[SOLVED] New user stuck trying to create Arduino enclosure

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JPJ
Posts: 6
Joined: Fri Jan 21, 2022 3:25 pm

[SOLVED] New user stuck trying to create Arduino enclosure

Post by JPJ »

I installed FreeCAD on my Mac this morning and made progress watching YouTube tutorials. I was able to draw a box with dimensions but couldn't figure out how to make the back plane a separate piece and cut a rectangular hole in the front.

My goal is to submit a CAD drawing to a 3D printing service and have some enclosures made, similar to the photo below of the LCD display mounted in a cardboard box (that box is not the desired dimensions).

The CAD drawing needs to have a 71mm by 24mm hole in the front. The back of the box needs to be removable and preferably snap-on for assembly. The box itself will be 90 x 90 x 40. The back of the box will need a 10 x 10 hole in the lower area of for the power cord.

Any advice on how to draw the opening and make the back separate would be appreciated. If there is a tutorial somewhere that describes the general principles and methods for doing that I would be happy to watch it. Thanks in advance for any advice.
Attachments
IMG_0319.jpeg
IMG_0319.jpeg (214.78 KiB) Viewed 2205 times
Screen Shot 2022-01-21 at 7.26.28 AM.png
Screen Shot 2022-01-21 at 7.26.28 AM.png (757.29 KiB) Viewed 2205 times
Last edited by JPJ on Sun Jan 23, 2022 1:10 am, edited 1 time in total.
drmacro
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Joined: Sun Mar 02, 2014 4:35 pm

Re: New user stuck trying to create Arduino enclosure

Post by drmacro »

Just sketch the opening.

This example shows a simple flat panel. (And I I used the symmetry constraint to centre the whole panel. You should always favour geometric constraints over dimensional.)
Attachments
FrontPanel.FCStd
(14.46 KiB) Downloaded 16 times
Snip macro screenshot-84e85e.png
Snip macro screenshot-84e85e.png (93.42 KiB) Viewed 2191 times
Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan: Spock: "...His pattern indicates two-dimensional thinking."
domad
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Joined: Mon Jun 22, 2020 12:16 pm

Re: New user stuck trying to create Arduino enclosure

Post by domad »

JPJ wrote: Fri Jan 21, 2022 3:47 pm ....
Hi JPJ, hello to the Community!
A basic example (to work on / modify) of box Composition.
Attachments
Box.FCStd
(267.08 KiB) Downloaded 15 times
box.png
box.png (141.62 KiB) Viewed 2153 times
JPJ
Posts: 6
Joined: Fri Jan 21, 2022 3:25 pm

Re: New user stuck trying to create Arduino enclosure

Post by JPJ »

Thank you domad! That gives me an excellent example to use and learn from.

Thanks too drmacro for you reply. I have downloaded your sketch too.
deffo
Posts: 14
Joined: Wed Jan 19, 2022 11:16 pm

Re: New user stuck trying to create Arduino enclosure

Post by deffo »

This is the video that I started with. This guy makes it so simple. maybe it helps you.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Yee1pSqTLg
JPJ
Posts: 6
Joined: Fri Jan 21, 2022 3:25 pm

Re: New user stuck trying to create Arduino enclosure

Post by JPJ »

@deffo and @Shalmeneser - Thanks very much. I will definitely check those out.
JPJ
Posts: 6
Joined: Fri Jan 21, 2022 3:25 pm

Re: New user stuck trying to create Arduino enclosure

Post by JPJ »

@domad - I was able to load your file and it looks perfect for my project, thanks!

Can you (or anyone) tell me how to review and possibly change the dimensions? I tried double clicking on a couple different things and that didn’t work. I have some different sized displays I would like housings for.

Thanks!
domad
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Posts: 2053
Joined: Mon Jun 22, 2020 12:16 pm

Re: New user stuck trying to create Arduino enclosure

Post by domad »

JPJ wrote: Fri Jan 21, 2022 11:31 pm .....
I have some different sized displays I would like housings for.

Thanks!
Hello, greetings to the Community!
Attached is the file in which a spreadsheet has been inserted for changing the size of the display window.
Open the spreadsheet (double click) and change the values in the cells with a green background, the size of the window, in the 3D model, will change automatically.
Attachments
Box.FCStd
(240.08 KiB) Downloaded 13 times
JPJ
Posts: 6
Joined: Fri Jan 21, 2022 3:25 pm

Re: New user stuck trying to create Arduino enclosure

Post by JPJ »

@domad That's really cool!

FreeCAD is an amazing and powerful tool. I'll watch and read tutorials today to increase my knowledge level of using it. Thank you again for all of your help!
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