Qidi X-Max Raspberry Pi Camera rev2.2 + LED mount

This mount is a design based on the principles shown in the Qidi X-Plus X-Max Octoprint Raspberry Pi Camera Bracket by cwills7. It extends my original remix with LED mounting wings. They are aligned with the camera orientation and make it possible to see the initial layers when the print just started. This was not possible with the old design - the original light source in the printer always created shadows on top of the print because the print head was most of the time between the LEDs and the print itself.

It allows the mounting of the Raspberry Pi Camera (C) Rev 2.2 on the top of the door frame of the Qidi X-Max. Two different orientations of the camera are possible. The preferred orientation is putting the flex cable to the top - requiring a software rotation by 180 degree to avoid upside down images in OctoPi.

Additional materials required:

• raspberry pi with 15-pin MIPI camera interface (CSI)
• 1m flex cable for 15-pin MIPI camera interface (CSI)
• 2x short M2 screws for mounting the camera
• 1x long (>= 8mm) M2.5 screw for securing it to the inside of the door frame
• (optional) foam tape as soft (stabilizing) layer between the door frame and the mounting block
• (optional) tape to secure the flex cable inside the 3d printer
• CoP LEDs
• DC-DC Buck converter as LED driver
• Wire
• Soldering iron + solder
• (optionally) some screw terminals

Please make sure to you a head resistant filament because the LEDs can get rather hot. ASA seems to work fine for us.

Print Settings

Printer:

Qidi X-Max

Supports: 

Yes

Resolution:

0.12mm

Infill: 

20% Gyroid

Filament: Polymaker PolyLite ASA black

Notes:

Concentric support with support interface was used for the screw hole (and no support for any other part of the mount)

Installation LEDs

The first step is to adjust the step down converter. If you never used one before, please read/watch some tutorials. The voltage on the mainboard is 24V (input voltage of the step down converter) and we want 6.8V (for LEDs in serial) as output voltage. Don't forget to also limit the current to 700mA max - I've used roughly 200-300mA to dimm the LEDs to 1.3-2W.

There are various 3d housings designs for XL4016 based step down converter. Please make sure to print one and then mount it (with double sided tape) next to the Qidi mainboard. The input has to be connected to the LED output pins on the mainboard. Just remove the connector, unscrew the cables, insert own cables in parallel, tighten the screws again and reinsert the connector into its old place on the mainboard.

Put some wires next to the original wires from the step down converter to the top of the front panel. I've also attached the ends on the top to some screw terminals to make it easier for me to remove and add the LED mount without having to use my soldering iron inside the 3D printer.

The LEDs I've used will be installed in parallel to the original ones. So just put some (for me yellow) wire between + of one LED to the - of another LED. The cables will be put later through the guiding holes on the top of the mount - so make sure to check if it fits fine before you solder them on. Also put some (red) wire to the + of the first LED and some (black) wire to the - of the second LED. These must be long enough to reach the screw terminals.

The LED are press fit installed. First insert them in an angle (the side with the cable should be the farthest away from the actual mount) and then carefully press on the top part until the LEDs snap in. Make sure that you correctly inserted them and are not blocked by some parts of the mount because the LED PCB slightly tilted.

The backside is open to allow some dissipation of heat - enough when not running the LEDs at full power. But it is also possible to install some other means to get rid of the heat.

Installation of camera in Qidi X-Max

1. (optional) attach one or two foam tape stripes at the case mounting block (in the area which will be looking downwards)
2. Put flex cable through the top hole (assuming the camera should be installed with flex cable connector at the top)
3. connect camera to flex cable
4. use M2 screws to secure the camera to the mount
5. put case mounting block over the rod in the center, above the door frame (make sure that the camera is below the housing frame but the PCB is hold tight between door frame and mount)
6. use M2.5 screw to secure the mount to the case
7. (optional) use some tape to secure the flex cable above the door frame
8. run down the flex cable to the right/left of the door frame
9. connect the raspberry pi to the other end of the flex cable