Week 15 . System Integration¶
This week’s assignment was to design and document the system integration of my final project, demonstrating how all the individually designed and fabricated modules are combined into a single functional system. Since the project includes several electronic components, including the main control board, power supply, voltage regulator, and displays, it was necessary not only to ensure their proper operation but also to organize their physical installation and protection. For this purpose, I designed separate enclosures for each major module, allowing the components to be installed safely, the wiring to be organized efficiently, and the overall system to operate in a more stable and reliable manner.
The first enclosure was designed for the main board, which serves as the central control unit of the system. It coordinates the operation of the different modules, processes data received from sensors, and controls the output devices. Therefore, it was important to design a protective and organized enclosure that would ensure the safe installation of the board and provide convenient access for wiring and connections.
At the beginning, I exported the STEP-format 3D model of my board from KiCad, then imported it into FreeCAD and used it as a reference model.
The design process was carried out in stages, since the enclosure was intended to have a closed structure.
First, while designing the bottom part of the enclosure, I added extended mounting tabs on the sides so that the box could later be attached to the main structure using bolts and nuts.
Then, I added ventilation holes to the bottom part of the enclosure to ensure air circulation and prevent possible overheating of the electronics.
Finally, I designed the board mounting holes, taking into account the actual dimensions of the board and its mounting points, so that it could be properly and securely fixed inside the enclosure.
Then, I placed the board onto the designed base to check whether all dimensions, mounting holes, and clearances matched correctly.
The next step was designing the lid, which I designed in a way that it would fit tightly with the inner part using an interlocking mechanism, ensuring a stable and reliable closed structure of the enclosure.
Then I defined the height of the box so that during later connections there would be enough space for the wires and they would not bend.
After that, I added three openings on the front side of the box: one for the 12V power cable connection, another for the 5V power supply, and the third for routing the microcontroller cable.
In addition, I also added openings on the remaining three sides of the box so that it would be easy to connect the wiring for sensors and other external components.
Then I decided to add the Fab Lab Armenia logo on the box as a design and project identity element, as well as to give it a more complete and professional appearance. After printing, I plan to fill the logo cutouts with epoxy resin using the original logo colors, in order to achieve a more expressive and aesthetic result.
After completing the design, I saved all parts in STL format so I could import them into Orca Slicer for 3D printing preparation.
I opened the STL files separately in Orca Slicer in different windows. First, I rotated the lid so that it would sit flat on the build plate, since placing it in any other orientation would require a much larger amount of supports. I chose tree type supports to ensure a more stable structure and easier removal during printing.
The bottom part did not require supports, since it was fully resting on a flat surface and did not include any overhanging elements.
I generated both parts using Generic PETG material and sent them for printing.
I printed the bottom part in black color, and the lid in vanilla white PETG. The choice of colors was made purely for design and aesthetic combination purposes.
While the main board enclosure was being printed, I moved on to designing the enclosure for the power supply unit.
The next enclosure was designed for the power supply, which is responsible for providing power to the entire system and distributing energy to the different electronic modules. Since the power supply can generate heat during operation, it was important to ensure both secure mounting and adequate ventilation. For this reason, the enclosure was designed with mounting features, cable routing openings, and ventilation holes to support safe and reliable operation within the overall system.
Power Supply¶
I measured all the dimensions and started designing the model based on those measurements.
As with the motherboard case, I added protruding mounting “tabs” on the sides,as well as prepared mounting holes to securely and stably fix the power supply.
I added ventilation holes on the lid to ensure air circulation and prevent possible overheating.
I added rectangular openings in the side sections for wiring connections, as well as two mounting holes so that the box could be secured with screws.
Thus, this part was also ready for printing. As with the board enclosure, I used the same settings for this box as well. The only difference was that I printed the lid using transparent PETG filament.
Voltage Regulator¶
The next enclosure was designed for the voltage regulator. The role of this module is to convert the input voltage and provide the stable voltage required by the different components of the system. Since the voltage regulator is an important part of the power distribution chain, it was necessary to ensure its safe placement and organized integration within the overall system.
For this purpose, I searched online and found a suitable 3D model that matched the voltage regulator used in my project. I imported it into my design environment and, without making any modifications, prepared it for 3D printing. The model was then sent for fabrication as a dedicated enclosure for the voltage regulator.
LCD Mounting Structure¶
The displays serve as the primary interface between the system and the user, as they are responsible for presenting the system information. Therefore, it was necessary to design dedicated mounting structures that would ensure proper positioning and reliable fixation of the displays.
In addition to this, the displays needed to be mounted onto the acrylic sheet located behind the mirror. However, attaching the displays directly to the acryl sheet was neither a convenient nor a reliable solution. For this reason, I decided to first create a 3D model of the mounting structure. I began by measuring the exact dimensions of the displays and used those measurements as the basis for the design. Next, I designed the mounting holes: first the holes used to attach the displays to the mount, and then the holes used to secure the entire structure to the acryl sheet.
This approach made it possible to accurately define the position, angle, and spacing of the displays. As a result, the system could be designed in a more controlled manner while ensuring that all displays would be correctly aligned and securely fixed during the final assembly process.
After the modeling was completed, I prepared the parts for 3D printing by generating G-code in the slicer software. I chose transparent PETG filament as the material. First, I printed a test piece to verify that all dimensions, holes, and mounting points were correct.
After confirming that the design worked as intended, I printed two additional parts, since the project uses three displays in total and each display required its own mounting structure.
Assembly¶
After fabricating all the enclosures and mounting components for the electronics, I proceeded with the assembly stage. I gradually assembled all the parts by installing them into their corresponding cases and mounting structures, in order to integrate the individual modules into a single complete and functional system.
During the assembly process, I made all the necessary connections between the main board, power supply, voltage regulator, and displays, ensuring proper organization of both power distribution and data communication lines. Each component was securely fixed in its designated position, resulting in a stable and well-organized system layout.
Before the final assembly, I also completed the design of the main board enclosure lid by filling the Fab Lab Armenia logo area with epoxy resin. The resin was applied using the original logo colors, which gave the enclosure a more expressive and aesthetic appearance.
At this stage, the electronic subsystem of the project was fully integrated, with all major modules connected and installed in their respective enclosures, forming a single unified working system.
Using a laser cutting machine, I cut the acrylic base for the displays. After that, I assembled the displays onto the acrylic base, aligning them with the pre-designed mounting holes and positioning to ensure correct layout and stable fixation. As a result, the display module became a solid and well-organized structure.
After assembly, I tested the module on the metal frame to verify the dimensional fit and installation accuracy. The test confirmed that all dimensions were correct and the module fit into the intended position without any issues, validating the accuracy of the design and its readiness for final integration.
The final installation of the components into the metal frame of the project has not yet been completed, as the final version of the frame is still under development. However, all modules are already fully prepared and ready for final integration once the mechanical structure is finished. The complete assembly and final outcome of the system will be documented and presented on the Final Project page.
Conclusion¶
This week focused on the system integration of my final project by combining all the individually designed modules into one complete working system. Each component was installed in its corresponding enclosure, ensuring organized structure, safe placement, and efficient cable management.
During the assembly process, the main board, power supply, voltage regulator, and displays were interconnected, resulting in a fully integrated and functional system.
Although the final installation into the metal frame has not yet been completed, all subsystems are fully prepared and ready for final mechanical integration.