<p>PLA is flammable, but a good case can protect the main board from dirt.</p>
<p>Is it worthwhile to protect a circuit board with a 3d printed case?</p>

[{'answer_id': 763, 'author': 'Dewi Morgan', 'author_id': 996, 'author_profile': 'https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/996', 'pm_score': 4, 'selected': True, 'text': "<p>It depends.</p>\n\n<p>Protecting your electronics from being touched by random bits of conductive material which would short and fry them is always a good idea.</p>\n\n<p>If it's something that will be visible, then a pleasant printed casing might go well. You might just as well use any other casing though, there's no requirement it be 3D printed.</p>\n\n<p>For a very small circuitboard (an inch or less) heatshrink tubing might be a better form of protection. Or just insulating tape.</p>\n\n<p>If you never intend to access the circuitry again and heat dissipation isn't a big issue, then just putting the whole lot in potting compound may work best for you - complete waterproofing and environmental protection.</p>\n\n<p>Or you could just tape a bit of plastic from a 2l coke bottle over it, and get 99% of the protection you'll ever need, and still keep the circuit visible and accessible.</p>\n\n<p>Ultimately, it boils down to: Do you want it to be covered? If so, by what? If you would prefer a 3D printed case, then do you want it enough that it is worth the time and effort to you?</p>\n"}, {'answer_id': 774, 'author': 'Tormod Haugene', 'author_id': 115, 'author_profile': 'https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/115', 'pm_score': 3, 'selected': False, 'text': '<p>As pointed out by Ryan Carlyle, not all 3D printing filament is flammable (such as PET and PETG), and the question therefore rather becomes:</p>\n\n<p><strong>Can 3D printing be used to make proper electronic cases?</strong></p>\n\n<p>And the short answer to that is <strong>yes</strong>. 3D printing allows to make customized cases of all varieties. Also, since there is huge variety of materials available, you not only restricted to cases of plastic filaments - should this be of interest.</p>\n\n<p>Then again, it all depends on what you are protecting your electronics from. If you plan on submerging your electronics into water or throw them into a fire, 3D printing might not work for you at all. If dust protection is your only concern, however, 3D printed cases should do just fine in most cases.</p>\n'}]
['https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/762', 'https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com', 'https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/995/']