PC Engines APU3 Printable Case?

Hardware Questions and Recommendations
1

Hey,
Has anyone ever seen a nice printable case for the PC Engines APU3?

Best regards,
Nick

2

Do you mean a 3D printable case, or a case you can print on?
I often put systems together for clients and bought the black anodised case and had self adhesive labels made up....

Bear in mind the APU series have been EOL since 2023 AFAIK.

3

A 3D-printable case. :slight_smile: I just need something to put the board in. Currently, it’s lying on my desk, which is somewhat annoying. I also have access to a 3D printer, so I thought that might be a good option.

4

If memory serves,

apu uses the case for the passive cooling of cpu

(cpu contacts with the metal surface of the case),

if so, a platic/printed case is not a good idea.

5

Not a fully 3D-printed case, but a bracket to put an APU2 in a mini-ITX case:

Presumably there's a heat spreader to conduct the heat from the CPU to the case, but the link doesn't mention it. I've not personally tried this particular model, but one advantage I see is the ability to put the power supply and any drives inside it.

A fully 3D printed case would also require some kind of bracket to mount a heat sink to the board. This would have to be custom-designed to the board and the heat sink. The board only has two diagonal holes for this purpose, and they don't follow a standard.

6

No. A nice APU case would be metal, with decent thermal conductivity. An APU would cook itself in a plastic case. Not immediately, but eventually...

7

I briefly had the ALIX version at home, I might still have the case sitting in the metals recycle bin.
Not sure they're 100% identical though.
Or does it have to be plastic?

8

Whereabouts in the world are you - there are still some kicking around in the retail channel

Eg https://linitx.com/product/pc-engines-alix-and-apu-3lan+usb-enclosure-red/13296

They also have some blue APU3 cases in stock

Also worth trying eBay, even some unused boards still available in the UK.

9

Have this pink one with old alix board, i'ts very nice. Added grey rubber stands and some bice antennas. Old alix works great with lte modem there.