A 3D printed Raspberry Pi case stays cooler when it’s raised on small feet and pulls air in from the sides, according to Slant 3D, a print farm whose engineer critiqued popular community Pi cases. A case that traps heat can push a Pi toward the temperature where it starts slowing itself down.
For a custom fit, Product Design Online, a Fusion 360 tutorial channel, builds a snap-fit Pi case around a CAD model of the board in about half an hour. Below are the Pi 5 dimensions you need, cooling rules, filament choice and step-by-step numbers from that tutorial.
Types of 3D Printed Raspberry Pi Cases
Prices from Amazon at time of writing. I may earn a commission from links, at no cost to you.
| Type | Good for |
|---|---|
| Vented case | Light workloads |
| Fan case (fits the official Active Cooler or a 30 mm fan) | Pi 5 and heavy workloads |
| Screen case | Dashboards and home control |
| NAS or drive case | Home servers |
| VESA or DIN mount | Behind a monitor or in a cabinet |
Raspberry Pi 5 Dimensions for Case Design
| Measurement | Figure |
|---|---|
| Board size | 85 × 56 mm |
| Mounting holes | Four 2.7 mm holes in a 58 × 49 mm pattern |
| Hole position | 3.5 mm from the left, top and bottom edges |
| Screws | M2.5 |
Figures come from the official Raspberry Pi 5 mechanical drawing, which Raspberry Pi says is approximate and for reference. Measure your own board before final prints.
Keep Your Pi Cool
- A case makes a Pi run hotter unless air can flow. Raspberry Pi’s thermal white paper says fan-assisted cooling can cut temperatures by 10 to 20°C.
- The Pi starts throttling at about 80°C, with a hard limit at 85°C.
- Add feet or raise the base so air can enter underneath.
What Slant 3D Looks for in a Pi Case
- Side airflow: in one design with a large perforated lid, Slant 3D said “you want to have [air] come in from the sides.”
- Print vertically when possible: it suggested putting both halves up on end with about 0.1 mm between them, so they “effectively support each other” and come off without generated supports.
- Designed sprues over generated supports: for side cutouts in a vertical print, it would add a sprue that’s snipped off, because generated support “uses extra material” and gives a poorer result.
- Small vent holes: if vent holes are small enough, they don’t need support.
- Parting line below the ports: for one case with ports cut through the seam, it suggested shifting the I/O up about an eighth of an inch so the parting line sits below the ports.
- Snap the halves together: on a well-designed screwed case, it argued the lid and bottom could snap together and drop the four screws.
Slant 3D rated a single-print “sleeve” case, printed vertically with a small cap, about a nine, praising its sleek look and “good airflow” (Slant 3D, “3D Printing Engineer Reacts To Raspberry Pi Cases”).
Design a Snap-Fit Pi Case: Numbers From the Tutorial
Product Design Online imports a board model into Fusion 360 and builds the case around it (Product Design Online, “Fusion 360 Snap Fit Cases | 3D-Printable Raspberry Pi Case”). The key dimensions it used:
- Lift the board 3 to 5 mm off the case floor.
- Outer box 93 × 64 mm and 30 mm tall, with 5 mm vertical-edge fillets.
- A 3.5 mm shell for the walls.
- Mounting pins offset by 0.3 mm for tolerance.
- Port cutouts projected from the board model and offset for tolerance; one slot can cover all four side ports.
- Split the case at a midplane so each half prints flat-side down.
- Cantilever snaps directly across from each other, with 0.5 mm clearance, a 2 mm chamfer and 0.5 mm fillets.
- A 2 mm alignment ridge so the halves line up when you snap them together.
The tutorial found nylon filament works best for snappable parts, and noted this snap style is meant to hold parts together long term, not for daily opening. It suggests adding vents, ribs, more snaps or an embossed logo.
PLA or PETG for a Pi Case?
PLA is fine for a Pi with a fan or a light workload. Reddit users switch to PETG for passively cooled Pi 4 and Pi 5 boards that stay warm, because PLA softens at around 60°C.
Best Printers for Pi Cases
| Printer | Price (Amazon, Oct 16, 2026) | Why it fits | Link |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bambu Lab A1 mini | $249.00 (LED lamp kit bundle) | Pi cases fit easily on the small bed | Check price |
| Bambu Lab A1 | $299.99 | Room for NAS and screen cases | Check price |
For heat-resistant ASA or larger project boxes, see our electronics enclosure guide.
Video: Slant 3D, “3D Printing Engineer Reacts To Raspberry Pi Cases”. Embedded with credit; the findings are the creator’s own.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is PLA OK for a Raspberry Pi case?
Yes, with a fan or a light workload. Use PETG for a hot, passively cooled Pi 5.
Does a Pi 5 need a fan in a printed case?
For heavy workloads, yes. Pick a case that fits the official Active Cooler.
What screws fit a Raspberry Pi 5?
M2.5 screws, in a 58 × 49 mm hole pattern.
Where can I find Pi case files?
On MakerWorld, Printables and Thingiverse.
Sources
- Slant 3D, “3D Printing Engineer Reacts To Raspberry Pi Cases”
- Product Design Online, “Fusion 360 Snap Fit Cases | 3D-Printable Raspberry Pi Case”
- Raspberry Pi 5 mechanical drawing
- Raspberry Pi Forums: Case for Raspberry Pi 5
- r/3Dprinting: Raspberry 3 case (PLA vs PETG)
- Raspberry Pi Ltd: Thermal performance white paper
- Amazon product listings for the printers linked above, October 16, 2026
Related: 3D Printed Electronics Enclosures | PLA vs PETG for Beginners | Bambu Lab A1 vs A1 mini | 3D Printed Cable Clips
Notes and disclosure
Note: Printer prices come from Amazon listings on October 16, 2026 and change often. Board dimensions come from Raspberry Pi’s mechanical drawing. Design tips come from the creators credited above, not hands-on claims from me.