Raspberry Pi camera support for the SmartCore 3D Printer

thingiverse

I use OctoPi on a Raspberry Pi computer as a 3D printing server for my SmartCore printer by SmartFriendz, and it features a great webcam and timelapse feature. The webcam lets me set up an articulated support to mount the mini camera securely on the printing board, so it always points directly at the object being printed. I came across some RPI cam supports and articulated arms designs, but I had to modify them slightly to suit my needs, so I built this one instead. As I created the design in Blender, I included the .blend source file so you can easily edit it. For instance, you can lengthen the arm by using two adjustable sections rather than one, and make a different base plate to accommodate other printers. You might also consider adding supports for LED lighting on the camera case, which could be a really cool feature - please let me know if you decide to add that! The RPIcam mount was my initial inspiration - I created this version based on it: http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:504823. Instructions Setting up the arm is straightforward because the length is adjustable and there are three points of rotation, so just two wood screws are required to secure the base under the printing board. The rest is easily assembled with four m3 x 30 steel screws (two need hexagonal heads) and four m3 wing nuts for the arm itself. The camera will need a longer cable than provided to operate properly - I use a 30cm cable on my SmartCore, which works perfectly.