Solarbotics Raspberry Pi 3 SAFE Assembly...

Dave Hrynkiw
April 25, 2016

The instructions for assembling the Pi v3 and the previous acrylic Pi SAFE are quite similar. The only difference between the models is the location of the LED light pipes, so these Pi3 instructions apply generally to all Pi SAFE versions.

1. Your Parts!

IMG_1378-parts
Step 1: Parts
  • 8 x 4-40 nuts
  • 8 x 4-40 x 3/8" bolts
  • 2 x Clear acrylic light-pipes
  • 4 x Black acrylic spacers
  • 6 x Black acrylic SAFE sides (shown here with brown protective paper already removed)
  • 0 x Raspberry Pi (sorry - not included in the kit!)

2. The Baseplate

IMG_1379-Screws and spacers
Step 2: Baseplate preparation

Find 4 of the 4-40 x 3/8" bolts, and put them through the baseplate, and press the spacers on from the other side. Thee bolts will sort of stay put until you can get the Raspberry Pi on the baseplate. (If adding to a VESA mount, do only 2 diagonal screws)

3. Adding the Raspberry Pi

IMG_1382-Pi_mounted copy
Step 3: Mounting the Pi to the baseplate

Slide the Raspberry Pi onto the bolts. The Pi is designed for metric M3 hardware, but we're still using imperial #4 hardware, which is a smidge bigger. The bolts may need to be screwed through the holes in the Pi.

Add the #4 nuts, and tighten them down.

 4. Adding 3 of the 4 Sides

IMG_1383-mount_sides
Step 4: 3 of the 4 sides to be added to the baseplate

Arrange the sides as shows. The sideplate on the top in this image has the long cutout to accommodate a ribbon cable from the 40-pin expansion port. The front faceplate on the right (with the label engravings face-down) is for the communications side. The sideplate on the bottom has the ports for the power, video, and audio I/O.

Align them all up on the baseplate, and use a pair of 4-40 nuts and bolts to lock them in place.

5. Adding the SD-Card / LightPipe Faceplate

IMG_1385-lightpipes_1
Step 5a: Preparing for lightpipes

Lay the final side faceplate face-down beside the assembly, and pop the clear lightpipe parts out of their holder. It is not necessary to strip the paper off this part.

Sandwich the two lightpipes together, and push them into the lightpipe indicator hole. They will sit a bit loose until the faceplate is attached to the baseplate.

IMG_1388-lightpipes_2
Step 5b: Lightpipe assembly

Carefully assemble this assembly to the baseplate, and finish attaching it with the remaining 4-40 nuts and bolts.

Step 6: Top Plate mounting

Notch the top plate into the slots in the rear faceplate, and gently flex the frontplate out to let the tab snap into place. You're ready to power up, with full access to the indication LEDs on the Pi mainboard via the lightpipes!

IMG_1391-final
Complete!

.

MORE POSTS

January 22, 2010
Sensors, sensors, sensors & custome...

Alriiiiight. We've teased at it off and on for the past little while, but it's official - Solarbotics now carries sensors! Right now we've just added a big fist-full of distance / proximity sensors (17 items in total!), and a couple accessories. Stay tuned - we'll be adding more to these categories as well as […]

July 6, 2012
New Product Friday: Cowboy Touchscreens,...

It's once again Friday, and you know what that means - new stuff! And, on this particular Friday in Calgary "Cowboyland" Alberta, it's the start of the 100th Calgary Stampede. This is a pretty big deal, or so we hear, judging from the rampant "yee-haws" that are shouted into the July air with surprising frequency […]

January 18, 2012
SOPA / PIPA - Slingshots from Abroad

We're a Canadian Company, but the impact of the over-zealously worded American Legislation H.R.3261 "Stop Online Piracy Act" and S.968 "PROTECT IP" will affect foreign Internet sites. Being a central backbone to the Internet, the USA has an uncomfortably large influence on the rest of the English-speaking web, and so it's of our Canadian interest […]

February 9, 2011
Interesting Mini-sumo build

This mini-sumo design by Jeremy Bloyd-Peshkin features our wheels, and one of our favourite building materials, Sintra. We can't laser-cut sintra (PVC=bad stuff when burned), but milling it works well, as this builder shows. The asymmetric motor layout works, as proven by this contest-winning design (scroll to the bottom of the page).

1 34 35 36 37 38 253
Solarbotics Ltd Logo
Solarbotics has been operating for more than 25 years, bringing electronics know-how and supplies to both the electronics professional and hobbyist. We'll be happy to help you too!

Solarbotics, Ltd. is not responsible for misprints or errors on product prices or information. For more information, please see our Terms and Conditions.

Warning: This product contains chemicals known to the State of California to cause cancer and birth defects or other reproductive harm.
Please visit www.P65Warnings.ca.gov for more information. This item was manufactured prior to August 31, 2018.

cart