Companion Case, a crowdfunded briefcase solution

[heffaklump87]

Hello!
This is my fourth post here on Hardforums, but I have been lurking and biding my time... I'm Linus from Stockholm, Sweden; a huge fan of SFF builds and maximizing performance/volume.

The case I'm building is in short a computer case with a monitor stand and storage space for gear all built in a equipment case. I was inspired by custom briefcase "laptops" but figured it was possible to actually make a standardized case fitting a mini-ITX system, a real monitor and real gear (standard keyboard, mouse and a headset). It should contend as the ultimate LAN-party case as you can pack it fast, without disconnecting a lot of cables and have it well protected during transportation. I'm posting in this forum because the actual case enclosing the PC parts is small. But the whole case is large, I'm aware of that.

[The campaign can be found on Kickstarter, just do a search]

I first got the idea about a year ago. I then did like 200++ sketches of different layouts over a long summer vacation. At the time I worked as a private teacher, not many hours per week and wasn't really happy with my life. I then got the laughable idea of starting a company and trying to work with this for real. I believe in my design, and couldn't think of good reasons not to try, accept the usual fear and disbelief. And so I started.

First I want to show the latest prototype and explain what features the Companion Case "must" include in order to work as a standard case. And further down I'll show the CAD's and design details.

The very foundation is enough room for powerful components and efficient design to be able to pack it fast. I can pack the entire PC including gear in about 1 minute. As the case is built to move the computer the components and monitor must be well protected. The screen is facing the foam covered "lid" away from sharp objects threatening its surface.

Full specifications for the components fitting the case:
- 24" Monitor: Max 575x350x65 mm with VESA 100x100 mounting holes.
- 2 Slot Graphics card up to 32 cm.
- AIO Water cooling with 120 or 240 mm radiator or Air cooler up to ~80mm above motherboard.
- Mini-ITX motherboard.
- SFX or SFX-L power supply.
- 2 SSD's and 1 HDD, with options for up to 4 additional HDD's.
- Full size keyboard up to 450x195x40 mm (including cord).
- Headset, max size depends on monitor thickness and how the cables are connected. My ATH-M50 fits easily and my brothers Corsair Vengeance 2100 too.
- Mouse and mouse pad.
- The case outside dimensions: 665x500x210 mm.

Here is a picture of the components currently in the prototype:

It's an requirement that the case can be moved easily and safely, both by car and train/subway/bus. I use a moulded ABS plastic equipment case with an IP67 rating. It's resistant to water and dirt, and very durable.

The case need to have room for standard keyboards. I want to stay away from as many limitations as possible, so TKL or 60% keyboards are not required. This is the design I settled for; the keyboard is stored under the radiator, secured during transport. And when removed it lets the rad breathe. The case must also have room for gaming headsets and mice, and the prototype fits at least Corsair Vengeance 2100 (the largest headset I tried so far).

I'm starting on a very small scale and the assembly will be done by myself. The equipment cases will be ordered from China. The base is made from 1mm sheet metal and the the top panels are 2mm aluminum. The designs of these parts
are simple too keep the costs down, I'll have them made locally. And to connect everything I'll be printing plastic parts with 3d printer(s). This way I have control over the design and can keep the cost down for a low production quantity. Here are the CAD's of the inside:

So here you can see the basic design. I will print most of the parts with durable ABS plastic. As the equipment case is also made of ABS I have welded the 2 red mounting bits to the case with acetone. As the work continues I will update the design of some parts, to make it more durable and print efficient. I have been using this design with my prototype for several months now without big problems, but some adjustments needs to be made:
- The axis that holds the monitor must get sturdier. It works, but at the moment I must be careful when I flip the monitor up and down.
- The parts holding the radiator bracket must have more smooth feel when detaching the keyboard.


To keep things flexible it will be possible to use an air cooler instead of AIO watercooling and mount up to 4 hard drives instead of the radiator. That will require a fan hole in the panel above the CPU (included on the CAD but not on the prototype). I'm considering either choosing between 2 different sets of panels when ordering or just have one set with holes ready. I'd love to hear your opinions on this one.


I hope this is just the beginning, and I will post updates and discuss more in detail different solutions when I get there in the process. Hopefully I'll get the time to do some exquisite cable management and post some pictures of the inside next week.

In the meantime I'll happily answer questions and hear your thoughts about the design and idea in general.

Kind Regards
Linus Lager

 

[Skott]

I been beating my brains out recently trying to figure out how to make a suit case/brief case pc set up that can hold a 24" monitor and any size GPU along with the necessary psu and cpu & mobo combination. And here you have and gone and done it! I want to see more of what you are doing with this project. If it can do what I want I would definitely order such a case from you if you plan on making them available to purchase. Would it fit the new Corsair SF600w psu? A 32cm GPU comes out to about 12.5 inches correct? What kind of hdd/ssd can it hold if you stay with a AIO cooler? Would it hold a Samsung 1TB Evo SSD for example? And of course what kind of pricing would be expected as to how the proto type is set up? I realize changing components directly affects price but is there a base price? Are you going to sell it barebones style or a la cart or both?

 

[iFreilicht]

Nice! While not the most novel idea, I like the execution and thought you've put into this. I especially like the idea of storing the keyboard under the rad, that's clever. 3D-printed parts and sheet metal are a good choice for materials as well, that should scale quite nicely.

I do have a few critical thoughts on this, though:

1. Is there any reason other than scratch prevention for the complex folding mechanism for the screen? Just mounting it to the back of the case seems like a more obvious solution.
2. Regarding GPU support: Are you supporting taller GPUs? What about giving the GPU its own cover? It seems weird to leave it out in the open while everything else is so nicely contained.
3. Is an AIO CPU cooler required? I don't see any vents for a air-cooler.
4. Would it be possible to rotate the PSU and use an IEC C14 Y-Splitter internally? That seems like it would massively improve usability as you'll only need a single plug for the system.
5. Is there any cable management for the Display in place? If not, have you experienced any issues regarding that?
6. Are the headset/mouse secured in any way when the case is closed?
7. Why no support for VESA75?

That's everything I've noticed for now. Really interested to see how this will proceed!

 

[vipz]

The monitor mount is by far the most interesting aspect of this design. You want the monitor to sit higher and closer to you. 24" isn't exactly big nowadays and it's going to appear downright tiny if it has to sit 4 feet away from you. Currently it looks like the "case lid" is just resting on the back of the monitor. If OP can find a way to leverage the lid as part of the hinge/mount mechanism maybe the monitor can be moved even further forward/upward.

 

[Skott]

Granted I'm used to my 34" 21:9 monitor but for a basically portable PC 24" isn't that bad. Heck my current gaming laptop is a 17" so 24" is way better.

 

[heffaklump87]

First of all, I'm rather new here on the forum, and don't want to start by breaking the rules. There is a campaign active for this, but can I link to that without breaking the rules against advertising? Maybe I should pm a mod about that. But I'll go ahead and answer your questions:

@ Skott
- Yes it should fit the Corsair SF600W, standard SFX and SFX-L are supported.
- Yes, 32 cm is approx. 12.6"
- If you stick with a AIO cooler it will fit 1 standard 3.5" HDD and 2 standard 2.5" SSD's. The HDD is placed under the PSU, and SSD's on next to the motherboard. I'll try to get some good pictures of the internal layout soon.
- I will only sell the case barebones. Just like a standard computer case. That might change much later, but for now, only the case. The price will be approx. 470$ + shipping. I know its steep, but the original equipment case with shipping makes it hard to go lower with the small production volume. But feel free to compare it to buying large equipment cases in USA or Europe and it might seem cheap in comparison. (I hope).

@ iFrielicht
- The monitor mount is something I worked on for a long time. I thought about mounting it "directly in" the lid. But that makes the screen sit really far away from the user, and atleast my monitor demands free space behind it for ventilation. It would also be really hard to adjust the hight and tilt. For my solution I currently only have 1 height setting, but I think its "easy" to incorporate some levels of adjustability. And if I was to have a mounting mechanism for monitors with different dimensions, I had trouble figuring out how to actually mount them. Additionally with the lid open in the current angle, it gets rather "spacy" around the GPU, letting it breathe.
- I haven't measured the "hight" very carefully, how could I forget that!? But, the case is 19cm thick (inside height) so if the motherboard sits about 10mm above the floor, and the foam is 10mm thick, that leaves about 17cm. Be aware that the power connectors must also fit, so max GPU height should be around 15cm. I will look more close at the numbers soon.
- It will be possible to use air cooler. I wrote shortly about the issue of have to choose between panels for air or water, or just having 1 for both, but the option will be there somehow. Max height will be around 80mm, will have to check those numbers more carefully also.
- The case actually will be delivered with a Y-split powercable (you can see it on the first image to the left) and a 90 degree adapter to the PSU. The PSU has its exhaust pointing left, I'll add a picture of that side too.
- I have some "hooks" on the backside of the monitor, and it holds the cables decently. I will improve on that design however and I added it late which is the reason its not on the CAD drawing.
- The mouse and headset are not secured at the moment, but I haven't had any issues so far. There are some cords around them and you can tuck the mouse pad above to hold them in place. It's a good comment though, and maybe I can add some velcro strap to be able to tie them down.
- VESA 75 should be possible to include, I just thought VESA 100 was the way most common one. I will have to do some research on that, good point again.

@vips
- I just did a quick measurement: If I have 30cm in front of the case for the mousepad, and just sit straight, my eyes were about 63 cm (25") from the monitor. I will try to include some height adjustments for the mounting, it should be easy to just add some "stops" for my monitor axis. The monitor lid is currently "resting" on the monitors back, on a couple of hinges seen on the CAD. It actually holds it really well, unless you push the lid upwards. I will make sure to include some latch design, so it really stays in place. There is a video of me packing it on the campaign, but I might add it here as well.

And yeah, I would love to have a 27" screen in the Companion Case, but it would be SO HUGE! I feel I'm already pushing the limit on both size and weight. That reminds me, I might add a version with wheels later down the road. But I will have to make it really sturdy and test so it doesn't fall apart dragging it on uneven ground etc.

I'm very grateful for all input, keep it coming!

Regards
Linus

 

[ChosenUno]

I think it'll do you some good to link to the campaign in the OP. Also, maybe reach out to the YouTubers like Jayz or Linus who needs to travel a lot about this idea? Getting featured on one of these channels would help you out big time, both as advertisement and also as a way for people to contribute to the project via their forums/comments.

 

[Skott]

Paul's Hardware and Awesomesauce are two more popular YT producers you may want to contact and see if they would be willing to review it.

I didn't see that Y-plug and I'm glad you mentioned it. I was thinking about that very type of modded plug not long after I saw the post. I saw a video of someone who had done something similar on YT years ago.

 

[chx]

Perhaps I can help with a portable VESA mount idea. I spent a hell lot of time researching this and as far as I am aware, the K&M 23150 mic stand tripod together with the K&M 19685 VESA LCD adapter is the only travel VESA solution (at least the only one which can work on any table without clamps and such). The height is adjustable from 230 to 430 mm and the two together is only 1kg. It's reasonably stable, just make sure one of the legs is perpendicular to the screen so that it can't tilt forward. At bhphotovideo they are 40 / 36 USD which might be a bit too expensive. Still, something to consider.

 

[iFreilicht]

First of all, I'm rather new here on the forum, and don't want to start by breaking the rules. There is a campaign active for this, but can I link to that without breaking the rules against advertising? Maybe I should pm a mod about that. But I'll go ahead and answer your questions:

Maybe you'll be lucky and be allowed to link to the campaign directly, but generally speaking, you're not allowed to do that on [H]. There's a community called smallformfactor.net that explicitly allows posting your kickstarter campaign to support indie case designers like you. What you can do is explicitly state that you're doing a campaign and that people can just search for it on kickstarter if they're interested, that's not against the rules.

I think it was a mistake from your side to launch the kickstarter campaign before getting exposure and feedback on forums, I'm almost certain at this point that you will fail to reach your goal this time around. Not to worry, though. Just take your time, make improvements to the design and launch a new crowdfunding campaign once the design is absolutely final.

The monitor mount is something I worked on for a long time. I thought about mounting it "directly in" the lid. But that makes the screen sit really far away from the user, and atleast my monitor demands free space behind it for ventilation. It would also be really hard to adjust the hight and tilt. For my solution I currently only have 1 height setting, but I think its "easy" to incorporate some levels of adjustability. And if I was to have a mounting mechanism for monitors with different dimensions, I had trouble figuring out how to actually mount them. Additionally with the lid open in the current angle, it gets rather "spacy" around the GPU, letting it breathe.

Just saw the video on the campaign, that is a simple but very effective and easy-to-use mechanism, great job there! All valid considerations, seems like you made the right call there. I hope that all the other 24" monitors have their VESA mounts at the same height. Otherwise you could get a monitor that would technically fit but is offset by the installation position so the lid can't close.

It will be possible to use air cooler. I wrote shortly about the issue of have to choose between panels for air or water, or just having 1 for both, but the option will be there somehow. Max height will be around 80mm, will have to check those numbers more carefully also.

Very good. Actually you mention this in the campaign, didn't see that. You'll definitely need some vents above the mainboard area for that, though.

The case actually will be delivered with a Y-split powercable (you can see it on the first image to the left) and a 90 degree adapter to the PSU. The PSU has its exhaust pointing left, I'll add a picture of that side too.

Ah nice. Not the cleanest solution, but it certainly works.

- I have some "hooks" on the backside of the monitor, and it holds the cables decently. I will improve on that design however and I added it late which is the reason its not on the CAD drawing.
- The mouse and headset are not secured at the moment, but I haven't had any issues so far. There are some cords around them and you can tuck the mouse pad above to hold them in place. It's a good comment though, and maybe I can add some velcro strap to be able to tie them down.
- VESA 75 should be possible to include, I just thought VESA 100 was the way most common one. I will have to do some research on that, good point again.

These all sound like things that should've been resolved and finalised before starting the campaign. We often become very invested in our projects and think that many will share that passion with us, but the reality is that if someone's going to drop 470$ on a PC case, they want to be 100% sure that they get their money's worth, and I don't think your campaign is quite convincing enough.

 

[heffaklump87]

@ Skott and Trandoanhung1991
Great tips about the youtubers, I don't have a review sample to send out unfortunately, but maybe someone just want to talk about it anyways. I'll try to contact them.

@ chx
Thanks for the input, but I will design the mounting mechanisms myself to be able to fit it perfectly.

@ iFreilicht
You have a very good point about launching the campaign before having my idea out there a while. Guess I was just paranoid about someone stealing my design before I even got the campaign started. But as you point out, it might hurt the campaign a lot still having work to do to reach the finished product. I have many solutions prepared in my head and thought something in the lines of: "I'll fix that later, its easy." But the potential backers can't know that, and it might appear as I have no clue how to make it a polished product. That's a mistake on my part. For example I had already planned to have 3 set of holes on the VESA mount at different heights to compensate for placement on other brands monitors.
I will however try to present solutions to as many problems as I can over the next week, so the Companion Case gets closer to its final state so backers and folks on the forums can see that I have (most) ideas and designs ready.

Keep the critique coming, I'll start drawing right away and have an update soon I hope.

 

[Ocellaris]

Just going to throw this here, but your Kickstarter goals isn't high enough to even get toothpicks made in China. Also the thumbnail for your project looks blurry as hell and the various screenshots and pictures look like they weren't done by anyone in marketing.

Damn near all failed manufacturing projects get caught up in lowball Chinese quotes when even the simplest parts can cost $10s of thousands of dollars in tooling up front. Then you very often need to fly to China and stand there because the low cost factories can and will try to cut every corner possible and send you a low quality product. Trying to get waterproof items made in China is a god damn nightmare unless you own your own factory or do massive quantities to command the huge manufacturers who won't lift a finger for small quantity anything.

And the price for the case is way too high

 

[heffaklump87]

Ok, I got to defend my budget a bit. I have been in contact with the Chinese factory already, and bought 2 cases from them (one is used for the prototype you see here). I got a quotation for 50 of them, and have researched complete shipping costs all the way to my door. The cases are an existing model, so no retooling costs are needed. There might be some difference to the end cost, but I think I have a good picture. The metal parts will be made in Sweden and I already got a quotation for them also, so I know the cost approx.

About the water proofing, I understand that can be hard to test, and I choose to print "resistant" to water in the campaign itself, to lower the expectations a bit. I'll change the wording in the OP too, to avoid too high expectations.

I know the quality of the pictures and video isn't great, thats not my field at all, and I didn't have the money to hire help. I just want to show my ideas, and hope people support the idea and product not the "presentation" of it.

As for the price your entitled to that opinion, but if you compare it to buying ONLY a large equipment case in USA or Europe (that's probably made in china anyway, with some exceptions) the price isn't that terrible according to me (totally unbiased I know..). The goal is set "low" but with some margin for error. I will not get rich from this project, but will have food on the table while I complete it.

Let me know if you have more critique or questions!

 

[Ocellaris]

IP67 rating means the case can be submerged in 1 meter of water for 30 minutes with zero water getting in the case. Given that the case looks like a Pelican knockoff, this may be passable, though you should definitely give it a try before claiming the case meets the spec. This isn't hard to rest, you just need a pool or a pond. And something heavy to keep the case from floating...

Splashing the case with a hose doesn't count The water seals typically fail when a constant pressure is applied across the whole gasket sealed area. For smaller devices, squirting water into the gasket area (especially button areas) with a hose can be more likely to fail. When I've done IP67 tests in the past we will the cases with paper towels and do the 1 meter submersion. And we always do 5x cases at a time.

 

[heffaklump87]

Okay, that's all good points. I'll see if I can do a more proper test, or just don't talk about the rating at all maybe is easier for me. I'll have to think about this, great you brought it to my attention.

When using it as a computer case, it should suffice to withstand rain and some light splashing.

 

[iFreilicht]

ou have a very good point about launching the campaign before having my idea out there a while. Guess I was just paranoid about someone stealing my design before I even got the campaign started. But as you point out, it might hurt the campaign a lot still having work to do to reach the finished product. I have many solutions prepared in my head and thought something in the lines of: "I'll fix that later, its easy." But the potential backers can't know that, and it might appear as I have no clue how to make it a polished product. That's a mistake on my part. For example I had already planned to have 3 set of holes on the VESA mount at different heights to compensate for placement on other brands monitors.
I will however try to present solutions to as many problems as I can over the next week, so the Companion Case gets closer to its final state so backers and folks on the forums can see that I have (most) ideas and designs ready.

Don't worry, cases like this are way too niche to be copied by anyone. So as long as you don't upload all the technical drawings, you don't have to fear that someone will rip you off

Take a look at the kickstarter campaign of the DAN A4-SFX. Yes it's an extremely popular case, much more than we could ever dream to make, but that kickstarter campaign is top-notch in terms of quality and information.

I know the quality of the pictures and video isn't great, thats not my field at all, and I didn't have the money to hire help. I just want to show my ideas, and hope people support the idea and product not the "presentation" of it.

Unfortunately, even the best product needs a good presentation to be sold. That's just how these kinds of things work. In forums you can of course just show ideas, ask for feedback, but once you ask for money, you've gotta convince people to give it to you.

 

[Curiositie]

Granted I'm used to my 34" 21:9 monitor but for a basically portable PC 24" isn't that bad. Heck my current gaming laptop is a 17" so 24" is way better.

I normally use a 27" 1080p display, but for travel I use a 2048x1536 9.7" screen!

Going smaller for the sake of travel isn't too bad, especially if it's just for a LAN or something.

 

[heffaklump87]

Time for an update!

I have remade the VESA mount with additional holes to compensate for different placement on other brands. I included 3 levels, but can add more if required. I also designed a "latch" to secure the lid to the screen. I'm gonna mount a spring between the 2 small cylinders. I investigated what VESA mounts were used, and I only found VESA 100mm on 24" monitors. So for now I'm gonna stick with that. (It will be possible to add, but that will require me to change the width of the arm etc.)

I made a new version of the aluminum panels with a cover for the back of the GPU and ventilation hole for air coolers.

I'll update OP with these new images.

And here is the inside:

 

[D mo T raz]

From a previous console gamer who had a Gaems case, you sir are a HERO.

Can't wait to see this finalized.

 

[heffaklump87]

Thanks for the kind words, they will never be forgotten!

I had never heard of Gaems case, but it looked it up. Kind of cool but I ofcourse think its better to make a case for computer parts than gaming consoles which differs much in dimensions.

 

[Skott]

Any updates about this case?