This takes a look at the 3D printed Naze32 case from NextFPV.
Asking price is $14.95 + postage.
Described as;
Home grown with our 3D printer, these little cases not only protect your Naze from “unscheduled” landings, also have a small piece of foam glued into the lid to cover the barometer, which if you have the Naze32 full, will help stabilise the pressure inside the barometer and protect it from sunlight, the result giving better altitude holding.
This is the first 3D printed item I have seen “in the flesh”, and whilst I’m aware the finish with some 3D printed things can be rough, I wasn’t expecting it to be this rough! However, it’s buried in the middle of the mini-quad, and this isn’t a fashion show.
The top lid has some open cell foam stuck to it, positioned to sit over the top of the Naze32’s barometer sensor.
The supplied 4 x M3 bolts are obviously steel. Simple magnet test:
Even though you can re-calibrate the magnetometer, I’m not sure having ferrous metal bolts so close to a magnetometer sensor is a good idea in the first place.
To totally avoid any problems, I’ll use some M3 nylon bolts I have from HobbyKing.
Being non-ferrous, you could also use aluminium bolts.
Anyway… the holes in the top lid need to be drilled out so that any M3 bolts will pass through – best to use a drill press, to avoid drilling off-angle and damaging the bosses. I hope you have a drill press?
Case bolted together with M3 nylon bolts.
In real-world use, when installed in the frame, it becomes immediately obvious you can no longer see the LEDs from side-on.
I’m not fussed about the red and blue LEDs, but I sure as hell want to see the green LED, for visual confirmation of motors being armed/not armed. (Bright blue LED seen here above the case is the Bluetooth adapter LED).
Here the case is affixed to the Blackout’s PDB with 3mm anti-vibration self-adhesive foam.
I was thinking about filing some of the side wall off, to help reveal the green LED more, but there is a narrow squint angle where you can see the LEDs.
It’s not as easy, but you get used to standing over it, where you can see the LEDs.
(The blue LED seen immediately under the battery is from the Bluetooth adapter)
Inside a case, the Naze32 board is certainly less vulnerable, but the lid will no doubt need to come off periodically to clean out dust and dirt that will inevitably get in.
