Grille Generator for 3D Printing

Grilles

Vent grille with a frame and slat, hex, or circle patterns.

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Grid 5 mm · section 25 mm
Exact preview
Shape120 × 120 mmThickness3 mmFrame width8 mmPatternSlots

Guide

Grille Generator for 3D Printing

Design a rectangular or round grille with a solid frame and a configurable opening pattern. Choose slats, hexagonal openings, circular openings or a solid panel, then download an STL sized for your project. Define the outside envelope first, reserve room for the frame, and tune the pattern inside that space.

What the settings control

Outline and thickness
Rectangular grilles use width and depth; round grilles use outside diameter. Thickness sets the panel height. All of these dimensions are entered in millimeters.
Frame width
The frame is the solid border around the pattern. Increasing it reduces the available opening field. A pattern that fitted before may no longer fit after the frame grows.
Slat settings
Slat gap controls the open width, slat width controls material between slots, and slot length controls each segment. Direction switches the slot orientation between horizontal and vertical.
Hole size and spacing
For circles, size is the diameter. For hexagons, it is the distance across flats. Spacing is the grid pitch between hole centers, not the remaining wall between adjacent openings.
Mounting holes
Rectangular grilles can add four corner mounting holes. Their diameter must fit inside the frame. The round outline does not offer this corner-hole option.

Starting example: a 120 × 120 mm slatted panel

The default rectangular template uses a 120 × 120 mm outline, 3 mm thickness and an 8 mm frame. The rectangular field inside the frame is therefore 104 × 104 mm before the pattern is arranged. This describes the panel geometry; it does not specify a matching fan footprint or measured airflow.

  • Outline: rectangular, width 120 mm, depth 120 mm.
  • Frame 8 mm, thickness 3 mm, slat pattern.
  • Slat gap 6 mm, slat width 3 mm, slot length 40 mm.
  • Mounting holes off initially. Add four only after checking your mounting layout.

From settings to a first print

  1. Measure the available panel area and choose a round or rectangular outline. Allow for the frame when comparing the panel with the opening it will cover.
  2. Set the frame and thickness before selecting a pattern. Adjust the pattern dimensions until the editor accepts the available space.
  3. For a rectangular panel, add corner holes if useful. Compare the exported hole locations with your actual hardware instead of assuming a standard mounting pattern.
  4. Inspect the STL in the slicer. Check that narrow ribs and slots survive slicing, then make a trial panel before final installation.

Keep opening size separate from pattern spacing

A circular opening of 8 mm on an 11 mm grid is a different design from an 11 mm opening on an 11 mm grid. The editor checks that hexagonal and circular openings leave space between neighboring cells. For slats, both slot length and the combination of gap plus rib width must fit the field.

When you see a pattern-size error, first reduce the opening pattern or enlarge the inner field. Reducing the frame may create room, but also changes the material available around the perimeter and mounting holes.

Use the slice preview to check the ribs

Small features can disappear or change when converted into extrusion paths. Inspect the ribs, corners and mounting-hole perimeters with your actual nozzle and slicer profile. Prusa's design guidance explains why printable feature size depends on the printing process.

The generator does not calculate airflow, pressure drop, acoustic performance or a safety rating. Select dimensions for your application and evaluate the physical panel in that application before relying on those properties.

Reference: Prusa: designing printable features and fitting parts.

Frequently asked questions

Can I make a round grille with four mounting holes?

The four-corner-hole control is available for the rectangular outline. The round outline currently provides the circular frame and center pattern, without that mounting-hole layout.

Is a 120 mm grille automatically a 120 mm fan guard?

No. The dimension describes the outside panel size. Check the fan's mounting centers, screw diameters, surrounding clearance and required coverage against the generated model.

Does the solid pattern still contain ventilation holes?

No. Solid makes a panel without the center opening pattern. On a rectangular panel, the separately enabled corner mounting holes remain a distinct setting.

Can I edit the pattern after downloading?

Return to the generator and change its parameters to create a revised STL. Saving the design in the library makes it easier to keep a configuration available for another iteration.