ArduCam Mount with Bracket

thingiverse

I wanted to install a webcam on my FlashForge Creator Pro for monitoring and time-lapse videos with OctoPi. I chose an OV5647-style camera and found a great ArduCam Stand design on Thingiverse that worked perfectly with my Raspberry Pi, but it had issues fitting into my printer due to obstruction or collision problems. I tried modifying the stand by flipping the mounting flange around to pivot in the opposite direction, which helped somewhat, but still caused collisions. Since I liked the original ArduCam casing for the camera, I designed a new mounting system that trimmed off the old mounting flange and created a new attachment method. My initial design was a simple 45-degree wedge attached to the printer with Velcro, but it had a fixed position, so I redesigned it to attach to a pivoting bracket that could move up to 60 degrees in either direction. The OpenSCAD file for this design is included, along with the Plain Wedge and Adjustable Wedge/Bracket models. The new design uses separate parts for easier printing without supports, making it look smoother. To assemble the mount, tap four screw holes in the casing using a M3 tap and attach the lid pieces with M3x10 screws. For added stability, use flat washers between the screw and nut. This camera mount can be adapted to various applications, but for my setup, I attached it to the back wall of my printer using Velcro at the spot where it provides good visibility without obstructing the extruder head assembly. The camera used is an Amazon product with a OV5647 board and a smaller lens, chosen to avoid collisions with the extruder head. While this camera works well for viewing the current print area, its field of view isn't wide enough to capture the entire print volume when printing is complete. However, it's still decent for monitoring prints. A time-lapse video showcasing this camera's view in my FlashForge Creator Pro printer is available online. This mount pairs well with the OctoPi case for spool holder holes on the back of the FlashForge. A 300mm (12") camera cable works well when mounted at the same location, secured with double-sided tape to keep it out of the way.