Project 007 – LASER
Some of you may not know this, but in my professional life as Head of Customer Service, I once worked for a company that manufactures large laser cutting systems for metal. That experience inspired me to try something unique: designing and building a PC case made entirely of laser-cut aluminum plates.
I quickly found a basic template online, but it didn’t match my vision. That’s when I fell into my third rabbit hole – CAD design. I learned Fusion 360 and began creating my own case drawings. The concept was simple yet striking: flat aluminum plates, connected by small cubes and screws, forming a fully modular chassis.
Originally, this was meant to be a low-cost project. But as with many builds, it evolved: I didn’t like the raw plates, so I had them sanded and anodized for a premium finish. The PC came together quickly and required only minor tweaks before it was ready.
For the hardware, I chose a more budget-friendly setup, since the system was destined for a workshop environment. Shortly after completion, it found its new home, where it now supports CNC machines, 3D printers, and small CAD modifications – exactly what it was built for.
The name “Laser” reflects both the manufacturing method of the case and my professional background, making this project especially meaningful.
Specifications
Case: MAROIS Projects – Custom Laser-Cut Aluminum Chassis
Based on MK1 template (colinreay.org)
Sanded & anodized by ABU AG Metallveredelung
Modular plate design with cube connectors
16mm PC Power Switch (metal button with LED & DuPont wiring)
CPU: AMD Ryzen 7 5700X (AM4, 8-Core, 3.40 GHz)
CPU Cooling: Thermalright SI-100 (6×6mm heatpipes)
Motherboard: ASRock A520M (Mini-ITX, AM4)
RAM: Crucial Pro 64GB (2×32GB, DDR4-3200)
Storage: Crucial P3 1TB M.2 2280 SSD
PSU: be quiet! SFX Power 3 450W, 80 Plus Bronze
Fans:
2× be quiet! Pure Wings 2 (80mm)
Accessories & Mods:
Custom anodized aluminum plates
Miscellaneous small parts
Software: Windows 11 Pro
Total Parts cost: CHF 1032.- CHF
