Stripping down a D435i for weight: Advice on "naked" PCB use and custom enclosures?
Hi everyone,
I'm working on a weight-critical robotics project where every gram counts. I’m considering removing the aluminum casing from my D435i to shave off about 10–15g.
Since I know the casing isn't just "packaging," I had a few quick questions before I start taking things apart:
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Calibration: Does the metal case act as a structural stiffener? I’m worried that without it, the PCB might flex and throw off the stereo calibration.
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Thermal: If I move the PCB to a 3D-printed housing (Nylon or Carbon Fiber), will the Vision Processor overheat? Has anyone had success with passive cooling on a "naked" board?
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EMI: Is the original case providing critical shielding for the IMU, or is the PCB robust enough on its own?
I'm also completely open to any other suggestions or precautions that I might have missed in my plan. I'd love to hear from anyone who has successfully "de-cased" a D435i or can suggest a lightweight material that won't cause interference.
Thanks for the help!
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Hi Dhyan Patel The two circuit boards inside the camera (the Vision Processor D4 and the D430 Depth Module) can be used without the casing. These boards can actually be purchased separately without the casing for an open-air setup like this. You should not experience EM interference when using the boards caseless.
The D430 depth module (the one with the sensors on it) has a metal enclosure around it that acts as the stiffener for the sensors to maintain their calibration and depth performance, so removing the camera's outer casing will not make the D430 module flex as long as you still have the metal enclosure around it.
The Vision Processor board and D430 module have a heatsink sandwiched between them in the D435i that draws heat away from the electronics. This heatsink is not supplied when buying the boards separately, so you can use them without the heatsink but dissipation of heat away from the boards may be less effective. You could perhaps mount the two boards separated from each other and buy a longer flexible 'interposer' cable to join the boards together so they can be further apart.
Leading RealSense parts suppliers such as Rutronik24 and FRAMOS stock longer versions of the HSF interposer cable than the 50mm one, such as 100mm.
https://www.rutronik24.co.uk/product/cocom/hsf100/21235398.html
https://framos.com/products/3d/3d-accessories/hsf100-22274/
If you create a custom enclosure then unless you need to completely waterproof it then you could explore the possibility of having an open vent gap in the enclosure design. A vent in the base of the enclosure may provide heat escape whilst minimizing risk of water jets such as rain entering.
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