accessory for the 5,25" bays (normally used for DVD-drives) at the fronts of desktop computers, as this is now an outdated technology. There are small drawers, fan controllers, USB and memory card readers - but wouldn't it be awesome if you could get a straight air flow right to the CPU cooler?
At KTH, I learnt how to use Solid Edge, a CAD software, with which I iterated on a design. This required me to use a caliper to measure the distances for the 5,25" bay standard. I also had to figure out a way with which to attach the fan. In order to fit a common sized fan, I decided to use three slots together, which is enough for the 120mm sized fans. I also wanted to maintain a clean exterior, which my initial 3D-print that used front-mounted screws for the fan, did not live up to. It was also necessary to either include a fan filter/grill in the design, or make it easy to add one yourself. I decided to use a clip on system, which I have seen in an older desktop. To my slight surprise, this worked fine to print!
An early iteration using screws.
While I haven't measured any before-and-after temperatures, there is now a clear line of sight from the fan to the CPU cooler and exterior fan. This makes a lot of intuitive sense, and it will be helpful for those who do not have a fan mounted in the front of their cases, perhaps if they do not have a spare 140mm fan (common for this use) lying around.
The accessory mounted in my NXZT Phantom chassis.
If you wish to 3D-print your own copy, you can download the .STL-file here!
