Proto Armour for Raspberry Pi and Camera is a protective enclosure designed specifically for the very popular Raspberry Pi credit-card sized computer and camera board. Students, engineers and designers alike, all love the Raspberry Pi for its small size and big list of features and capabilities. While low cost and strong community support top the feature list, an area that challenges many Pi enthusiasts however is experienced first hand while breaking out connections to external hardware and peripherals. Attaching a few cables to the board immediately reveals how lightweight the device is and how vulnerable it is to physical harm. The Raspberry Pi, like most other development boards, is a small fully exposed circuit board with limited non-standard mounting features. Proto Armour for Raspberry Pi offers wrap-around protection and supplements the board's limited non-standard mounting capabilities with a host of structural support and standardized mounting features.
Experimentation is often performed outside the safety of a lab environment. Gadgets usually contain breadboards and sensitive electronics that require a layer of protection, or better yet - a layer of armour. Proto Armour for Raspberry Pi is made from aircraft-grade aluminum using state-of-the-art CNC equipment at our facility in Orchard Park, New York USA. Parts are machined to exacting specifications, resulting in an enclosure that fits your Pi like a glove. Many surface treatments are available, ranging from a cost-effective bare metal finish, to a professional looking anodized coating in a variety of colors.
Gadgets sometimes require external components or subsystems that are mounted close by. Proto Armour for Raspberry Pi features an assortment of threaded holes and structural reinforcements that facilitate the mounting of external components and subsystems directly to the case. Other versions of Proto Armour protective enclosure hardware is compatible with a variety of platforms such as Arduino development boards, Freescale Freedom Platform, and 'mbed' modules from ARM. In most cases, Proto Armour hole spacing allows for interlocking several enclosures into a single assembly. Accessories such as brackets and spacers are designed to be compatible across the product line where possible.
The Raspberry Pi Camera Board is mounted directly inside the case. Precision lens and activity LED ports are milled directly into the top surface of this durable housing. The module is held firmly in place with stainless steel screws and rubber bumpers. The kit includes a custom tripod mounting bracket with integrated 1/4-20 threaded hole.
The Raspberry Pi supports overclocking, but this practice generates additional heat that could damage the board. Proto Armour for Raspberry Pi dissipates heat from the CPU, Ethernet controller, and voltage regulator. Three heat sinks are machined directly into the top half of the housing and interface with each heat source using a thermally conductive pad.
The Raspberry Pi includes five LEDs that indicate various status information. Proto Armour for Raspberry Pi features five though holes, each perfectly aligned with a Pi LED. Acrylic light pipes are included that conduct LED illumination to outside the enclosure for easier viewing.
The Raspberry Pi is a very cool gadget. Whether it is a classroom setting where several Pi boards need to be attached to student benches, or at a hackerspace meetup where a new creation is on display, it is critical to properly secure sensitive and valuable hardware. Proto Armour for Raspberry Pi is assembled using machine screws that are threaded from the bottom and hidden from unintended guests. The included through holes facilitate mounting the enclosure directly to a tabletop using special tamper resistant screws. Cover plates are also available to prevent cable detachment and memory card removal.
While functionality and quality are equally priority number one, affordability goes without being said. In line with the Raspberry Pi's cost effective design, Proto Armour for Raspberry Pi is designed for manufacture, resulting in a lower cost of manufacture that enables low cost of ownership. New enclosure and accessory design is a careful balance of functionality, robust construction, and affordability for all.
Physical / Environmental | |
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Enclosure Size | 4.97 x 2.97 x 0.97 in (length, width, height) |
Weight | 8.0 oz |
Enclosure Materials | Bare (standard) or Anodized (option) 6061 Aluminum, Black Nylon Plastic |
Computer Board Mounting | 4-40 x 2 screws (Model A and B v2), edge support x 2 (Model B v1) |
Camera Board Mounting | 1-72 x 2 screws, rubber bumpers |
Threaded Mounting Holes | 6-32 x 4 per surface (except bottom) |
Security Mounting Holes | #6 countersunk 82° x 4 (bottom surface) |
Passive Cooling | CPU, Ethernet controller, voltage regulator |
Port Access | Power, GPIO, video, audio, LED, USB, Ethernet, HDMI, lens, camera activity LED |
What's Included | |
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Enclosure | Top and bottom |
Raspberry Pi Hardware Pack | Screws, washers, pins, bumpers, light pipes, thermal pads, wrenches |
Camera Hardware Pack | Flat flex cable, screws, bumpers, tripod mount |
Welcome Document | Assembly instructions and parts list |
Options | |
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Anodized Finishes | Black |
Showing reviews 1-10 of 15 | Next
Posted by Jochen on 22nd May 2015
for me the best cast.
high quality.
Posted by Carl Salvaggio on 29th Jan 2015
I have been through a lot of cases for Raspberry Pi computers and many different solutions for mounting camera boards, including custom designed variants, and this is by far the best solution I have seen. The attention to detail is amazing ... for example, there is even a machined area inside the case for helping to remove the Pi camera's standard lens if you want to add on the CS mount lens plate (another Mobile Apps Systems product I would highly recommend).
Definitely my "go to" place for Pi cases from this point out.
Posted by Jim Hargrave on 22nd Jan 2015
I'm creating a smart camera for my telescope. This is the only case that has a solid build that is robust enough to take into the field.
Posted by Unknown on 1st Dec 2014
Nothing to add :-)
Posted by spcverd on 6th Apr 2014
La caja se ve diseñada con la perfeccion mecanizada de la ingenieria, aunque se han corregido ciertos errores de acceso a los puertos de la RaspberryPi, aun el acceso para ciertos cables un pocos mas gruesos en el puerto del adaptador de corriente es un poco estrecho. Tambien el acabado del exterior del aluminio podria haber sido mejor pulido. Sin embargo su planificacion general es muy buena, sus agujeros para la camara, ajustes de tornilleria y encaje merecen mi felicitacion. Considero que es uno de los mejores proyectos de cajas para la RaspberryPi y con un auto enfriamiento natural de la placa por su construccion metalica.
Posted by Frogger on 30th Mar 2014
I took the unfinished variant, so I can't speak for the anodised versions. You get *everything* you need, including tools, to assemble the case. Clear concise instructions. Even the thermal pads are the spongy/sticky variety that stay put on the chipset. Blanking for all the screw holes. Everything.
The case is engineered to *exactly* fit the Pi, with rubber bushes on the screw down points.
The light pipes are a bit finicky, but that is the nature of ~1mm diamter small pieces of perspex.
The camera arrangement is better than the pice, and it fits a daughter board ok.
It seems heavier that it looks, but by far the best case I've found.
Posted by Rudolph Groeneveld on 10th Dec 2013
Perfect case! Very speedy delivery, only Customs in Holland kept the package for a week in transit and charged €21,- on duties.
Posted by Ricardo on 13th Nov 2013
I think that we have to improve always our products, in this case becoming more light.
Posted by Todd on 4th Nov 2013
Love my Raspberry Pi, but... was always on the look out for a great enclosure. This was it. Rugged, handsome, functional, perfect fit, all the parts present and fit well... what else could you want.
Posted by Dario on 1st Nov 2013
Am very happy with the product. Fits perfectly and looks cool. Shipping was super fast and the customer support over an issue tightening the case was great.
Showing reviews 1-10 of 15 | Next