PREFACE:

Hello everyone,

I've seen many different types of dehydrator shelf extenders, adaptors, and all sorts of other modifications. I decided to design my own as a one piece extender that can be printed on any A1, X1, P1, or similar series printer. After all the kinks have been worked out, I will see if there is enough desire for a printable design on the A1mini. This is a MakerWorld exclusive! I ask that you do not remix or republish variations of my project until it is out of beta. I am open to all feedback, suggestions, and assistance.

MODEL INFO:

Designed on Fusion 360 adapted for the Elite Gourmet brand 11.5" food dehydrator. If your outer lip measures 11.5" and is about 2mm thick, it should also fit your dehydrator. I have all the parameters defined in my fusion project, so it's not too difficult to change some of the dimensions. I went through a few design iterations before printing a prototype and then made some adjustments for this iteration. I will monitor the feedback here to make adjustments as needed, but for now, it does its job and is simple. There is one gap that needs to be closed once you fit it together, and I did this with a desiccant pack. These things aren't airtight, so that was not my design goal, but the air leaking is minimal and equivalent to the normal vents.

PRINT INSTRUCTIONS:
I found that printing hollow or with 5% infill is adequate. If you print hollow, do 4+ top layers to ensure you get good surfaces.

I highly recommend printing out of PETg since it can be more flexible and heat resistant, but I am sure there won't be a problem with PLA except maybe the walls delaminating prematurely. I used a 0.6mm nozzle with volumetric flow of PETg at 12 mm3/s but I was also able to speed up the print to sport mode without any issue. No need for brim or supports, and I didn't have any warping/lifting issues while printing on my A1 with a textured plate.

ASSEMBLY INSTRUCTIONS:
It is pretty straightforward. After removing it from the build plate, gently flex the joint edges until they are able to bend without recoiling too much. It helps to firmly grasp from both sides of the joint and apply torque directly to the joint. Once everything is loosened up you can grab a dehydrator shelf (or the lid) and wedge the edges where the inner tabs are so it kind of helps keep it open. Fit everything around and assemble the dehydrator. Hit the on switch and test it out.

I will continue refining this model and the profile as your feedback comes in. Thank you all for supporting me by downloading the model, giving a thumbs up, and/or leaving a review/comment.