3D Printer and Desktop Equipment Cooling Cooling Solutions -- DC Fans | Herays
Application Solution

3D Printer and Desktop Equipment Cooling

Cooling and directed airflow for desktop machines and compact tools

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Problem Space

Industry Challenges

Understanding the specific thermal and environmental demands of 3D Printer and Desktop Equipment Cooling environments is the foundation of every Herays solution.

3D printers — FDM (fused deposition modeling), resin (MSLA/DLP), and SLS desktop systems — use small axial fans and centrifugal blowers for two distinct and equally critical cooling functions: hotend and electronics cooling (preventing heat creep and protecting the mainboard from ambient printer heat), and part cooling (rapidly solidifying extruded polymer at the print point to achieve good layer adhesion geometry, bridge quality, and overhang performance). These two functions have nearly opposite requirements: part cooling fans must deliver maximum directed airflow at the print nozzle; hotend cooling fans must run quietly and continuously at modest airflow to prevent the cold zone from warming.

  • Part cooling requires high static pressure in a compact format — part cooling ducts direct airflow from a small blower through a shaped nozzle to the print zone, typically 10–20 mm below the hotend. The restriction of the duct requires a fan with high static pressure — centrifugal blowers (5015 or 5020 radial blowers) are standard for part cooling because their pressure-flow curves maintain stable airflow through restricted ducts where axial fans stall.
  • Hotend cooling requires steady, quiet, low-volume airflow — the heatsink on the cold side of the hotend needs 3–8 CFM of steady airflow to prevent heat creep. This is typically provided by a 24×10 mm or 30×10 mm axial fan that runs at fixed speed continuously throughout the print. Noise is a concern because printers run for hours in home environments.
  • 24V DC is the universal 3D printer voltage — almost all modern desktop 3D printers (Creality, Bambu, Prusa, Voron-design, etc.) run on 24V main power with 24V fans. 12V is only found in older or budget designs. Any fan sourced for 3D printer use must be 24V-compatible.
  • PWM control for part cooling speed variation — slicer software varies part cooling fan speed layer by layer: 0% (off) for the first layers to promote bed adhesion, 50–100% for bridges and overhangs, variable speeds for general printing based on layer print time. The fan must start reliably from 0% and respond immediately to PWM commands at each layer change.
  • Compact and lightweight for print head carriage — both part cooling blowers and hotend fans are mounted on the moving print head carriage. Carriage mass directly affects print quality at high speeds through ringing artifacts. Fans must be as light as possible while meeting performance requirements.

Herays supplies 24V DC fans in both axial (for hotend cooling) and centrifugal blower (for part cooling) formats for desktop 3D printer applications, covering the standard 24V printer voltage across the most common fan sizes.

  • 24V axial fans (30×10 mm, 40×10 mm) — for hotend heatsink cooling, electronics enclosure ventilation, and controller board cooling. Contact Herays for compact format 24V options matched to your printer’s fan bay dimensions.
  • 24V centrifugal blowers (5015 format: 50×50×15 mm, 5020 format: 50×50×20 mm) — for part cooling duct applications requiring high static pressure in a compact carriage-mounted package. Contact Herays for specifications and samples.
  • HR1225 24V — 120×120×25 mm, for enclosed 3D printer chamber ventilation and electronics compartment cooling in large-format printers.

Why do 3D printer builders use centrifugal blowers for part cooling rather than axial fans? Part cooling ducts direct airflow through a shaped channel with significant restriction. At the static pressures generated by duct and nozzle restriction (5–15 mmH₂O in typical geometries), axial fans lose most of their airflow due to their steep pressure-flow curve. A 5015 centrifugal blower at the same restriction delivers 3–5× more airflow than an equivalent axial fan because its pressure-flow curve is much flatter. This directly translates to better bridge quality, sharper overhangs, and faster layer cooling times.

What causes a 3D printer hotend fan failure and what are the symptoms? Hotend fans fail most often from accumulated PLA debris (from filament trimming and ooze) jamming the impeller and from bearing wear caused by continuous operation at elevated ambient temperatures near the hot end. Symptoms of hotend fan failure include: heat creep (PLA softening in the cold zone and causing jams), grinding or rattling noise, and complete jam during a long print as the cold zone temperatures rise past the glass transition temperature of the filament. Replace hotend fans at the first sign of noise change.

How do I match PWM frequency to a 3D printer fan controller? Most 3D printer mainboards (Klipper, Marlin) drive fans at 25 kHz PWM. Fans rated for 25 kHz PWM (4-wire fans) provide smooth speed control at any duty cycle. 2-wire fans driven by voltage PWM from a MOSFET may audibly buzz at low duty cycles because the PWM frequency is in the audible range. For quiet operation at variable speed, use 4-wire 25 kHz PWM fans or ensure the mainboard’s PWM frequency is above 25 kHz.

Contact Herays for 3D printer fan specifications, 24V compact axial and centrifugal formats, and OEM supply for 3D printer manufacturers and kit suppliers.

Herays Approach

Our Solution

Precision-engineered DC fan technologies tailored to the performance and reliability requirements of 3D Printer and Desktop Equipment Cooling applications.

Why Herays

Key Features for 3D Printer and Desktop Equipment Cooling

Directed cooling

Fan and blower options for hot ends, boards, motors, and compact ducts.

Desktop-friendly noise

Acoustic choices for office, lab, and maker environments.

Model compatibility

Voltage, connector, and cable customization for equipment OEMs.

Application Engineering

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