Prusa i3 MK3 PiCam v2 X-Axis Motor Mount

thingiverse

Prusa i3 MK3 PiCam v2 X-Axis Motor Mount ======================================== What is this? ------------- The goal here is to mount a Raspberry Pi Camera v2 to the X-Axis motor of the Prusa Research Prusa i3 MK3, allowing the camera to move up the Z axis as printing, which should make for nice time lapse videos and allow a visual of the extruder while checking the live feed to look for potential issues. The arm is thickened significantly compared to others to allow for a couple of ~10mm wide (so a total of ~20mm wide) LED light strips to be attached directly to the arm, which should provide a much more even casting of light across the printed part. Where did it come from? ----------------------- I like the idea of the X-axis motor mounted camera arm from [dragsterbox](https://www.thingiverse.com/dragsterbox/about) [here](https://www.thingiverse.com/dragsterbox/thing:3252355), and I've modified it to work with my Prusa i3 MK3. Notes ----- Rev1 parts keep the camera lower and provides an excellent view of the extruder, while Rev2 brings the camera up high enough so it's looking down at the build plate more. Rev1 is great for checking a live feed to ensure things are printing right, Rev2 is better for timelapses. Print settings -------------- My Slic3rPE settings: For the arms: 3 perimeters, 30% infill. I want the arms themselves to be rigid. For the camera parts: I'd do 2 perimeters and 10-20% infill, whatever floats your boat (or 3DBenchy... eh? eh? Bad joke? K I'll see myself out). What's pictured --------------- 1. Front view of camera with arm fully installed and functioning. 2. Timelapse recorded with Rev1 installed: https://youtu.be/AeQpy1RO2DE 3. Here you can see the slack in the PiCam ribbon at the joints better. 4. Wider shot of the arm and my attempt at managing the cabling. 5. I try to keep wiring as tidy as possible but the PiCam's ribbon doesn't like being tied up when moving up and down the Z Axis. I let it hang loose and tried to keep everything else tighter. 6. Pictured during install, ths is my test fitting. 7. To reduce confusion hopefully, here's the exact placement of each arm segment. 8. Another picture during test fitting. 9. I'm likely going to raise this camera mount position all the way up to regain that few millimeters worth of camera angle. I didn't think the LED strip would extend so far out with the slack I was hoping to give it at the joints but ultimately I prefer having lighting right under the camera to hopefully give it more direct lighting at what it's pointing at. 10. This is testing the LED's to ensure they were working and also trying to route the cables as smartly as possible. These strips are bright enough I didn't notice only one was on. 11. View from Octoprint Control tab during the first layer of my first print after installing.