Print a Sci-Fi Energy Core Lamp: COB LEDs, Translucent PLA & Glow
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Picture a tiny reactor humming on the corner of your desk, casting a smooth blue or amber glow across your keyboard. That is exactly the vibe of the Energy Core Lamp — a fully 3D-printed sci-fi light that pairs a translucent PLA tube with a strip of COB LEDs. It is the kind of project that looks intimidating in photos but is surprisingly approachable once you break it into pieces.
What is the Energy Core Lamp?
Designed by maker katogab10 and shared on MakerWorld, the Energy Core Lamp is a modular desk lamp inspired by the power cores you see in sci-fi games and films. The whole housing prints on a standard FDM machine, and the magic happens inside: a COB (chip-on-board) LED strip slides into a translucent PLA cylinder, which diffuses the light into a clean, dot-free glow. From the outside you just see a soft column of light pulsing inside a sculpted shell.
Because it is modular, you can swap the LED color, dim it, or even wire it to a smart controller down the line. It works equally well as ambient lighting, a display piece for a shelf of figurines, or a focused little desk lamp while you tinker.
How it prints
The build splits into a few key parts: a decorative outer shell, a base that hides the wiring, and the translucent inner tube. Print the shell in any PLA you like — matte black, gunmetal, or a satin finish all sell the “industrial reactor” look. For the inner tube, switch to a clear or translucent PLA so the COB strip glows evenly. A 0.4 mm nozzle, 0.2 mm layer height, and 15–20% infill is plenty. Tree supports help on the curved housing, and printing the tube vertically gives the cleanest light diffusion. COB strips are friendlier than standard SMD strips here because they have no visible dots, just a continuous line of light.
Try it on your printer
If you are running an Ender 3, Bambu A1, or Prusa MK4, this project is well within reach — nothing on the model needs exotic hardware. Load up some standard PLA for the body and a spool of translucent or clear PLA for the diffuser tube, both of which you can grab from Flarelab. Add a 12V COB LED strip, a small barrel-jack power adapter, and you are set. Total print time is around 6–10 hours depending on size, and assembly is mostly press-fit with a couple of dabs of hot glue for the LED strip.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need translucent PLA, or will regular clear filament work?
Translucent PLA is ideal because it diffuses the LEDs into a smooth column of light. Clear PLA works too but tends to show the individual LED line more, so you may want to lightly sand the outside of the tube to frost it.
Can I print this on an Ender 3 or other small printer?
Yes. The parts fit comfortably on a 220 x 220 mm bed. If your printer is smaller, you can scale the model down to about 80% without losing the look.
What COB LED strip should I buy?
A 12V COB strip in your favorite color works great. Aim for around 320 LEDs per meter for the smoothest glow, and cut it to the length of your inner tube before soldering on the power leads.
Do I need supports?
Light tree supports help on the outer housing where there are overhangs, but the diffuser tube prints support-free when oriented vertically. Always check the slicer preview before kicking off the print.
Is this safe to leave on for long periods?
COB LED strips run cool at low brightness, but PLA softens around 60°C. Use a 12V supply rated for your strip’s wattage, avoid running it at full brightness for hours, and consider PETG for the inner tube if you want extra heat resistance.
Inspired by reporting from Adafruit.