Fruergaard
Weaksauce
- Joined
- Sep 10, 2012
- Messages
- 68
Hello everyone
I'm Simon and I have been interested in SFF PCs for some years now.
It started out with Unobtainable, then a SG09 mod that got replaced soon after with my own case designs.
At the time there wasn't any real SFF cases so I looked into the option of using a laser cutter and assembly the parts into a good case (RAW V1 + V2) (Wood V1 + V2). This makes the cases cheap, easy to model, fast production and possible to create in various materials. Most of my designs can be downloaded and is free to use
This case have been in my head since November (2017) and follows the trends in my designs:
It will be laser cut in 2 or 3 mm aluminium and have a 3 mm acrylic front.
It will be held together via T-sections and Parvum modding cubes.
I have tried to make it as slim and small as possible since the idea is to wall mount it (can be oriented in any directions) yet easy to take off the wall and transport (it will get a stand as well).
And most important; it needs to take either mATX or ATX motherboards. The case could have been smaller as an ITX system, however plenty of great ITX cases is already available. To me the ITX boards are still limited in their possibilities and the biggest issue is the limited amount of quality boards with good cooling. And you just get more for the same price when going to mATX and even more stuff (and options) when going to ATX. And for AM4 this have been clear. There is no good high-end mATX out there and ITX is getting good boards much later than ATX (+7 months for Asus to release theirs).
Also, ITX does not support Threadripper yet
The RAW 3.0 case design is beginning to take its final form. So, I wanted to present it to you in hope of some good constructive feedback
Yhe first iteration was for a bit smaller mATX version. However, I found out that with just a ~6% volume increase the case would be easier to work in (power wise) and would be able to support ATX and even 27,2 cm EATX motherboards!
And more important for ITX fans/users is the added support for 120mm AIO or SFX-L. For the mATX and ATX boards (and ITX with AIO) AC-DC bricks (such as HDplex 300W or 160W) and DC-DC PSUs is used. In a few SketchUp images I will try and describe the possibilities of this design. But first the size:
Dimensions (external without small extruding bits): 330 mm (w) x 325 mm (L) x 72 mm (H) = 7,7 L
Material = 3,0 mm Aluminum and 4,0 mm acrylic (front panel)
GFX = 2 slots (other dimensions depend on PSU and motherboard choice). Riser is needed (HDplex in my prototype).
CPU cooler < 50 mm
The case could be smaller by working with thinner materials and different production method (bend 1 mm steel like other cases on here). Also, the 4 mm thick acrylic front does increase the size quite a bit (the case material is 1,0 L of the case volume!). However, for T-section connections 3 mm alu is optimal and it is sturdy for the wall hang option. And it acts as a large heatsink for the passive AC-DCs and DC-DC PSUs
A short look on the outer design:
The GFX is facing the same way as the CPU cooler and the idea is for both of them to draw in fresh air through the acrylic front. With the hexagonal ventilation design, which I love and have used a few times before, there should be plenty of exhaust ventilation even for non-blower style GFXs. And considering dust, the point of the case is to be wall mounted = less dust. A stand will also be made for the case, likely in clear acrylic.
Below I will try to describe the options and features when using EATX, ATX, mATX or ITX:
So far, the case will be in all aluminum. The front is not clean with a few holes and countersunk screws for the AC-DC and modding cubes. This could be hidden behind a colored acrylic sheet if necessary.
A RAW V2 case for material reference (see all images in imgur album links above):
Right now there is no clear cut out for a turn on switch. The hexagonal cuts are ~14 mm meaning 12 mm vandal switches could be installed with two spacer rings anywhere there is room. However, since the case is wall mounted I was looking at running the “on switch” wire to the back of the case so the switch could be installed at the table. Or just install this: http://www.silverstonetek.com/product.php?pid=714&area=en
I'm looking forward to test the thermals of the case. Hopefully Dan or KMPKT soon releases their coolers which will perform better than current CPU coolers (and perhaps enough for "quiet" I9 cooling). Or Cryorig releases their C7 in copper.
As mATX and ATX is supported means Threadripper can be installed . However, cooling it (or a I9) wont come silent
A cooler like the Dynatron A28 (SP3) is needed (currently the only TR4 cooler that can fit in the case) and a high RPM 92 or 80 mm fan might make it possible. For 25 mm thick fans the front panel needs to be milled a bit to allow for this 52 mm cooler combo height.
I hoped you liked the design so far and you will help me make it even better with some great ideas before I send the files for laser cutting
I'm Simon and I have been interested in SFF PCs for some years now.
It started out with Unobtainable, then a SG09 mod that got replaced soon after with my own case designs.
At the time there wasn't any real SFF cases so I looked into the option of using a laser cutter and assembly the parts into a good case (RAW V1 + V2) (Wood V1 + V2). This makes the cases cheap, easy to model, fast production and possible to create in various materials. Most of my designs can be downloaded and is free to use
This case have been in my head since November (2017) and follows the trends in my designs:
It will be laser cut in 2 or 3 mm aluminium and have a 3 mm acrylic front.
It will be held together via T-sections and Parvum modding cubes.
I have tried to make it as slim and small as possible since the idea is to wall mount it (can be oriented in any directions) yet easy to take off the wall and transport (it will get a stand as well).
And most important; it needs to take either mATX or ATX motherboards. The case could have been smaller as an ITX system, however plenty of great ITX cases is already available. To me the ITX boards are still limited in their possibilities and the biggest issue is the limited amount of quality boards with good cooling. And you just get more for the same price when going to mATX and even more stuff (and options) when going to ATX. And for AM4 this have been clear. There is no good high-end mATX out there and ITX is getting good boards much later than ATX (+7 months for Asus to release theirs).
Also, ITX does not support Threadripper yet
The RAW 3.0 case design is beginning to take its final form. So, I wanted to present it to you in hope of some good constructive feedback
Yhe first iteration was for a bit smaller mATX version. However, I found out that with just a ~6% volume increase the case would be easier to work in (power wise) and would be able to support ATX and even 27,2 cm EATX motherboards!
And more important for ITX fans/users is the added support for 120mm AIO or SFX-L. For the mATX and ATX boards (and ITX with AIO) AC-DC bricks (such as HDplex 300W or 160W) and DC-DC PSUs is used. In a few SketchUp images I will try and describe the possibilities of this design. But first the size:
Dimensions (external without small extruding bits): 330 mm (w) x 325 mm (L) x 72 mm (H) = 7,7 L
Material = 3,0 mm Aluminum and 4,0 mm acrylic (front panel)
GFX = 2 slots (other dimensions depend on PSU and motherboard choice). Riser is needed (HDplex in my prototype).
CPU cooler < 50 mm
The case could be smaller by working with thinner materials and different production method (bend 1 mm steel like other cases on here). Also, the 4 mm thick acrylic front does increase the size quite a bit (the case material is 1,0 L of the case volume!). However, for T-section connections 3 mm alu is optimal and it is sturdy for the wall hang option. And it acts as a large heatsink for the passive AC-DCs and DC-DC PSUs
A short look on the outer design:
The GFX is facing the same way as the CPU cooler and the idea is for both of them to draw in fresh air through the acrylic front. With the hexagonal ventilation design, which I love and have used a few times before, there should be plenty of exhaust ventilation even for non-blower style GFXs. And considering dust, the point of the case is to be wall mounted = less dust. A stand will also be made for the case, likely in clear acrylic.
Below I will try to describe the options and features when using EATX, ATX, mATX or ITX:
With EATX the options are very limited and you likely need to use an external power brick unless you can do with just 300W from a HDplex 300W AC-DC PSU?
You will be able to have a Zotac 1080 ti mini in there, two 2,5” SSDs, a 300W AC-DC + HDplex 400W DC-DC for motherboard and an external PSU + KMPKTs 360W for the GFX. With only the 300W AC-DC + 400W DC-DC the GFX can be up to 28,5 cm long. At the side of the GFX there is room for 60x10 mm fan (few of such exits).
You will be able to have a Zotac 1080 ti mini in there, two 2,5” SSDs, a 300W AC-DC + HDplex 400W DC-DC for motherboard and an external PSU + KMPKTs 360W for the GFX. With only the 300W AC-DC + 400W DC-DC the GFX can be up to 28,5 cm long. At the side of the GFX there is room for 60x10 mm fan (few of such exits).
With ATX, brick less is possible with up to 460W of power. Still only two SSDs (7 mm thick) and only 10 mm thick exhaust fans. NOTE that most ATX motherboards have the PCI-e x16 slot in the second position which limits the GFX width to 112 mm (reference width). Room for the riser is needed. In the third image you can see the GFX support structure which also makes it possible to strip the card down in place (via the power connectors).
The above 460W (160W for CPU + Motherboard) and 300W for GFX is likely enough for most people. However, if more is needed, the 160W HDplex AD-DC can be replaced by an external PSU and a second KMPKT 360W can be added (stacked via some longer standoffs).
The above 460W (160W for CPU + Motherboard) and 300W for GFX is likely enough for most people. However, if more is needed, the 160W HDplex AD-DC can be replaced by an external PSU and a second KMPKT 360W can be added (stacked via some longer standoffs).
Now a few more options appear. The lower length of mATX means two more SSDs can be installed, or the C14 power in can be moved below the GFX for extra supported height up to 132 mm. Also, the 60 mm fans can now be up to 25 mm in thickness. And a custom top plate for the 300W AC-DC HDplex have been designed for 40 mm fan support
If you need more power for that I9, Threadripper or extreme GFX OC one can barely (< 1 mm clearance) install a extra KMPKT 360W instead of the fans (with some adhesive thermal pad) and change the 160W AC-DC to a 300W (so 600 AC-DC in total).
Or use a mini card (1080 ti mini possible) and keep the fans. The extra KMPKT 360W is installed with standoffs on a custom plate (as with EATX). Or a 400W DC-DC HDplex (tight fit with wires against front plate and the lower 60 mm fan should be removed).
If you need more power for that I9, Threadripper or extreme GFX OC one can barely (< 1 mm clearance) install a extra KMPKT 360W instead of the fans (with some adhesive thermal pad) and change the 160W AC-DC to a 300W (so 600 AC-DC in total).
Or use a mini card (1080 ti mini possible) and keep the fans. The extra KMPKT 360W is installed with standoffs on a custom plate (as with EATX). Or a 400W DC-DC HDplex (tight fit with wires against front plate and the lower 60 mm fan should be removed).
Moving to ITX motherboards more options of course appear. Now it’s possible to install a 120mm AIO. 30 mm radiator and 25 mm fan is optimal as it leaves 10 mm for air intake or exhaust against the front plate. With a mini card (such as 1080 ti mini) it’s possible to have 2x 300W AC-DC HDplex, 2x KMPKT 360W and a 160W DC-DC for plenty of power to your system (OCed 1080 ti + OCed i7/i9).
Replacing one of the 300W AC-DC with an external brick would allow for longer GFXs (up to ~273 mm), both 60 mm fans.
If you can do with only 300W AC-DC, 1x KMPKT and 1x 160W DC-DC (24 pin) it allows for more SSDs to be installed below the GFX.
If you rather want to have an SFX (or SFX-L depending on GFX width/height) it can be placed were the AIO is. A small holder is installed and there is 26 mm room for the C14 power cord. With a SFX-L there is room for up to 6 2,5" drives below the GFX.
The SFX and AIO gets fresh air through the back of the case which isn’t supposed to be visible (wall mounted). Here you can also see all holes for motherboard, PSUs, SSDs and wall mount.
Replacing one of the 300W AC-DC with an external brick would allow for longer GFXs (up to ~273 mm), both 60 mm fans.
If you can do with only 300W AC-DC, 1x KMPKT and 1x 160W DC-DC (24 pin) it allows for more SSDs to be installed below the GFX.
If you rather want to have an SFX (or SFX-L depending on GFX width/height) it can be placed were the AIO is. A small holder is installed and there is 26 mm room for the C14 power cord. With a SFX-L there is room for up to 6 2,5" drives below the GFX.
The SFX and AIO gets fresh air through the back of the case which isn’t supposed to be visible (wall mounted). Here you can also see all holes for motherboard, PSUs, SSDs and wall mount.
The wall mount consists of a single 3 mm alu plate which you attach to the wall (one or two screws) (or a VESA 100) with a few spacers (so the plate is ~2 mm from the wall). 4 HDD screws is screwed in at the back of the case which is the anchoring points.
The four screws are equally spaced apart meaning that the case can be orientated in any of the four directions = left or right sided case is supported
With this mount design the mount is not visible yet the case is close to the wall giving a sleek look and impression that the case is "floating". The mounting system also allows for quick dismounting for travels. And the thin design allows for the case to fit in medium/large backpacks.
There might be a difference in temperature in the case directions which I will test. This setup leaves 7 mm of room for intake/exhaust for the SFX or AIO which should be plenty.
The four screws are equally spaced apart meaning that the case can be orientated in any of the four directions = left or right sided case is supported
With this mount design the mount is not visible yet the case is close to the wall giving a sleek look and impression that the case is "floating". The mounting system also allows for quick dismounting for travels. And the thin design allows for the case to fit in medium/large backpacks.
There might be a difference in temperature in the case directions which I will test. This setup leaves 7 mm of room for intake/exhaust for the SFX or AIO which should be plenty.
So far, the case will be in all aluminum. The front is not clean with a few holes and countersunk screws for the AC-DC and modding cubes. This could be hidden behind a colored acrylic sheet if necessary.
A RAW V2 case for material reference (see all images in imgur album links above):
Right now there is no clear cut out for a turn on switch. The hexagonal cuts are ~14 mm meaning 12 mm vandal switches could be installed with two spacer rings anywhere there is room. However, since the case is wall mounted I was looking at running the “on switch” wire to the back of the case so the switch could be installed at the table. Or just install this: http://www.silverstonetek.com/product.php?pid=714&area=en
I'm looking forward to test the thermals of the case. Hopefully Dan or KMPKT soon releases their coolers which will perform better than current CPU coolers (and perhaps enough for "quiet" I9 cooling). Or Cryorig releases their C7 in copper.
As mATX and ATX is supported means Threadripper can be installed . However, cooling it (or a I9) wont come silent
A cooler like the Dynatron A28 (SP3) is needed (currently the only TR4 cooler that can fit in the case) and a high RPM 92 or 80 mm fan might make it possible. For 25 mm thick fans the front panel needs to be milled a bit to allow for this 52 mm cooler combo height.
I hoped you liked the design so far and you will help me make it even better with some great ideas before I send the files for laser cutting
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