Octoprint/Raspberry Pi Mounting (with POE) for Prusa XL 1T/2T

I have been a long time user of Octoprint and wanted to have a sleek, “factory intended" design for mounting a raspberry pi on my Prusa XL. Observing current open source designs out there, they usually mount on the side of the rails which just looks unusual/messy to me and cable management nightmare. After some evaluation, I found that on the 2T variant where the third power supply goes leaves a huge opportunity to mount a raspberry that is also adjacent to the Buddy board. This would also allow for a short, direct connection to the buddy board and any external wiring to be hidden in the rear of the printer. 

Another critical design element I wanted to incorporate was some level of POE power. I wanted to maintain my XL as stock as much as possible and did not want to mess with the wiring given if I intended to upgrade to the 5T at a later time. Performing some research, a majority of the RPi PoE hats I found were unreliable, expensive, and limited use cases Thus, I settled on using a POE splitter that could provide the power required via USB cable and would allow for a future reuse if I ever end up removing my RPi. 

Furthermore, I wanted to incorporate some level of cable management to give it that factory intended look, thus I've included some cable wrapping mount options. In my configuration, I plan on one cable connecting to the buddy board, and another cable for my webcam. Both of these are secured to the cover from the interior. 

Couple of notes/considerations:

1. I did intentionally use 3 mm screws (vs. 2.5 mm screws) for mounting the RPi. I didn't see the need for having such a one-off size screw, and quite frankly is widely popular in similar mounting configurations. You may need to drill the RPI PWB slightly larger to accommodate screw size. 

2. The cable wrap was designed around my cable selections. If you use a larger OD/length cable than I did, you may struggle to fit it on the provided solution. However, I did also intentionally size it in mind if I wanted to add a 5V fan to help cool the RPi in the future. 

3. The model was designed for RPi 4B+. I have not reviewed any of the existing RPi models mounting features to see if it is compatible. Proceed at your own risk if you are attempting to install another RPi variant. 

4. While not obvious, I did embed magnets into the base/cover such that you can easily remove the cover without any tools. Do not forget to pause the print to embed your magnets. 

5. This obviously does not work for the Prusa XL 5T, however, I have not validated that this fits on the 1T, however I have high confidence that it should. 

6. I've provided STEP files for blank cover to allow anyone to remix their own cable management (or accessory) options. 

Assembly Instructions:

1. Attach POE splitter to base plate with zip ties through openings. It is critical that the latch is to one of the sides of the POE splitter. Otherwise, you will have interference with the cover when you install it.

2. Install RPi to base plate with Qty 4 of M3 x 6 mm screws.

3. Attach cabling from POE splitter to RPi (RJ45 and USB C). Note, you must pass the USB C under the “bridge” of the POE splitter to ensure that there is enough bend radii for the cable and not to strain the connector on the RPi.

4. Install the base plate to the Prusa XL using Qty 2 of M3 x 10 mm screws as shown in provided photos.

5. If applicable, attach cable wraps to top cover using Qty 4 of M3 x 10 screws from underside of cover. 

6. If applicable, install appropriate USB cables to RPi.

7. Prior to attaching cover to base, ensure the POE splitter cables are within the floor of the base plate. Attach cover to the base plate through magnets. 

Bill of Materials: 

Print BOM: