Maximum PC

I am designing an ATX computer case from scratch and have been having trouble finding all the information I need. If any of you know, can you please point me to the specification that outlines the dimensions of the PCI cutouts in the case and their location with respect to the case IO cutout or to some other known feature?

When I built my wooden computer case I spent a long time looking for information like that.

I found an ATX specification .pdf file on an ATX site using google.

Other information like the I/O panel and expansion slot measurements was much harder to find.

In the end, I just grabbed a cheap shitty case from a local computer shop and did my own measurements using calipers and high quality machinist rulers.

welcome to the forums!

this .pdf may help a bit. so might this one. they have some chassis measurement specs, but not all.

poke around http://www.formfactors.org, there is more info there.

keep us posted on what you come up with.

You could just make a template from an existing case and make some measurements?

Thanks for the help guys. I am reaching the point were I am going to just sit down and measure everything. I was looking for the specs because I am modeling everything and producing drawings so I can have it manufactured by a machine shop. It is always nice to get the tolerances off of specs for the drawings--means everything will fit correctly.

I will post some pics when I get it designed and fabed, maybe I can get MAXIMUMPC to review it…

I have been lazy about working on the case design, but I thought I would post a pic of the case design as it stands now. I am using 180 mm case fans in a push-pull configuration, mounted to fan trays, so they can be changed easily. I am also going to set it up for water cooling and be able to accommodate the motherboard they used in the new dream machine build. I thought the case they were forced to use for the dream build sucked.

Well the picture didn't go, stand bye...

Alright here is a pic

looking good.





Ted

Thanks Ted, I still have a log way to go, but I am going to pick up the pace on the design. I am going to try and make weekly post to show progress.

Your design reminds me of the Raven case, I like it though. Have you thought about the internal layout yet?

I have been thinking about it; it will evolve as the design progresses, but the case is wide enough to fit a hard drive tray that will hold two drives vertical side by side. The front will probably have as many 5.25 bays as I can fit and a grouping of quick access bays for hot swapping. I was thinking of designing custom reservoirs that are vertical tubes that are heat sinks with an outer tube covering them and a small fan at the bottom to pull air between the concentric tubes…that is about all I have.

Since you want to fit the HPTX form, rather than standard ATX or even eATX, you could get the mobo tray by itself from the same company that MaxPC got their dream machine case from:
http://www.mountainmods.com/modular-hptxsr2-motherboard-tray-assembly-p-567.html They also have just the tray, without the I/O or expansion slots panel.

Thanks for the link, I will use it as a reference. I am planning on making my own tray and IO. I know that is a little silly, but I want to do it from start to finish. Plus, I do stuff like this for work, so I thought it would be nice to design something for myself for once.
I just tried to fit an SR-1 560 Radiator into my case and it sucked—going to have to change everything.
Do any of you guys ever use two power supplies at one time (slave and master)? Trying to decide if it would be worth being able to duel mount power supplies…

There is a user here named mochong who does, but only for a computer dedicated to running Folding@home, with 4 9800GX2's in an MSI K9A2 Platinum (non-SLI) mobo.





Ted

So, I have been working on the design and trying to sort things out. I modeled some rough ideas and thought I would show some picks to get some feedback and help. With the pictures I posted I am trying to show how I am thinking about mounting the radiators (GTX 560s) and the high flow 120mm embpapst fans. The GTX 560 radiator takes 140mm fans, but I cannot find a 1400mm fan I like with a good balance of CFM to noise. I have one of the 120mm ebmpapst fans on order, so I can see how loud it is before I move forward with the design. Also, I am not showing any perforations in the case because I have not put them in yet (I know I need them for airflow).






The blue lines you see all over the place are artifacts from changing file formats--can't get rid of them. I am having trouble trying to decide how I want this to look, so any ideas are welcome.

Will the radiator section be separate or will it be included on the exterior by the looks of it you could add it above the case.

If u have the original pix from b4 u changed file formats, then open them up, hit the print screen button, then paste into whatever image software u use, such as MSPaint, etc. Then save THAT pic as the one ur posting. Works 4 me all the time when I'm having trouble.

Wiked_smart: The radiator section will be inside the case. I am trying to keep everything internal for a clean look, but still industrial. I was thinking about putting a side door on the case with gas shocks to open it...

PM_DMNKLR: The problem with the blue lines is that they are part of the 3D model I am working with and I can't delete them out of the model without deleting the features they are associated with.