End game for this project?

[erilor]

I have been looking through this repo but I can't find what the end goal is here (could be that I'm lacking in reading comprehension =) ). Will DvidMakesThings sell these (how/where?)? Is there a kickstarter coming...?

Awesome project anyhow! Have been looking for something like this, but nothing I've found seems nearly as good as this.

[DvidMakesThings]

Yeah, fair question. The end goal is simply to finish and validate the hardware first, and to nail CE compliance.
Right now, I’m waiting for PCBWay to manufacture the first aluminum enclosure, and I’m working with NextPCB on the PCB production.
Once everything is done and tested, the plan is to release the project on Crowd Supply, where I’ve already started to set up the project.

[majoracehole]

Do you think having a 3D printed enclosure would be feasible - or would you have concerns over e.g. temperature/robustness? I don't think my 3D skills are good enough (yet) to design one but if it were to exist then it could make the project a bit easier/fun to build!

[DvidMakesThings]

Do you think having a 3D printed enclosure would be feasible - or would you have concerns over e.g. temperature/robustness? I don't think my 3D skills are good enough (yet) to design one but if it were to exist then it could make the project a bit easier/fun to build!

Short version: a 3D-printed bench enclosure is fine for prototyping, but I don’t want to position a printed case as a “real” enclosure for a 230 V PDU.

Main reasons:

• Safety / PE: The enclosure for a mains PDU really should be bonded to protective earth. With a fully plastic printed box you lose that extra safety layer. If something lets go inside, I’d rather have it hit a grounded metal can than a brittle plastic wall.
• Mechanical robustness: Printed PLA/PETG/etc. are nowhere near a stamped/bent steel chassis. Drop, torque on the IEC connectors, repeated plugging/unplugging, shipping abuse… I don’t trust a printed shell to survive that without cracking and potentially exposing live parts.
• Temperature & fire: Under a fault (or just abuse) you can get hot spots. Most hobby filaments are not rated for this kind of application (no UL94 rating, softening/melting well below what I’d be comfortable with around 230 V).
• EMC: A plastic box is basically transparent RF-wise. Even with “conductive” filament you’re not getting anything close to a proper shield. For a noisy digital + mains thing, a metal enclosure is just the sane choice.

So 3D printing is perfect for rapid prototyping and that’s exactly what I used earlier in the project. But for the final version I’m treating the printed case as a dead end: the only 3D printed pieces I use are internal bits (insulator, front-panel light diffuser, button caps), not the main housing.

If someone wants to design and print their own enclosure for personal use, that’s of course up to them, but the “official” recommendation for this project will be a proper metal 10″ rack enclosure that can be PE-bonded.

[majoracehole]

Sounds very fair! All very good reasons - thanks.
I had originally assumed having a grounded box was of benefit but then glanced at my plastic laptop charger and briefly wondered about alternatives...but my knowledge of the standards involved is very limited!