One Mini PC, Many Jobs: How I Run My Fabrication Lab on an i7-6700T
Most people look at Raspberry Pis for lab automation and small hosting jobs. I’ve used them plenty, but for a real production workflow — printers, cameras, network services, and backups — they just don’t have the headroom.
So I’ve been running my fabrication infrastructure on a single EliteDesk G3 Mini powered by an Intel Core i7-6700T @ 2.8 GHz. It’s quiet, efficient, and handles everything I throw at it without breaking 20 % CPU utilization.
The Stack
Running Unraid as the base lets me spin up and manage multiple containers cleanly. Current lineup:
| Container | Purpose |
|---|---|
| duckDNS | Dynamic DNS for secure remote access |
| Pi-hole | Network-wide ad blocking and DNS cache |
| Heimdall | Dashboard for quick access to internal services |
| OctoPrint – The Forge | Production printer #1 |
| OctoPrint – The Anvil | Production printer #2 |
| OctoPrint – The Billows | Production printer #3 |
Each OctoPrint instance runs in its own container with dedicated USB passthrough and config volumes. I can watch all three cameras, start or pause jobs, and handle slicing uploads directly through the web UI.
Why Not a Raspberry Pi?
When you factor in a Pi 5, case, PSU, and active cooling, you’re already near $150–$170.
My used EliteDesk cost about the same — but it has:
- Quad-core x86 performance
- 16 GB RAM
- Real NVMe storage
- Built-in virtualization support
- And plenty of power headroom
Under full load with three printers running and file shares active, CPU sits around 20 %, temps under 60 °C, and the box idles around 30 W. For a small-form-factor PC that’s driving a production lab, that’s nothing.
Integrated Services
Since the machine never struggles, I also use it for light file hosting:
- Company docs and design models live on an Unraid share
- Automatic backups replicate to my personal workstation (an old gaming rig with a GTX 970)
- Once a month, that system syncs to an offline drive for cold storage
It’s simple, cheap, and resilient — no cloud dependence, no recurring cost.
Simple Management
Rebooting or restarting services doesn’t require extra hardware like KVM switches or smart plugs.
With Unraid’s container interface, it’s literally a click: restart or stop.
No physical labor, no added cost — just one dashboard controlling the entire lab.
I can spin up, tear down, or update services in seconds without touching a single cable.
Remote Workflow
Everything runs behind a WireGuard VPN.
From anywhere, I can open a secure tunnel, check printer status, or even start a prototype job mid-meeting if a production printer’s free.
That setup means the fabrication lab behaves like a remote node of my studio network — same access controls, same file structure — just physically separate.
Why It Works
A single small PC with real cores and storage throughput beats clusters of underpowered boards every time. It’s easier to manage, cheaper to cool, and scales horizontally through containers instead of extra hardware.
The result is a self-hosted manufacturing hub that’s efficient, secure, and fully under my control — no cloud, no middlemen, just local compute doing real work.
Takeaway
If you’re running multiple printers or small fabrication systems, look beyond hobby boards. A used business-class mini PC with Unraid can run half a dozen services, three production printers, and your network backbone — all at Raspberry Pi power levels and price.
Sometimes “upcycling” enterprise hardware is the real optimization.