Electronics Enclosure

Electronics enclosures combine many vcad techniques: shelling, boss creation, vent patterns, and multi-part assembly. This recipe builds a complete box with matching lid.

Basic Shell

Start by creating a hollow box using boolean difference:

use vcad::centered_cube;

let wall = 2.0;
let outer = centered_cube("outer", 80.0, 60.0, 40.0);
let inner = centered_cube("inner",
    80.0 - wall * 2.0,
    60.0 - wall * 2.0,
    40.0 - wall
).translate(0.0, 0.0, wall);  // Keep bottom solid

let shell = outer - inner;

Adding Mounting Bosses

PCB standoffs are cylinders with screw holes:

use vcad::centered_cylinder;

fn standoff(height: f64, outer_dia: f64, hole_dia: f64) -> Part {
    let boss = centered_cylinder("boss", outer_dia / 2.0, height, 24);
    let hole = centered_cylinder("hole", hole_dia / 2.0, height + 5.0, 16);
    boss - hole
}

// Position at PCB mounting locations
let pcb_x = 30.0;  // Half of PCB width
let pcb_y = 20.0;  // Half of PCB length

let standoff_template = standoff(5.0, 6.0, 2.5);
let standoffs = standoff_template
    .translate(pcb_x, pcb_y, wall)
    .linear_pattern(pcb_x * 2.0, 0.0, 0.0, 2)
    .linear_pattern(0.0, pcb_y * 2.0, 0.0, 2)
    .translate(-pcb_x, -pcb_y, 0.0);

let box_with_standoffs = shell + standoffs;

Vent Pattern

Add ventilation slots on the side:

let vent_slot = centered_cube("vent", 2.0, 15.0, wall + 2.0)
    .translate(0.0, 0.0, 25.0);  // Position on wall

let vents = vent_slot
    .linear_pattern(5.0, 0.0, 0.0, 8)  // 8 slots, 5mm apart
    .translate(-17.5, -30.0 + wall / 2.0, 0.0);  // Center on front wall

// Mirror to back wall
let all_vents = &vents + &vents.mirror_y();

let ventilated = box_with_standoffs - all_vents;

Creating the Lid

The lid has a lip that fits inside the box:

let lid_lip = 3.0;  // How far lip extends into box

// Main lid surface
let lid_top = centered_cube("lid_top", 80.0, 60.0, wall);

// Inner lip (slightly smaller for clearance)
let clearance = 0.3;  // Printing tolerance
let lid_lip_part = centered_cube("lip",
    80.0 - wall * 2.0 - clearance * 2.0,
    60.0 - wall * 2.0 - clearance * 2.0,
    lid_lip
).translate(0.0, 0.0, -lid_lip / 2.0 - wall / 2.0);

let lid = lid_top + lid_lip_part;

Connector Cutouts

Add holes for USB, power, etc.:

// USB-C cutout (approximate)
let usb = centered_cube("usb", 10.0, wall + 2.0, 4.0)
    .translate(20.0, -30.0, 10.0);

// Power jack
let power = centered_cylinder("power", 4.0, wall + 2.0, 24)
    .rotate(90.0, 0.0, 0.0)
    .translate(-25.0, -30.0, 10.0);

let with_cutouts = ventilated - usb - power;

Snap Fit Clips

For tool-less assembly, add snap clips:

// Simple cantilever snap on lid lip
let clip = centered_cube("clip", 8.0, 2.0, lid_lip + 2.0)
    .translate(0.0, -(60.0 / 2.0 - wall - clearance - 1.0), -lid_lip / 2.0);

let clips = &clip + &clip.mirror_y();  // Front and back
let lid_with_clips = lid + clips;

// Matching slots in box
let slot = centered_cube("slot", 9.0, 3.0, 5.0)
    .translate(0.0, -(60.0 / 2.0 - wall / 2.0), 40.0 - 5.0);

let slots = &slot + &slot.mirror_y();
let box_with_slots = with_cutouts - slots;

Complete Code

use vcad::{centered_cube, centered_cylinder, Part, Scene};
use vcad::export::{Materials, export_scene_glb};

fn enclosure(
    width: f64,
    depth: f64,
    height: f64,
    wall: f64,
) -> (Part, Part) {
    // Box shell
    let outer = centered_cube("outer", width, depth, height);
    let inner = centered_cube("inner",
        width - wall * 2.0,
        depth - wall * 2.0,
        height - wall
    ).translate(0.0, 0.0, wall);

    let shell = outer - inner;

    // Standoffs
    let standoff = {
        let boss = centered_cylinder("boss", 3.0, 5.0, 24);
        let hole = centered_cylinder("hole", 1.25, 8.0, 16);
        (boss - hole).translate(0.0, 0.0, wall)
    };

    let standoffs = standoff
        .translate(width / 2.0 - 8.0, depth / 2.0 - 8.0, 0.0)
        .linear_pattern(-(width - 16.0), 0.0, 0.0, 2)
        .linear_pattern(0.0, -(depth - 16.0), 0.0, 2);

    // Vents
    let vent = centered_cube("vent", 2.0, wall + 2.0, 15.0)
        .translate(0.0, -depth / 2.0, height / 2.0);
    let vents = vent.linear_pattern(5.0, 0.0, 0.0, 6)
        .translate(-12.5, 0.0, 0.0);
    let all_vents = &vents + &vents.mirror_y();

    let box_part = shell + standoffs - all_vents;

    // Lid
    let lip = 3.0;
    let clearance = 0.3;
    let lid_top = centered_cube("lid", width, depth, wall)
        .translate(0.0, 0.0, height + 5.0);  // Offset for visualization
    let lid_lip = centered_cube("lip",
        width - wall * 2.0 - clearance * 2.0,
        depth - wall * 2.0 - clearance * 2.0,
        lip
    ).translate(0.0, 0.0, height + 5.0 - wall / 2.0 - lip / 2.0);

    let lid_part = lid_top + lid_lip;

    (box_part, lid_part)
}

fn main() -> Result<(), Box<dyn std::error::Error>> {
    let (box_part, lid) = enclosure(80.0, 60.0, 40.0, 2.0);

    // Export individually for printing
    box_part.write_stl("enclosure_box.stl")?;
    lid.write_stl("enclosure_lid.stl")?;

    // Export as scene for visualization
    let materials = Materials::parse(r#"
        [materials.abs]
        color = [0.15, 0.15, 0.15]
        metallic = 0.0
        roughness = 0.6
    "#)?;

    let mut scene = Scene::new("enclosure");
    scene.add(box_part, "abs");
    scene.add(lid, "abs");
    export_scene_glb(&scene, &materials, "enclosure.glb")?;

    Ok(())
}