Introduction: 3D Printed PI-Scope Lab Tool

By Balearic Dynamics
About: Balearic Dynamics SL, owned by Enrico Miglino, is a R&D company located in Spain integrating technologies, creating new products and developing software and firmware components improving with low-cost tool…

Published by Element14 there is a very interesting Ben Heck episode, modding these three devices creating an oscilloscope. It is my opinion that this proposed version has some limitations, so I have searched how to develop a device architecture based on the Raspberry Pi integrating different features to support in the best way the daily lab activity.

First of all I aimed to make a robust support for the components keeping in the same time all the expansions ports open to any possible integration and development. It is not the first time that I try to box in a elegant way the Raspberry PI together with other parts like in this case, but this always means limiting some features of the device. The container has been based on the model presented on Instructables Raspberry PI Touch Screen Frame and Case Assembly Guide with some changes and adaptions.

The 3D printed assembly kit is available on Drobott: https://drobott.com/item/129/Raspberry-PI-7andquot...

Don't forget to use the Instructables 10% discount coupon DWQ0H19J

Step 1: The Design

There was some problems to solve making a full 3D printed case. For the reasons explained in the step above most of the parts should remain open giving accessibility to the GPIO ports of the Raspberry PI, USB etc.

As many other users, I use this Raspberry PI in many projects: mostly it is the lab oscilloscope (very responsive and reliable) but not only. There are plenty of other projects where I need the Raspberry PI together with the touch screen set. But in some cases is also useful the HDMI big screen, maybe I need to use if with a keyboard too and so on. To keep all the parts protected but all the connectors and expansion ports exposed - including the option to connect a camera to it if needed - the design has been structured in seven different components:

  • Three parts build the frame of the display
  • Three parts the back case
  • A small part keep the assembly in a vertical position with 15 Deg of slant for the better readability keeping accessible the touch screen features

The 3D images of the assembled model and the section design explain how the parts are assembled together in their final build. To make easy the assembly I have just used only M4 and M3 Allen screws and nuts that everyone can find to the nearest Walmart for few cents.

Step 2: Bitscope Micro for Raspberry PI

Seeing other ideas to assemble a Bitscope micro and Raspberry PI based oscilloscope, apparently it is a great idea to make available a compact and fully enclosed box. As it is shown in the image and well explained in the linked article the form factor of the Bitscope is like a small probe (this is one of its most interesting characteristics) with 8 digital channels, 2 analog channels and a function generator.

Enclosing all in a single box means limiting the features of the probe, easy to introduce it in small circuits. Last but not least the Bitscope micro includes a series of led signals completing the on-screen monitoring of the tested data.

Just for this reason The best solution I considered to adopt is just to keep the Bitscope probe external to the assembly.

Step 3: The Final Assembly

Assemble the seven pieces of the 3D printed case is extremely easy. it is sufficient to follow the same order of the 3D design components and the finished images shown above:

  1. Place the front frame on a flat surface
  2. Put the touch screen display over the frame with the screen side to the bottom
  3. Place the second large frame to the bottom
  4. Lock the parts with the four 10mm M4 Allen screws with the nuts
  5. Fix the bottom case of the Raspberry PI to the back protection of the touch screen board with the other four 10 mm M4 Allen screws
  6. Assemble the touch screen controller board and insert the flat cable, exiting it from the slot
  7. Join the two parts of the point 5. with the other four 10mm M4 Allen screws and nuts
  8. Fix the screen controller protection and the Raspberry PI case bottom side on the back of the LCD with the four 10mm M3 screws
  9. Fix the raspberry pi inside the bottom part (exposed) with the 4 2,9 mm Parker screws
  10. Insert the screen flat cable in the slot of the top cover of the Raspberry PI, then fix the flat cable inside the Raspberry PI connector
  11. Place the top cover case part over the Raspberry PI and lock it with the 4 longer Parker screws.

That's all! Power the device and go ahead.

For the correct connection of the boards and the Bitscope micro software download for the Raspberry PI, follow the tutorial on the Element14 site: https://www.element14.com/community/docs/DOC-78156...