Cherry Pi III USB and Ethernet box

thingiverse

My trusty Cherry Pi III USB and Xbox power box had served me well - but I soon realized that the Xbox 203W PSU just wasn't up to powering my printer. As soon as I flipped both switches for the hot-end and heated bed, the green light on the PSU flashed red and the controller board crashed. I quickly swapped out the controller board from RAMPS to Duet and discovered that I needed an Ethernet port alongside a USB one. To boot, I wanted to axe the hole for the Xbox socket - but meddling with FreeCAD proved to be a real nightmare. So, I junked it all and started from scratch in OpenSCAD. The SCAD files are (mostly) set up so you can fine-tune things to suit your own needs, and if you're an OpenSCAD pro, you can tweak the lid holes or adjust the box size as needed. You can see a pic of my Duet board nestled in my Cherry Pi above - notice those extension cables slithering across the right-hand side? Just a note: this shot's using my old case - same idea though! Although tailored for my trusty Cherry Pi, it should also work on other similar printers that run 2 rails made from 20x20 aluminum extrusion and M5 T-nuts. **Get the Details** First things first, you'll want to customize your OpenSCAD lid file. Get familiar with those extension cables, folks! You'll need to tweak the size of that socket hole, as well as adjust the spacing, size, and alignment of those screw holes. The code for each connector is clearly labeled. Time to get your connections_box_variables.scad in line alongside your case and lid files - this global file ensures both bits are spot-on perfect. Those M5 screws should fit nice and snug in your mounting holes, while your lid fixers can use #4 x 19mm (or 25mm) - my USB and Ethernet sockets were secured with M3s, just for reference. **Printing's Easy** Choose any filament you like: PLA or ABS will both do the trick. If using ABS, I recommend adding a brim to avoid warping - trust me on this one! I opted for 50% infill density so that rear plate stays solid as can be. You might need to smooth out some of those print lines if your printer tends to run on the plump side - but that's just minor tweaking at worst! Everything else should fall into place nice and smoothly after that!