This Elektor Lab Talk excerpt focuses on practical 3D modeling advice for makers, engineers, and electronics enthusiasts designing enclosures or mechanical parts.

Common Tools for 3D Modeling

Elektor engineer Saad Imtiaz walks through commonly used CAD tools for enclosure design, including SOLIDWORKS, Solid Edge, Onshape, and Shapr3D. He compares desktop, browser-based, and tablet-driven workflows, highlighting how tool choice can depend on experience level, portability needs, and project complexity.


Imtiaz also explains how standard interchange formats such as STEP files enable designs to move between different CAD platforms, while cautioning against using STL files for editable design work. He then outlines a typical enclosure workflow, starting from importing a PCB CAD model and building the enclosure around it using assemblies, shell features, fillets, and mounting points.

Design Tips for 3D Modelers

Practical design tips include recommended wall thicknesses for functional 3D prints, the use of heated inserts or captive nuts for PCB mounting, and the importance of tolerances to account for printer variation. The discussion also covers connector placement, enclosure alignment features, and design choices that improve mechanical robustness.

The video includes advice on 3D printing orientation, support strategies, and material considerations, as well as a brief look at how enclosure designs may need to change when transitioning from 3D printing to injection molding.

The full discussion is available as part of Elektor Lab Talk #20, with this excerpt offering a focused introduction to enclosure design best practices for electronics projects.

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