Introduction

In June 2024, at the Computex IT fair, Fractal Design unveiled an elegant case designed for single-board computers, inspired by their popular North gaming PC case. Initially intended as a marketing novelty, the North Pi case quickly gained traction, leading to multiple community-driven projects for replicating it on 3D printing platforms like Printables.

Design and Printing

Although the North Pi case won’t be mass-produced, Fractal Design has generously released all necessary STL files along with a detailed assembly guide for enthusiasts to print and assemble the case on their own. We followed suit and printed this stylish case for our Raspberry Pi 4, equipped with 8GB of RAM. According to Fractal, this case is also compatible with the Raspberry Pi 5 and the Radxa Rock 4C Plus.

During our initial attempt at printing the case, we did encounter some challenges. Therefore, we decided to share our experiences along with tips and minor modifications that could enhance the success rate of your project.

Preparations

To embark on this DIY adventure, you will require a few tools and materials. Firstly, a 3D printer is essential for producing the case components. Additionally, a temperature-controlled soldering iron is necessary for melting threaded inserts into the case, which are crucial for securing the Raspberry Pi inside. You’ll need a total of 13 M2.5 threaded inserts with an outer diameter of 3.5 mm, along with an equal number of M2.5 × 6 mm screws. Having some super glue handy is also advisable for fixing certain parts.

Conclusion

The chance to create your very own Fractal North Pi case for the Raspberry Pi opens up exciting opportunities for customization and personalization in the burgeoning world of DIY tech projects. If you are a Raspberry Pi enthusiast looking to enhance your setup, this project is not to be missed.

For further details, you can read the original article here from Heise.