An Open Source PC Case? What would you want?

[TechyBen]

What would be the most sought after features of an open source, print/design your own PC case? It would probably have to be limited to laser cut or 3d printed parts.

 

What size build or case? I have a little Straw Poll for it: http://www.strawpoll.me/15325457

 

A rough mock up of a design idea. Clip together panels. Screws for mounting and standoffs needed.

 

At the very least, it would be a PC case that could be posted flatpack style!

 

[emosun]

I think one issue with an open source case is that REAL cases are pretty cheap and actually made from metal and you can get them in any size/color/configuration.

If this were a tiny case for a raspberry pi or something it would make more sense to have it 3d printed locally possibly. But a full sized computer case that is configurable already exist in the pc cases current form.

[TechyBen]

True. So I need a better USP?

Ok. It might have one. How about swappable panels? Want a different setup? Can just swap one panel out.

 

The main idea is for DIY. Not buying a case, but making one.

[iiNNeX]

21 minutes ago, TechyBen said:

True. So I need a better USP?

Ok. It might have one. How about swappable panels? Want a different setup? Can just swap one panel out.

 

The main idea is for DIY. Not buying a case, but making one.

I can definitely see the advantages of that and would probably go for it myself, however look at the mechanical keyboard market.

 

You can get every single part online of what makes a great high quality keyboard and DIY it yourself, but it will costs you 3x more at least to something like a Corsair K70, which is already proven to be of good quality and reliable. The main reason for that is mass production, you can never beat the cost.

 

But yeah cool idea never the less.

[TechyBen]

Thanks. With DIY it's beating the customisation. There is little reason to make anything ourselves these days... yet we still piece together PCs!

 

If it is open source, it's about having plans, designs and measurements.

 

I'll look at what kind of Mini-Itx design I can do.

[TechyBen]

So, the functional design:

 

 

But I'll have to look at making it "pretty" to some degree.

 

But the idea is it's all clip/slot together with the exception of the Mobo/PSU/GPU and usual screw in parts. The case is all clippy though.

[TVwazhere]

20 hours ago, TechyBen said:

So, the functional design:

-snip-

But I'll have to look at making it "pretty" to some degree.

 

But the idea is it's all clip/slot together with the exception of the Mobo/PSU/GPU and usual screw in parts. The case is all clippy though.

I'm assuming the red is a 120mm RAD? Need to make sure you can mount a fan to it  

[TechyBen]

Thanks. That's quite a good spot! For now it's a HDD. Though the space is big enough for a rad, not a fan though. I think a fan might fit...

 

I've draughted multiple sizes. One would allow for a rad and fan. The other option is the kind of thing people do with open work benches, like this:

 

 

So nothing to stop someone only cutting 2 or 3 panels and having an open case. Or putting a fan inside, rad outside when just testing a rig. Then after swapping a panel out for a larger one. Or the option of a snap on box like in the Ghost S1 Mini:

 

Though I'm yet to decide or try how it would actually have extensions. So far I'm doing entirely new panels for each size.

[TechyBen]

Here is the Sketchup file. Currently no air vents/fan mounts!

Going with the smallest design, as it would be the quickest to cut out/test for now.

 

 

DFTv1.skp

[TechyBen]

Okay... so I forgot today was a bank holiday (UK).

 

So I have some time to prettify the case a little, and... wait? Prettify is a word in my spellchecker? It's a word? Wow.

 

Ahem... so I can prettify it a little and also try and figure out some silly pod expansion options.

[TechyBen]

So done a preliminary design for the clip on extension pod. Would fit a 120 mm rad. An extra 3.5 inch HDD or two... possibly a GPU, but that would be a lot more design work...

 

 

The idea is still to get a feel for what is the best way to assemble/organise things. Well, as far as I can explore without my own laser cutter.

 

Most of the parts can be adjusted throughout the model. But I would need to standardise a lot more to make quicker edits.

[TechyBen]

A slightly bigger version. Takes a full length GPU, more drives, larger heat sink on CPU if PSU mounted internally/on front. Though I could do a side mounted PSU I guess...

[TVwazhere]

11 hours ago, TechyBen said:

A slightly bigger version. Takes a full length GPU, more drives, larger heat sink on CPU if PSU mounted internally/on front. Though I could do a side mounted PSU I guess...

How "Tall" of a GPU can fit (like MSI's gaming X for example)

[TechyBen]

Not very tall. But most of my panels are now set so I can just adjust sizes.

 

To be honest, I should do 2 setups, and really just skip the GPU and go full micro case with APU for one. And a larger case for GPU clearance.

[emosun]

current computer cases screw or are riveted together using thinner lighter materials that require less.... bulkyness.....  to attach to eachother. 

 

your design seems to revolve around these overly thick tabs that lock and slide. when you could just do what all cases have been doing which is pressing steel panels and riveting or screwing them together to make them lighter and stronger than plastic duplo style panels.

 

I get the feeling your design more geared toward a childs toy like building blocks or knex/legos rather than a universal material that you build with.

 

If you make your product essentially more blocky/simplistic and visually less appealing than a standard case the novelty of it being configurable will be lost on the buyer. If this were a toy like legos then it might be ok but it's meant to be an actual product that is to be sold to adults so i don't think this angle is going to work for you.

[TechyBen]

16 hours ago, emosun said:

when you could just do what all cases have been doing which is pressing steel panels and riveting or screwing them together to make them lighter and stronger than plastic duplo style panels.

With consumer grade a Laser cutter?

 

I am assuming 5mm acrylic. Why? It's easier to shrink the panel thickness in the design than increase it. I could drop to 3mm perhaps at a later point.

Why no screws? I have no access to the material right now, so getting the screw hole size needs experimentation. Plus a "snap together" panel is just quicker if it's for prototyping use (panels can be cut, tested, removed, parts installed, all without screwing in/out).

 

A second design could include 3d printed parts for fixtures. Or alternatively I could use the "cable tie" method.

 

It looks like a Toy? You mean like this:  

 

Universal mounting points need not be "toys".

 

What do you think the Openbench looked like in the design phase?

I can shrink/move the tabs. I could make it "glue" together or screw. Laser cut panels cannot be folded though. So I can only work with flat surfaces. They will be quicker/stronger than 3D printed parts though, theoretically.