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2022-12-28

Parametric eurorack blank plate with OpenSCAD

I’ve designed a 3d-printable parametric eurorack blank plate including my artist name with OpenSCAD.

Motivation

After arranging the eurorack modules in a case there may be a bunch of gaps that can be filled using blank plates. Since eurorack is already a cost-intensive hobby¹, I though about printing it myself with the advantage of choosing the design.

OpenSCAD makes it easy to parameterize a modell² and make it more or less transparent, depending on the code quality.

Some data (and ads):

• openscad file
• model on printables
• current eurorack
• soundcloud profile

Parameters

• $HPUnits: count of HP units for the width of the base plate
• label: text on the base plate which is optimized for 8HP

Base plate

/* 
 * Eurorack format is 128.5mm high (3xU) and consists of
 * a width with a multiple of 5.08mm (1xHP). M3 bolts 
 * are used
 */
 

$U3 = 128.5;
$HP1 = 5.08;
$M3r = 3/2+0.15;

$holeXPadding = 1.4+$M3r;
$holeYPadding = 1.5+$M3r;

$HPUnits = 8;
$depth = 2;
$width = $HPUnits * $HP1;

$font="DejaVu Sans:style=Book";

/*
 * base plate
 */

difference() {
/* plate */
cube([$width,$U3,$depth]);
    
/* bolt holes */
translate([$holeXPadding,$holeYPadding,-1])
    cylinder(r=$M3r, h=$depth+2, $fn=40);
    
translate([$width-(5.6+$M3r),$holeYPadding,-1])
    cylinder(r=$M3r, h=$depth+2, $fn=40);
    
translate([$width-(5.6+$M3r),$U3-$holeYPadding,-1])
    cylinder(r=$M3r, h=$depth+2, $fn=40);
    
translate([$holeXPadding,$U3-$holeYPadding,-1])
    cylinder(r=$M3r, h=$depth+2, $fn=40);
}

Label

To make an appealing design with my artist name, I repeated it a few time horizontally and make it overlapping. As a detail, the german umlaut ‘Ä’ is only repeated once and mirrored at the dots.

translate([$width-$holeYPadding-2,8,$depth/1.5])
rotate([0,0,90])
linear_extrude(1.5)
scale([1,1,1])
text( "             Ä   " ,font=$font, size=12.25, direction="ltr");

translate([$holeYPadding+2,8,$depth/1.5])
rotate([0,0,90])
linear_extrude(1.5)
scale([1,-1,1])
text( "             Ä   " ,font=$font, size=12.25, direction="ltr");

for (xOffset=[1:2:8]){
    translate([$width-$holeYPadding*xOffset-2,8,$depth/1.5])
    rotate([0,0,90])
    linear_extrude(1.5)
    scale([1.125,1,1])
    text( "NOISET  TER" ,font=$font, size=12, direction="ltr");
}