Main > Everything Else
OND's other projects
Ond:
--- Quote from: jeremymtc on August 16, 2024, 11:24:00 pm ---... there's nothing like it when a new solution presents itself and proves out. I think that feeling is almost more rewarding than the actual completion and use of whatever it is that's being built :cheers:
--- End quote ---
I agree! But I've also got to be a bit wary of that feeling, I'm a notorious non-finisher. :-[
Good progress on the Kodi media server today. I'm using two power supplies in this. One is the dedicated Raspberry Pi 5 PS and the other is just a 12v generic DC PS. Both have been removed from their original plastic cases. The generic PS provides power to the fan and, via a DC to DC converter, 5V power to an HDMI audio extractor. I'm fixing these parts into this 3D printed enclosure to isolate the mains AC voltages from anything metal. I'm not grounding the AC supply so these AC voltage parts need to go back into insulating plastic.
Here's the HDMI audio extractor module. It takes its input from one of the HDMI ports on the Raspberry Pi and provides optical digital audio to a (pre HDMI) Denon AV Amplifier I want to use.
Here's the complete set of parts, wiring and cables packed into the enclosure:
3D design and printing lets me make accurate port fittings and component joinery. I used to hand cut ports and panels in previous enclosures but no more!
The aluminum top panel will be primed and painted black. All black panels will be in matching matt black finish.
Before I get to the surface finishing I'm going to run it for a few hours to make sure the Pi CPU/GPU stay cool enough and Kodi runs properly.
The front panel will get some LED light fittings and a custom on/off button.
Ond:
I'm happy with the bench test of the Kodi Server, overclocked at 2.7Ghz CPU and 900Mhz GPU. Average temperature after running video for around 30 mins is about 33 degrees Celsius (91 degrees Fahrenheit) which is fine.
I'm putting some extra write up effort into the front panel/button setup, with lots of little parts making up the result.
The parts coming straight off the printer are rough with filament layering showing. That's ok as parts on display will be surface finished and painted later on.
Here's most of the parts that make up the front panel:
I'm using a momentary push button as the base for the larger custom button. When I'm designing parts I use digital calipers to try and stay accurate.
That way the printed parts should fit snugly together. Sometimes I have to adjust and re-print a few times to get it right.
The button sits in this housing in which the larger button fits also.
To give the panel an interesting 'glow behind' look I've designed these cutouts with the addition of some matching raised shapes. Here I'm fitting them in place.
Again, the parts look a bit rough close up, but its a good indicator of things to come.
The rear view of the panel shows how a translucent part can be fitted. In fact there will be two translucent layers here. One in red acrylic plastic and the other in so called clear PLA. If you look closely on the left of the panel you an see the hex nut fitting has broken. These are too thin and will need to be strengthened. That's fine, I'm learning as I go. I'll make some changes to the edge panel design to include stronger screw fittings and provision for two layers of backlight plastic. If I was hand making parts, doing things over would take forever. Adjusting and printing again takes minutes.
I'm going to backlight this panel with red even illumination, should look nice!
PL1:
--- Quote from: Ond on August 19, 2024, 12:14:54 am ---If you look closely on the left of the panel you an see the hex nut fitting has broken. These are too thin and will need to be strengthened. That's fine, I'm learning as I go. I'll make some changes to the edge panel design to include stronger screw fittings and provision for two layers of backlight plastic. If I was hand making parts, doing things over would take forever. Adjusting and printing again takes minutes.
--- End quote ---
Beefing up the hex nut fitting is a good start.
Changing print orientation may also help.
I assume you printed that part oriented face-down, right?
- If you look at the hex nut fitting in "layers" view, you'll see that the individual layers at the middle of the nut are very narrow so the part will break very easily when torque is applied to the nut. (left)
- In this orientation, that torque is like a martial artist breaking a board with the grain -- it's very easy to do.
If you print the same design in the upright orientation, the print path for the layers of the hex nut fitting will solidly trace around the nut so the part might deform a bit, but it won't break anywhere near as easily. (right)
- In this orientation, the same torque is like a not-so-smart martial artist trying to break a board against the grain.
- The only downside to this orientation is if your printer can't handle the overhangs with the angled cutouts. The inner ones should be fine, but the outer ones might be too extreme.
Worst case, you might need to adjust the cutouts or make some other design choice like the nut clip braces mentioned here.
Scott
Ond:
--- Quote from: PL1 on August 19, 2024, 05:11:55 am ---
Beefing up the hex nut fitting is a good start.
Changing print orientation may also help.
I assume you printed that part oriented face-down, right?
- If you look at the hex nut fitting in "layers" view, you'll see that the individual layers at the middle of the nut are very narrow so the part will break very easily when torque is applied to the nut. (left)
- In this orientation, that torque is like a martial artist breaking a board with the grain -- it's very easy to do.
If you print the same design in the upright orientation, the print path for the layers of the hex nut fitting will solidly trace around the nut so the part might deform a bit, but it won't break anywhere near as easily. (right)
- In this orientation, the same torque is like a not-so-smart martial artist trying to break a board against the grain.
- The only downside to this orientation is if your printer can't handle the overhangs with the angled cutouts. The inner ones should be fine, but the outer ones might be too extreme.
Worst case, you might need to adjust the cutouts or make some other design choice like the nut clip braces mentioned here.
Scott
--- End quote ---
When you're looking at putting any parts that come out of a 3D printer under stress this is good advice. Layer orientation does make a difference. In truth, my hex nut holder design was rushed and a bit lazy. I have beefed up the fitting Scott. Apart from trying to think in terms of the limitations of a filament printer, I'm also trying to take advantage of printing face down on a smooth plate. Smooth flat surfaces mean less effort and better results in the final product finish. In this case making fittings thicker and stronger should be fine. Take a look at the design image below. You can see the original hex nut support on the left is pathetically thin. Not much torque on the nut needed to break that!
The revised panels are already printed. I have to work a few days and then it's back to the fun! ;D The Volumio server will be very similar in looks to the Kodi Server. They can both be stacked one on the other and look cool. Whilst off-the-shelf media servers running Kodi are quite cheap to buy, a branded Volumio Primo is not cheap at around $899 US.
https://shop.volumio.com/product/primo/
Building my own will be way cheaper, look better IMO, and have a similar high quality DAC on board with added volume control as well.
PL1:
--- Quote from: Ond on August 21, 2024, 04:52:07 am ---Apart from trying to think in terms of the limitations of a filament printer, I'm also trying to take advantage of printing face down on a smooth plate. Smooth flat surfaces mean less effort and better results in the final product finish. In this case making fittings thicker and stronger should be fine.
--- End quote ---
Looks great. ;D
The only thing that might not work as well as you'd like with that design is if you're using it to attach both the top and bottom panels, you might accidently push the nut out of the holder while loosening or tightening the screw.
One way around that is to use heat-set threaded inserts -- if you try them you'll love them.
If you want to stick to commonly-available hardware, consider captive hex nuts.
A great design option for captive hex nuts is to make a slot as thick as the nut and as wide as flat-to-flat on the nut like the one shown on this wheel.
- The nut drops into the slot then a machine/set screw goes through the side of the hub, through the nut, and tightens against the axle.
- An optional printed plug, retention fingers, tape over the slot, or a drop of hot glue in the slot will keep the nut from sliding sideways out of the slot if you tilt the case during assembly/disassembly.
https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:21486
Scott
Navigation
[0] Message Index
[#] Next page
[*] Previous page
Go to full version