Project: Helios | concept and design

[Langer]

Greetings one and all!

I present, for your viewing pleasure, revision 2.0 of project Helios

As per the suggestions of the community, this revision, although almost identical to the original is actually a complete redraw taking into account many oversights in the first design.

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*

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*

Apart from the rads, and the reservoirs the design is pretty much the same as it was.
All the dimensions are completely different however


*click for huge*

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.

*click for PDF download*

Take a closer look, download the PDF and give the parts a once, over.

I'm really looking for constructive feed-back.
Please leave your comments or suggestions, help me improve this design and consider the unconsidered.

Don't forget to become a participating fan of JLI on Facebook for all kinds of insider information, prize opportunities, and special treats. JLI Facebook Page

*j

Thanks again, and tune in soon.

[AmuseMe]

Nice revision and really nice renders, but I am not sure about the way the air gets blown in, then down. Does your father charge you for that carbon fibre?

[Lpfan4ever]

Idunno about that cooling. Maybe if there was a fan on top pushing down, it may have some oomph to it, but with a single fan exhausting 6 other fans worth of air? Doesn't sound like it's gonna work too well.

[Toyoracer]

How about putting fans in bottom sides with side slots angled in and up and exhaust out the top. You should get a good up draft. Good luck with this one. PrometheusCU was pretty awesome.

[Langer]

Please take note - THERE ARE NO WINDOWS.... THE CASE HAS A 13" SQUARE PUNCHED RIGHT THOUGH THE MIDDLE; A GIANT OPEN HOLE WITH A MOBO FLOATING IN THE MIDDLE.

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.

There is a actually a box with a PSU inside above the bottom fan, it receives it's air from the front and back and pushes it out the bottom; however the vast majority of the air gets pushed out the sides over the motherboard and into the ethos of our atmosphere.

[Langer]

A couple of really quick mock-ups to make some of the details and the airflow more apparent.

[Langer]

Hello all once again - and hopefully this will be the last of these planning installments.

I'd like to share with you the third and final (for now) revision before this plan hits 3D mock-ups.

A quick overview of the features and design details presented thus far:
- 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

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Revision 3.0 Side and Top views with cooling loops:


Side and Top views with parts only:


Side and Top views of empty chassis:


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:


Here's a very rough perspective view of the bottom most cavity, showing how the pumps, PSU, and reservoirs are oriented:


Here's a perspective side view to add a bit of depth, this just details some of the design features:


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:


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



*j

[Rison]

Ok, i'm totally following you on this one. Looks to me like a kick-ass build.
I get the airflow and all of that jazz.. but my main concern is dust. Are you planning on implementing a removable air filter? - even the most static controlled LAN rooms have dust floating around, let alone a persons house.

Also, just some advice. Before you go spending $3k+ on titanium materials.. build one out of steel first - get all the bugs and fitting worked out. Then send the prototype for me.. cause this looks awesome! :)

[Langer]

Thanks a lot man, and no-fret: all intakes and outtakes will be filtered and blacked out to stop dust and to sex-it-up visually.

Oh there will be prototypeS before we begin:
- meeting with a 3D artist tomorrow to begin the 3D visualization phase - complete with some more video motion graphics to keep the kiddies entertained
- already in progress - I'm building a miniature from heavy card stock and a glue glaze
- then one from 1/8" aluminum + regular fasteners (I want to build one in a more traditional process and materials)
- finally 0.25" grade 38 titanium with all the fixins
- followed shortly thereafter with 2 identical chassis' made from hard anodized aluminum

This entire project is actually a prototype, but more on that later.

[Langer]

There's been an aweful lot of views on this thread with very few responses.

Please feel free to comment.


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Tiny update - I met with my 3D artist/animator a couple days ago and were under-way to begin the 3D mock-ups + sexy motion graphics videos

I've also begin the branding of this case - I've been working on the feel, logo, colour scheme, and mythology behind the design.

*j