Customizable revised Ultimate Box Maker

thingiverse

This is a thoroughly revised version of The Ultimate Box Maker, remaining true to its original design while incorporating numerous updates and improvements. Development takes place at https://github.com/jbebel/Ultimate-Box-Maker. A comprehensive overhaul of the code has been undertaken for enhanced readability. The following key features have been added: * An editable back panel is now available in addition to the front panel * The box size can be calculated from the PCB size and margin parameters * Horizontal or vertical text alignment options are provided through arguments * Separate thicknesses for panel and tab elements, independent of the box dimensions * Square corners are supported without filets or chamfers * All dimensions can be parameterized, allowing the box to scale infinitely. Doubling every parameter will double the box size in all directions. * Vents pass through the floor and are scaled to fit the size of the filet * For larger filets, interior filets are scaled to match the exterior and interior filets, ensuring concentricity * Decorations are optional * Box fixation tabs can be individually placed on the top or bottom shell * EXPERIMENTAL: Screwless designs for fixation tabs and PCB supports have been introduced To create a box, start by modifying the numerical parameters in the sections at the top. This can be done using a release of OpenSCAD newer than 2015.03, which requires a development snapshot as of this writing. The Thingiverse Customizer may also work, but it was not operational at the time of writing. Hand-editing the .scad file is the simplest option. Feature toggles are annotated with comments. Other numerical parameters represent measurements in mm. Every parameter is customizable, so doubling all non-feature parameters will double the box size in every dimension. Certain parameters are derived from others; you can override them if needed, but sensible defaults have been chosen. This revised design focuses on PCB-centricity, where your PCB size should be the starting point, and margins adjusted to determine the box size. If you prioritize the box size, you can set the Length, Width, and Height explicitly, but read the comments around them for guidance. Once your box is sized appropriately, use the Panel modules to design holes and text for the front and back panels. Helper variables are provided to assist in positioning these holes relative to the PCB, especially if they're for PCB-mounted components. When you're ready to print, adjust the values in the "STL element to export" section, and export each part individually. Experimental options are available for a screwless design, but these have not been thoroughly tested. The box fixation tabs may require thickness adjustments for optimal flexibility. Updated 2018-06-18 * Improved comments around foot positions * Made screw holes larger in the outer shell to ensure screws bind only to internal tabs Updated 2018-06-19 * Added convenience variables for visible panel edges Update 2018-06-20 * Separated panel margins into panel thickness margin and panel edge margin with different defaults * Fixed snap tab issues for button size and thin tabs Update 2018-07-21 * Further separated panel margins. More is needed on the sides than on the top and bottom. * Consider Panel gaps as a single edge rather than both to simplify math * Tapered screwless feet tips to make it easier to fit box halves together Update 2018-07-27 * Adjusted filet size around square holes by the cutout margin to achieve the desired filet Update 2019-04-11 * Added a missing "top" parameter that caused warnings in newer OpenSCAD releases