3D Printed NAS — 6-Bay ZimaBoard Home Server

A custom 3D printed NAS enclosure for the ZimaBoard single board server, featuring a custom power adapter PCB, tool-less drive trays, and a modular design that's easy to build and maintain.

Specs

Feature	Detail
Drive Bays	6× 3.5" SATA (tool-less caddies)
SBC	ZimaBoard 832
SATA Expansion	4-port PCIe SATA card via 90° riser
Cooling	2× Noctua 80mm (rear exhaust) + 2× Noctua 40×10mm (drive bay intake)
Power	Custom PCB adapter — dual 5V/12V rails from a single multi-output PSU
Enclosure	Fully 3D printed (14 parts), M3/M6 fastener assembly with heat-set inserts
Approximate Dimensions	Compact desktop tower (see CAD files for exact measurements)

Project Links

• Build Video → YouTube
• Step-by-Step Instructions → Instructables
• Assembly Overview → ASSEMBLY.md
• Print Settings → PRINT_SETTINGS.md

Repository Structure

├── Electronics/
│   ├── BOMs/
│   │   ├── Parts_BOM.csv              # Main components (ZimaBoard, fans, PSU, cables)
│   │   └── Power Adapter PCB_BOM.csv  # PCB-specific components with DigiKey part numbers
│   └── Power Adapter PCB/
│       └── Zima Power Adapter_CAM.zip # Gerber files for PCB fabrication
│
├── Enclosure/
│   ├── BOMs/
│   │   └── Hardware_Fasteners_BOM.csv # Screws, inserts, rods, nuts, washers
│   └── CAD/
│       ├── 3MF/                       # Print-ready files (Bambu Studio plates included)
│       │   ├── Covers/               # Back IO, Back plate, Face plate, Side cover, Top cover
│       │   ├── Drives/               # Caddy, Cover, Separator, Slot
│       │   └── Structure/            # Base, Brace, Fan housing, Grill, PCIe support, Side plates, Zima support
│       ├── STL/                       # Universal print-ready files (same parts as 3MF)
│       └── Autodesk Fusion/           # Editable source files (.f3z)
│
├── Images/
├── ASSEMBLY.md
├── PRINT_SETTINGS.md
├── CONTRIBUTING.md
├── BOM.csv                            # Consolidated master bill of materials
└── LICENSE                            # CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

Bill of Materials — Quick Overview

See BOM.csv for the full consolidated parts list. Estimated total cost: ~$250–350 USD depending on drive selection and region.

Key Components:

• 1× ZimaBoard 832
• 1× 4-port SATA PCIe expansion card + 90° riser cable
• 1× Multi-output PSU (5V 10A / 12V 12A)
• 1× Custom power adapter PCB (order assembled or fabricate from Gerbers)
• 2× Noctua NF-R8 redux 80mm fans
• 2× Noctua NF-A4x10 FLX 40mm fans
• 72× M3 heat-set inserts + M3 screws
• 6× M6 threaded rods + nuts + nylon washers
• 6× SATA 22-pin male-to-female extender cables
• 2× Molex IDE to 3× SATA power splitter cables

Required Tools

• 3D printer (FDM, 220×220mm+ bed recommended)
• Soldering iron with heat-set insert tip
• Hex driver set (M3, M6)
• Wire strippers / crimping tool (for PSU wiring)

What's Missing (Help Wanted)

The following files would significantly improve this project but require access to the original design tools:

• STEP files — Neutral CAD format export from Fusion 360 (enables editing in FreeCAD, SolidWorks, Onshape)
• Schematic PDF/SVG — Circuit diagram for the power adapter PCB
• PCB source files — KiCad or EasyEDA project for the power adapter
• Wiring diagram — Full interconnect diagram (PSU → PCB → ZimaBoard → SATA card → fans)
• Generic 3MF plate file — Non-Bambu-specific version for PrusaSlicer/Cura users

If you have access to these or can contribute, see CONTRIBUTING.md.

License

This work is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International.

_{Affiliate links may be included in this repo. I may receive a small commission at no additional cost to you.}