A Mutable Log
A blog by Devendra Tewari
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Case for Raspberry Pi printed with MakerBot Replicator 2
Being able to cheaply produce 3D prototypes makes MakerBot Replicator amazing. We recently acquired a Replicator 2 at work, which we used to print a case for Raspberry Pi Model B Rev 2.
Here’s the result
These are some lessons we learned after using the case
- I had a hard time fitting Raspberry Pi into the case. I had to use a box cutter to make several adjustments. I was wishing I had a Dremel.
- I wanted a transparent case, but the printed case is quite opaque. So much so that it is hardly possible to make out which LEDs on the board are lit (see image below).
- It took above an hour to print each half of the case. Be prepared to let the printer do its work for a good few hours.
- The final finish is rough to touch, it appears neatly textured though.
- The case becomes warm to touch after running Raspberry Pi continuously for a day or so, without much CPU load. At 30% CPU load, held for two hours, temperature within the case rises to 35 °C, CPU/GPU temperature to 60 °C, at an ambient temperature of 26 °C.
- We have had our Raspberry Pi reboot spontaneously due to RF interference. We’ll probably need to go for a metallic case.
Despite all the hard work, a case such as this would have taken us much longer to prototype in the past.