Project: Helios - concept, design and planning

[Langer]

Hello everyone, Langer here - some of you may know me from the still in progress PrometheusCU case mod project, or perhaps even from my eeePC mods which help start the netbook modding craze.


First I'd like to give a brief introduction on who it is that I am:
I am a technologist and an experience designer; specializing in usability design.
Behind my work is a passion for innovation, firmly rooted in a love for technology.
In 2010 I graduated from the Digital Design program at Vancouver Film School.
Jesselang.ca was created as a forum to publish my work, thoughts, and discoveries.
JLI, jesse lang innovation, is my personal brand and the banner under which I work.

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I've been and active posting member in the computer modding community since about 2004. My last large project - a case mod called project: PrometheusCU is soon coming to an end and I am beginning the planning phase of my next massive case-mod project.

[Langer]

I'm calling my next mod project: Helios

Note that this is the third and final (for now) revision before this plan hits 3D mock-ups.

A quick overview of the features and design details of the design:
- Room enough for and easy access to 2x420mm Radiators
- Integrated reservoirs and 4xPumps
- Constructed from 0.25" Grade 38 Titanium plate
- Motherboard can be removed without disconnect from tubing or wire harness
- All wires are run out the top and back of the chassis, which also creates a storage cavity
- Absolutely no visible fasteners on the chassis
- The case will be held together without the use of screws, fasteners, bolts, or adhesives
- Will features 2 independent cooling loops
- Blacked-out and filtered air intakes in the chassis
- Side panels will be removable in seconds without any latch, fastener, or tool
- All bolts, fittings, and hardware will made from be stainless steel
- All bushed and nickel plated cooling gear
- All tubes and wires will be sleeved in milspec quality nylon multifilament sleeving
- There will be no side windows, instead the components will be exposed to the elements
- The entire chassis will feature some type of exotic coating, such as a rubberizing perhaps

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Here's change-log for revision3.0:
1) Pumps have been flipped and are now side mounted - pumping upwards
2) Custom reservoirs replaced with EK (possible IandH) options mounted directly to pump-top
3) Tubing layout redesigned to consider a more efficient routing
4) Much more finite consideration of power and data wire routing
5) Altered position and orientation of modified PSU, fan now blows up and wires run out the front/back of the PSU
6) Moved location of chassis USB ports and power switch to the motherboard tray backplane

[Langer]

Revision 3.0 Side and Top views with cooling loops:
*click for huge*
http://www.jesselang.ca/helios/image...loops-01-S.jpg


Side and Top views with parts only:
*click for huge*
http://www.jesselang.ca/helios/image...parts-01-S.jpg


Side and Top views of empty chassis:
*click for huge*
http://www.jesselang.ca/helios/image...assis-01-S.jpg


Side view detailing roughly how the wires will be routed, note how the wires are fed out both the front and back of the PSU:
*click for huge*
http://www.jesselang.ca/helios/image...wires-01-S.jpg


Here's a very rough perspective view of the bottom most cavity, showing how the pumps, PSU, and reservoirs are oriented:
*click for huge*
http://www.jesselang.ca/helios/image...-view-02-S.jpg


Here's a perspective side view to add a bit of depth, this just details some of the design features:
*click for huge*
http://www.jesselang.ca/helios/image...-view-01-S.jpg


Taking into the account the vast array of suggestions on the latching/fastener method I made a revision. This particular design was suggested by Oldnewby - thanks mate:
http://www.jesselang.ca/helios/image...steners-01.jpg

[Gizmo]

I've upgraded you to 'member' status, which gives you permission to upload attachments to posts (though you were almost there anyway, by postcount).

[Langer]

Thank you very much sir, you're a gentlemen and a scholar.

[Langer]

Don't forget to follow me over on Facebook:
Tune in on the JLI Facebook page for exclusive info, and prize opportunities.

BECOME A FAN OF JLI ON FACEBOOK

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If you have any comments, suggestions of opinions on the design please share them.
I'm looking for some critical feedback on my design before it hits the fabrication stage, and any issue no matter how small can be overlooked.

Thanks for the suggestions and help everyone - watch this space in the coming weeks as this design unfolds to become a reality.



*j

[Langer]

There has been quite a number of comments on my illustrations, so I'd like to take a moment to explain how they are created.

All the drawings are done in Adobe Illustrator (version CS2 drawn entirely on my teeny-tiny eeePC 1008HA)

The perspective technique used is called projection mapping and has been around since the renaissance. The process involves using top and side views projected in a 3D space to create accurate perspective.

*click for huge*
http://www.jesselang.ca/helios/image...spective-S.jpg

I didn't include any of the illustrations from revision's 1 and 2, however I'll include them here below.

PLEASE NOTE THAT THE FOLLOWING DESIGNS ARE EARLY REVISIONS AND HAVE BEEN UPDATED WITH THE ABOVE CONCEPT

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REVISION 1.O
ISO View:
http://www.jesselang.ca/helios/image...so-view-01.jpg

Exploded View:
http://www.jesselang.ca/helios/image...so-view-02.jpg

Open side view with cooling loops and airflow:
http://www.jesselang.ca/helios/image...ft-view-01.jpg

Open side view with cooling loops:
http://www.jesselang.ca/helios/image...ft-view-02.jpg

Open side view:
http://www.jesselang.ca/helios/image...ft-view-03.jpg

Open top view:
http://www.jesselang.ca/helios/image...op-view-01.jpg

Bottom view:
http://www.jesselang.ca/helios/image...om-view-01.jpg

Parts schematic PDF:
*click for PDF download*
http://www.jesselang.ca/helios/image...1-parts-01.jpg

Measurements ~24"x24"x8"
http://www.jesselang.ca/helios/image...rements-01.jpg

[Langer]

PLEASE NOTE THAT THE FOLLOWING DESIGNS ARE EARLY REVISIONS AND HAVE BEEN UPDATED WITH THE ABOVE CONCEPT

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REVISION 2.0
This revision see's the following changes:
- new, smaller, custom reservoirs made from 0.25" acrylic
- revised construction material from 6mm aluminum to 0.25" titanium
- altered dimensions to accommodate 420mm radiators
- completed the PSU installation and wiring configuration (not shown below)
- adjusted loop orientation for cleanliness
- altered air-flow direction
- augmented fastener design (not sown below)
- new space for SSDs, eight in total
- the motherboard try no-longer 'slots' into the bottom as it did in the first revision, instead it there is a space accentuating how it hangs from the top
- more are was taken into removing the motherboard tray, it will now easily slide out the top
- whereas before only the left side panel was removable, now they will both be totally removable (in seconds without any fasteners or latches)


*click for huge*
http://www.jesselang.ca/helios/image...-loop-01-S.jpg
Here you can note the new size to allow for the 2x 420mm Rads (Hardware Labs GTX420)
The fans will be Noiseblocker PK3's (7 of them)
The new reservoirs will need to be custom made, I'm leaning towards having them mill from solid acrylic
I've also added 4x SSD racks, to-be mounted directly to the radiators, this will allow for a total of 8xSSDs to be installed.
There is exactly enough room in the bottom section to mount a stripped down and modified Corsair HX1000


*click for huge*
http://www.jesselang.ca/helios/image...parts-01-S.jpg
Apart from the rads, and the reservoirs the design is pretty much the same as it was.
All the dimensions are completely different however


The airflow is now pulled from both the front ad the back.
Since there is no side window, and the components are totally exposed the air will simply vent out the bottom and the sides.
A couple of really quick mock-ups to make some of the details and the airflow more apparent.
*click for huge*
http://www.jesselang.ca/helios/image...rflow-02-S.jpg
*click for huge*
http://www.jesselang.ca/helios/image...rflow-03-S.jpg


*click for PDF download*
http://www.jesselang.ca/helios/image...2-parts-02.jpg
Take a closer look, download the PDF and give the parts a once, over.

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JLI Facebook Page

Thanks again, and tune in soon.

*j

[Langer]

A user by the name of NFC over on the XS forums presented a very interesting point to me this afternoon. I think it would be a good opportunity to share the concern, and express my beliefs and intentions.

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NFC put this concern before me:

Originally Posted by NFC

It's beautiful. I'm also concerned that case manufacturers might try to glean potential IP from it.

Like, I would hope you would want to share the ideas with the community for their own personal projects, but you give an awful amount of insight to people who could lock others out from doing it.

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Here's my response:
You present an interesting point, however the mass publication of this project across about 35forums, the 6000+ image views per day, and the collaboration with sponsors (coming soon) is a pretty big deterrent. It would be very easy to defend this in an IP battle, considering that there is clear evidence that I published it first technically I'd have rights.

Regardless of all that, absolute worst case scenario (pun intended): I have dozens of other designs floating around up in the old noggin, I'll just move onto a new one. I plan on releasing my own line of cases in the coming future - this project is merely a bloated prequel.

I do this because I absolutely love doing it. Moreover I love to share, get feedback and work collaboratively with the community - if I get shafted by some manufacturer of cases then sobeit. In the long-run it would better benefit everyone if the idea was ripped off - it's about time we saw someone rethinking this ***** on mass scale (key word being think... there's alot of useless plastic bull***** cases out there that put 0 thought into enthusiast usage)

Truth be told - I conceived the entire concept in an afternoon, with the exception of maintaining the threads that go along with it I have only about 30 or so hours invested so-far.



The following is quoted from my website's about-me page:

Originally Posted by me

Question: Why do you share your UX resources so openly? (this mantra applies to all my design, not just UX)

Too long has the high-tech industry been protecting it’s interests through, what I have titled, the acquire and archive model. Which entails buying out conflicting ideas, or merging with competitors in the interest of shelving perfectly viable and beneficial technologies. I believee in the spirit of open co-opatition, abelieff which stresses the idea of sharing knowledge with everyone -especiallyy competitors. Because it’s only when we embrace new-age movements like open-source development, and the digitization of the worlds libraries that we will really be able to take the next step.

If I were to fully consider the issue you have presented I would be breaking my core principal.
If I stop sharing, then I stop getting critical feedback, and I don't get to potentially inspire others (a deep honor in my opinion)
If I patent the design I become the very evil I try to contradict.




On an up-note: I'll continue to share me ideas on a finite level - with the intention to have the community guide my decisions.
There will be mock-ups and 3D visualizations to come soon.

I love little mental paradoxes, and I tend to over think things. As I sit here contemplating this situation I keep thinking about the barber paradox:

Originally Posted by Wiki

Suppose there is a town with just one male barber; and that every man in the town keeps himself clean-shaven: some by shaving themselves, some by attending the barber. It seems reasonable to imagine that the barber obeys the following rule: He shaves all and only those men in town who do not shave themselves.
Under this scenario, we can ask the following question: Does the barber shave himself?
Asking this, however, we discover that the situation presented is in fact impossible:
If the barber does not shave himself, he must abide by the rule and shave himself.
If he does shave himself, according to the rule he will not shave himself.

*j

[Langer]

I've scratched my head at this patenting dilemma all day now... and here's what I've done for the modder's everywhere:

http://www.jesselang.ca/helios/88x31.png<--click for details

I've put a creative commons licence on the design

You are free:
to Share — to copy, distribute and transmit the work
to Remix — to adapt the work

Under the following conditions:
Attribution — You must attribute the work in the manner specified by the author or licensor (but not in any way that suggests that they endorse you or your use of the work).
Noncommercial — You may not use this work for commercial purposes.
Share Alike — If you alter, transform, or build upon this work, you may distribute the resulting work only under the same or similar license to this one.

With the understanding that:
Waiver — Any of the above conditions can be waived if you get permission from the copyright holder.
Other Rights — In no way are any of the following rights affected by the license:

Your fair dealing or fair use rights;
Apart from the remix rights granted under this license, the author's moral rights;
Rights other persons may have either in the work itself or in how the work is used, such as publicity or privacy rights.

[cloasters]

Titanium plate? I trust this means that you won't need to cut the metal yourself? Or is working the stuff easier than advertised?

[booman]

Very nice diagrams Langer. I'll be watching your updates. Looks like a very technical modification on this case.
Keep the pics coming too.

[dabaerman]

nice work on the drawings. I continue to gather inspiration from the work of others. getting to the motivation part. I have 2XM3N-HT Delux and have been running 3X9800GT on one and 2XGTS250 + 1XGTS260 AMD X4 955's.

I am planning on a water cooling project with 4X140mm fan/rad combowith 2 pumps. as for the drawings, I'll have my son work on that part!

I'll start another thread when I get started on mine!

meanwhile, keep up the great work!

Ron

[Langer]

IT LOOKS LIKE I FORGOT TO POST THIS HERE BACK IN JULY:

For fun today I decided to throw together a prototype... at least that was the plans before it took me near 6hrs to make.
It ended up taking a long time because the art framing board was really REALLY tricky to cut with a little type-A x-acto. this unfortunately also affected the bud quality as well... but im still fairly pleased.

I'll let the pics do the rest. I present the latest iteration made from Art Framing Board and Silicone Tape.
http://www.jesselang.ca/helios/image...otype-1-01.jpg
http://www.jesselang.ca/helios/image...otype-1-02.jpg
http://www.jesselang.ca/helios/image...otype-1-03.jpg
http://www.jesselang.ca/helios/image...otype-1-04.jpg
http://www.jesselang.ca/helios/image...otype-1-05.jpg
http://www.jesselang.ca/helios/image...otype-1-06.jpg
http://www.jesselang.ca/helios/image...otype-1-07.jpg
http://www.jesselang.ca/helios/image...otype-1-08.jpg
http://www.jesselang.ca/helios/image...otype-1-09.jpg
http://www.jesselang.ca/helios/image...otype-1-10.jpg
http://www.jesselang.ca/helios/image...otype-1-11.jpg
http://www.jesselang.ca/helios/image...otype-1-12.jpg
http://www.jesselang.ca/helios/image...otype-1-13.jpg
http://www.jesselang.ca/helios/image...otype-1-14.jpg
http://www.jesselang.ca/helios/image...otype-1-15.jpg

*j

[Langer]

http://www.jesselang.ca/helios/images/good-news.png

The high-grade composite panels required for construction of this project are being manufactured this week!

The panels in question are 16mm thick and composed of an astonishing 52layers. (The details of manufacturing will be released with the update... there's some CRAZY science and pressure involved to achieve the desired effect).

The panels are being made from an incredibly high grade of carbon usually reserved for military aerospace applications. In addition there are some other composite materials intermixed in the lay-up which will add some unique properties - but I don't want to say more and ruin the surprise.

I will have the panels in my hand in 2-3weeks, then I'll be sending them out for cutting straight away!

I'm elated that this is coming together as planned. I hope you will all enjoy the show, and if that's not reason enough for you, I plan on accompanying the commencement of Helios with an update on my PrometheusCU project as well.

Tune in soon for more...

[Langer]

Thank you all very much for the replies, and sorry for my delay in updates. It's been a crazy summer getting my own business off the ground... but we're SAILING now!

I've got much more to share with you all, tune in soon!

[Daniel ~]

Thanks Langer! I'm quite looking forward to looking over your shoulder as this comes together.":O}

[Langer]

and I'm happy to have you there mate. Thanks for the support - I'll do my best not to disappoint.

------
A 'small' order today from McMaster (physically speaking) - the necessary stainless steel hardware, fasteners, and misc. bits needed to assemble this project:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...s-mcmaster.png
I can feel the enormity of the cost of this project already...
the parts to hold it together cost $1,180.03USD+tax and shipping.

The choice for stainless bumped up the cost considerably... but it's just too sexy to resist.

Now I'm just waiting on the composite panels that will compose the chassis to come in from California... I'm not even going to hint at how much the panels cost, and they need to be machined to spec still.

I still havent yet decided on the final hardware configuration, but I am sure it too will put a good dent in the old wallet.

*j

[booman]

I missed your updates for some reason. Never got the notification.
I really like your framing board mock-ups. Very interesting concept. I can't wait until you get started.
By the way, if you ever develop your own line of modded cases... I would love to be a part of it! I'm not so much of a tech/hardware modder, but instead am a very creative visual artist modder. I love changing old beige casing into eye candy.
Keep em coming