Project: Helios - concept, design and planning

[Langer]

Hello everyone, Langer here.
I've been and active posting member in the computer modding community since about 2004. Some of you may have seen my last large project - a case mod called project: PrometheusCU. That project is soon coming to an end and I an beginning the planning phase of my next massive case-mod project.

I'm calling my next mod project: Helios

Note that this is the third and final (for now) revision before this plan hits 3D mock-ups.

A quick overview of the features and design details of the design:
- Room enough for and easy access to 2x420mm Radiators
- Integrated reservoirs and 4xPumps
- Constructed from 0.25" Grade 38 Titanium plate
- Motherboard can be removed without disconnect from tubing or wire harness
- All wires are run out the top and back of the chassis, which also creates a storage cavity
- Absolutely no visible fasteners on the chassis
- The case will be held together without the use of screws, fasteners, bolts, or adhesives
- Will features 2 independent cooling loops
- Blacked-out and filtered air intakes in the chassis
- Side panels will be removable in seconds without any latch, fastener, or tool
- All bolts, fittings, and hardware will made from be stainless steel
- All bushed and nickel plated cooling gear
- All tubes and wires will be sleeved in milspec quality nylon multifilament sleeving
- There will be no side windows, instead the components will be exposed to the elements
- The entire chassis will feature some type of exotic coating, such as a rubberizing perhaps

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Here's change-log for revision3.0:
1) Pumps have been flipped and are now side mounted - pumping upwards
2) Custom reservoirs replaced with EK (possible IandH) options mounted directly to pump-top
3) Tubing layout redesigned to consider a more efficient routing
4) Much more finite consideration of power and data wire routing
5) Altered position and orientation of modified PSU, fan now blows up and wires run out the front/back of the PSU
6) Moved location of chassis USB ports and power switch to the motherboard tray backplane

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Revision 3.0 Side and Top views with cooling loops:
*click for huge*


Side and Top views with parts only:
*click for huge*


Side and Top views of empty chassis:
*click for huge*


Side view detailing roughly how the wires will be routed, note how the wires are fed out both the front and back of the PSU:
*click for huge*


Here's a very rough perspective view of the bottom most cavity, showing how the pumps, PSU, and reservoirs are oriented:
*click for huge*


Here's a perspective side view to add a bit of depth, this just details some of the design features:
*click for huge*


Taking into the account the vast array of suggestions on the latching/fastener method I made a revision. This particular design was suggested by Oldnewby - thanks mate:

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If you have any comments, suggestions of opinions on the design please share them.
I'm looking for some critical feedback on my design before it hits the fabrication stage, and any issue no matter how small can be overlooked.

Thanks for the suggestions and help everyone - watch this space in the coming weeks as this design unfolds to become a reality.



*j

 

[CurseTheSky]

It looks... very ambitious. I'm definitely waiting to see how this one goes together. This has the potential to be the next Murderbox in my eyes.

 

[Langer]

Thanks a lot man, Murdermod is certainly something to aspire to (I've actually been trying to sit down and have coffee with Charles of Murdermod, here in Vancouver, for a little while now, but our schedules seem to consistently conflict)


Please feel free to comment.


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Tiny update - I met with my 3D artist/animator a couple days ago and were under-way to begin the 3D mock-ups + sexy motion graphics videos

I've also begin the branding of this case - I've been working on the feel, logo, colour scheme, and mythology behind the design.

*j

 

[Langer]

There has been quite a number of comments on my illustrations, so I'd like to take a moment to explain how they are created.

All the drawings are done in Adobe Illustrator (version CS2 drawn entirely on my teeny-tiny eeePC 1008HA)

The perspective technique used is called projection mapping and has been around since the renaissance. The process involves using top and side views projected in a 3D space to create accurate perspective.
*click for huge*



I didn't include any of the illustrations from revision's 1 and 2, however I'll include them here below.

PLEASE NOTE THAT THE FOLLOWING DESIGNS ARE EARLY REVISIONS AND HAVE BEEN UPDATED WITH THE ABOVE CONCEPT

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REVISION 1.O
ISO View:

Exploded View:

Open side view with cooling loops and airflow:

Open side view with cooling loops:

Open side view:

Open top view:

Bottom view:

Parts schematic PDF:
*click for PDF download*


Measurements ~24"x24"x8"

 

[Langer]

PLEASE NOTE THAT THE FOLLOWING DESIGNS ARE EARLY REVISIONS AND HAVE BEEN UPDATED WITH THE ABOVE CONCEPT

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REVISION 2.0
This revision see's the following changes:
- new, smaller, custom reservoirs made from 0.25" acrylic
- revised construction material from 6mm aluminum to 0.25" titanium
- altered dimensions to accommodate 420mm radiators
- completed the PSU installation and wiring configuration (not shown below)
- adjusted loop orientation for cleanliness
- altered air-flow direction
- augmented fastener design (not sown below)
- new space for SSDs, eight in total
- the motherboard try no-longer 'slots' into the bottom as it did in the first revision, instead it there is a space accentuating how it hangs from the top
- more are was taken into removing the motherboard tray, it will now easily slide out the top
- whereas before only the left side panel was removable, now they will both be totally removable (in seconds without any fasteners or latches)

*click for huge*

Here you can note the new size to allow for the 2x 420mm Rads (Hardware Labs GTX420)
The fans will be Noiseblocker PK3's (7 of them)
The new reservoirs will need to be custom made, I'm leaning towards having them mill from solid acrylic
I've also added 4x SSD racks, to-be mounted directly to the radiators, this will allow for a total of 8xSSDs to be installed.
There is exactly enough room in the bottom section to mount a stripped down and modified Corsair HX1000


*click for huge*

Apart from the rads, and the reservoirs the design is pretty much the same as it was.
All the dimensions are completely different however

The airflow is now pulled from both the front ad the back.
Since there is no side window, and the components are totally exposed the air will simply vent out the bottom and the sides.
A couple of really quick mock-ups to make some of the details and the airflow more apparent.




*click for PDF download*

Take a closer look, download the PDF and give the parts a once, over.

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Don't forget to become a participating fan of JLI on Facebook for all kinds of insider information, prize opportunities, and special treats. JLI Facebook Page

Thanks again, and tune in soon.

*j

 

[Langer]

A user by the name of NFC over on the XS forums presented a very interesting point to me this afternoon. I think it would be a good opportunity to share the concern, and express my beliefs and intentions.

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NFC put this concern before me:

It's beautiful. I'm also concerned that case manufacturers might try to glean potential IP from it.

Like, I would hope you would want to share the ideas with the community for their own personal projects, but you give an awful amount of insight to people who could lock others out from doing it.

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Here's my response:
You present an interesting point, however the mass publication of this project across about 35forums, the 6000+ image views per day, and the collaboration with sponsors (coming soon) is a pretty big deterrent. It would be very easy to defend this in an IP battle, considering that there is clear evidence that I published it first technically I'd have rights.

Regardless of all that, absolute worst case scenario (pun intended): I have dozens of other designs floating around up in the old noggin, I'll just move onto a new one. I plan on releasing my own line of cases in the coming future - this project is merely a bloated prequel.

I do this because I absolutely love doing it. Moreover I love to share, get feedback and work collaboratively with the community - if I get shafted by some manufacturer of cases then sobeit. In the long-run it would better benefit everyone if the idea was ripped off - it's about time we saw someone rethinking this sh*t on mass scale (key word being think... there's alot of useless plastic bullsh*t cases out there that put 0 thought into enthusiast usage)

Truth be told - I conceived the entire concept in an afternoon, with the exception of maintaining the threads that go along with it I have only about 30 or so hours invested so-far.



The following is quoted from my website's about-me page:

Question: Why do you share your UX resources so openly? (this mantra applies to all my design, not just UX)

Too long has the high-tech industry been protecting it’s interests through, what I have titled, the acquire and archive model. Which entails buying out conflicting ideas, or merging with competitors in the interest of shelving perfectly viable and beneficial technologies. I believee in the spirit of open co-opatition, abelieff which stresses the idea of sharing knowledge with everyone -especiallyy competitors. Because it’s only when we embrace new-age movements like open-source development, and the digitization of the worlds libraries that we will really be able to take the next step.

If I were to fully consider the issue you have presented I would be breaking my core principal.
If I stop sharing, then I stop getting critical feedback, and I don't get to potentially inspire others (a deep honor in my opinion)
If I patent the design I become the very evil I try to contradict.




On an up-note: I'll continue to share me ideas on a finite level - with the intention to have the community guide my decisions.
There will be mock-ups and 3D visualizations to come soon.

I love little mental paradoxes, and I tend to over think things. As I sit here contemplating this situation I keep thinking about the barber paradox:

Suppose there is a town with just one male barber; and that every man in the town keeps himself clean-shaven: some by shaving themselves, some by attending the barber. It seems reasonable to imagine that the barber obeys the following rule: He shaves all and only those men in town who do not shave themselves.
Under this scenario, we can ask the following question: Does the barber shave himself?
Asking this, however, we discover that the situation presented is in fact impossible:
If the barber does not shave himself, he must abide by the rule and shave himself.
If he does shave himself, according to the rule he will not shave himself.

 

[WoodButcher]

I'm watching this on another forum but like this conversation so I'm in here too. If someone copies my work or methods I take it as a compliment. I've been in the trades for many moons and have had students / helpers of mine try to undercut my rates a time or two. Not the same as this situation but similar, and more than one occasion the client has come to me with this info to which my answer is simple; "hire them", they're cheaper......

Haven't lost a client yet.

 

[daw123]

I'm watching this on another forum but like this conversation so I'm in here too. If someone copies my work or methods I take it as a compliment. I've been in the trades for many moons and have had students / helpers of mine try to undercut my rates a time or two. Not the same as this situation but similar, and more than one occasion the client has come to me with this info to which my answer is simple; "hire them", they're cheaper......

Haven't lost a client yet.

Are you quoting this from the OP, someone else or is this you?

 

[Langer]

I believe his post is entirely his own, and was a response to my long-winded comment above addressing concerns of patents and such.

 

[WoodButcher]

I believe his post is entirely his own, and was a response to my long-winded comment above addressing concerns of patents and such.

Not too long winded, just,,,, detailed.
Yeah daw, sorry for the confusion, that's me.

 

[alfa147x]

I'm looking forward to this build! Looks promising

"Liked" on Facebook!

 

[Langer]

Thanks a lot guys.

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I've scratched my head at this patenting dilemma all day now... and here's what I've done for the modder's everywhere:

<--click for details

I've put a creative commons licence on the design

You are free:
to Share &#8212; to copy, distribute and transmit the work
to Remix &#8212; to adapt the work

Under the following conditions:
Attribution &#8212; You must attribute the work in the manner specified by the author or licensor (but not in any way that suggests that they endorse you or your use of the work).
Noncommercial &#8212; You may not use this work for commercial purposes.
Share Alike &#8212; If you alter, transform, or build upon this work, you may distribute the resulting work only under the same or similar license to this one.

With the understanding that:
Waiver &#8212; Any of the above conditions can be waived if you get permission from the copyright holder.
Other Rights &#8212; In no way are any of the following rights affected by the license:

Your fair dealing or fair use rights;
Apart from the remix rights granted under this license, the author's moral rights;
Rights other persons may have either in the work itself or in how the work is used, such as publicity or privacy rights.

 

[daw123]

Not too long winded, just,,,, detailed.
Yeah daw, sorry for the confusion, that's me.

Thats okay.

OP, this looks as if it will be a very interesting project. Good luck and keep us updated

 

[Langer]

I will certainly do my best to please mate. Thanks again.

 

[Langer]

Greetings,

There's been a small change of plans... I'm having some custom super high-tech 0.25"thick carbon fiber panels made for this project, as opposed to the titanium as planned. I may still make one from Ti because the idea excites me, but the short term will not see that happening.

When the carbon arrives in a couple weeks, I'll begin cutting.
For fun today I decided to throw together a prototype... at least that was the plans before it took me near 6hrs to make.
It ended up taking a long time because the art framing board was really REALLY tricky to cut with a little type-A x-acto. this unfortunately also affected the bud quality as well... but im still fairly pleased.

I'll let the pics do the rest. I present the latest iteration made from Art Framing Board and Silicone Tape.

 

[Langer]

What do you think? Leave a comment, let me know while there's still time to change plans before I begin cutting.

*j

 

[WoodButcher]

I like your ideas, I don't envy you the task though! What is cutting carbon fiber like, and do you need to finish the cut edges? How? Do you plan paint or what for a finish?

 

[Langer]

Thank's a lot mate. Luckily I'm going to CNC router the panels to size myself - I've been working with this material for the better half of my life, and I really love working with it, it's a great material to use. The panels are being custom manufactured to a pretty hefty 1/4" and will contain some pretty space-aged materials and resins. I'm going to have the panels be black - but they wont have the same weave pattern you know carbon for.

The look of the panels will be similar, and thinner to the below:

------
The above wasn't my first attempt at fabricating this design in this method.

First I made a smaller iteration - 30%, whereas the above prototype is 40% scale - however lack of experience in working with the Framing board and attempts to glue the thing together lead to a failure.

As you'll see in the images below, at first I tried to make it in a printer friendly card-stock... but it was too flimsy and I didn't feel like laminating several sheets together. This would prove to me a mistake later on, lol.

I glued the cardtock pieces that I had printed and cut earlier to a sheet of Framing board. My intention was to use the printed pieces as guides, without realizing just how hard it is to cut Framing board... let along Framing board with an extra layer of cardstock and some hardened white-glue.

I'll share with you my first attempt nonetheless, it will still give some insight into my method and tools.

Again, pictures talk:

 

[Langer]

Take care,

*j

 

[thilanliyan]

Good luck with the build. Looks cool.

 

[zCypher]

Sweeet. Keep us posted!
and good luck of course

 

[Langer]

Thank you very much guys, I'll do my best to please.

 

[aigomorla]

ur building the case out of wood?

i thought itwas gonna be done in alu no?

it looks like a very nice project.

hope to see more of it soon.

 

[Langer]

Wood?... Dude, just...no.
What gave you that idea.

The initial plan was to use Titanium, but there's been some interesting advanced in Carbon Fiber that make it a more appealing material... read the thread if you're going to post please.

 

[aigomorla]

Wood?... Dude, just...no.
What gave you that idea.

The initial plan was to use Titanium, but there's been some interesting advanced in Carbon Fiber that make it a more appealing material... read the thread if you're going to post please.

no thats what i thought... but u started having all these wood cut outs, and then you started building with the wood cut outs.

So i was a bit confused.

Also i would love to see a case in carbon fiber.
I wanted to get a customized shell for a chiller made out of carbon fiber, but gave up on the idea when i realized it would cost almost as much as the chiller.