My Raspberry Pi case project

Hi,
I'm working on my project to give Raspberry Pi computer a case.

This is my almost definitive item:
https://www.shapeways.com/model/459228/



Hope you like it.

Best regards,

This looks unequivocally awesome, great visual mock-up too. Have you got on the blower to manufacturers regarding cost?

Any way you could draw out the area where the USB junctions are, to cover them up? IMO it looks a little messy being able to see too much of them. It' would be nice if they had set them back for you so you could have your nice flat design and not have them stick out like that.

Also beautiful render

Thanks.
I didn't come into contact with the manufacturers.

I wanted to make it as minimal as possible, and to use as little volume of material as possible.

I told them, and I was answered that this is the design that minimize the costs, and they wanted to get the minimum cost as a priority.

Thanks! It's Blender and Yafaray.

Update.
This is the link to the model of the case:
https://www.shapeways.com/model/486999/

This is the model of the LED lightguides:
https://www.shapeways.com/model/486757/raspberrypi_case__led_ lightguide.html?gid=ug8709

And here you can find more news:

<a href=" https://marcoalici.wordpress.com/2012/02/29/me-and-the-raspbe rrypi-2/" target="_blank"> https://marcoalici.wordpress.com/2012/02/29/me-and-the-raspbe rrypi-2/[/url]

As a student who's massively into the Raspberry Pi concept (and who desperately wanted to get his hands on one :'( ) I understand your vantage point here.

Can I suggest that you use a rounded-edge extrusion from the network port to bring the side of the case level with the USB ports, like this?


Your case design, and in particular the updated version, looks absolutely fantastic (in fact, it has a very slight air of Apple about it!), but as you've rightly pointed out on your site, the USB ports stick out, which could leave you brand new RasPi vulnerable to having them damaged.

With relation to this, does the extra ~5mm make that much of a difference to the cost? With the sole purposes of the case being to protect the circuitry and to make it look neater, you could achieve both to a higher degree by finding an aesthetically-pleasing way of hiding those ugly ports.

Also, did you get your hands on one from the first batch?

I would certainly order one of these, based on the original design just as soon as it was on sale!

Let's hope we don't have to wait too long.

In my opinion this is one of the best designs we have seen yet for the Raspberry Pi... keep up the good work Marco!

Great design!

I also echo the points made about the USB socket, it has a lip around the front edge which could be an injury hazard, to prevent that, the lip needs to be flush with the case.

Also after digging around on RaspberryPi.org, I found a 3D model of the board layout, along with images of the bare circuit board - mapping the images onto the model of the board reveals that the connectors are not quite in the right place - some are as much as 2mm out, and the audio out jack socket looks to be the wrong component in the wrong place, maybe as much as 4mm out?

In the image below, I've moved the connectors to line up with the circuit board (beta version)



I'm looking forward to when the R-Pi goes on sale (from what I've read May 15th is looking good for my local RS)

Paul

That's why I do want a real board to correctly position the apertures! I don't trust images and measurements that I can't verify.

I know so very little about this project, but could it be because there are two different manufacturers?

Only one owner/distributor - RaspberryPi.org - sales might be from 4-6 sources worldwide, but all of the info is linked to via above

You are referring to the two UK/EU Distributors, RS Components and Farnell - but they are both retailing the same product (model B of the Raspberry Pi computer). There will soon be another, reduced functionality model, Model A, intended for mass use in education (it'll be cheaper).

The first test sample of the case has arrived!

I have to say that I'm pleased with it.








More info are here.

Now I'm waiting for a real board to test.

A short video showing the parts:

http://youtu.be/ngOps1_3b-4

I made some improvements on my case. Now:

[list type=disc]
[*] you have the USB connector covered;
[*] you can attach the case by 2 screws in any of the 4 possible positions.
[*] you can attach two stripes of bi-adhesive tape instead of scerws.
[/list]






More details: http://marcoalici.wordpress.com/2012/03/30/me-and-the-raspbe rrypi-5

Two little updates:

1. I developed a stackable fork of the case, as showed here:



2. I received my Raspberry Pi computer. I simply put it into my first 3D printed item and I find that it is not perfect (some adjustments on holes are required), but it is not as bad as I imagined:



Now is time to fix the issues and to print a new (final?) test case.

Great job!

Fixed (with little modifications also)!



Here the full article:
http://marcoalici.wordpress.com/2012/05/10/me-and-the-raspbe rrypi-10/

I thought about it and I decided that the case for the Raspberry Pi computer is ready to be released at least as a Release Candidate.
[...]
http://marcoalici.wordpress.com/2012/05/15/raspberry-pi-case -1-0rc1/