The first open-source 3D-printable case for D-Robotics RDK X5 8GB. Fully parametric OpenSCAD source. One base, four swappable lids. Licensed under CC BY 4.0.
Snap-on lids over a board held by an outer clamp — no PCB-side screws.
As of May 2026, RDK X5 has no community 3D-printable case on Printables, Thingiverse, Cults3D, or English-language MakerWorld. The official metal/acrylic cases from Yahboom, Waveshare, and DFRobot are heavy and don't fit inside robot bodies. This repo fills that gap with a community-first, remix-friendly modular design.
Originally built as a byproduct of Project Korosuke (コロ助), an animatronic robot competing in the D-Robotics Robotics Dream Keeper Challenge.
| Lid | Preview | STL | Use case |
|---|---|---|---|
| Default (closed, cooling slits) |  |
lid_default.stl |
Everyday use, dust protection, mild cooling |
| Open (honeycomb vent) |  |
lid_open.stl |
Maker projects, full heatsink exposure, max airflow |
| VESA Mount (50×50 M4) |  |
lid_vesa.stl |
50 mm 4-hole bracket mount (board is too small for full VESA-75) |
| Fan (40 mm fan mount) |  |
lid_fan.stl |
Active cooling — mount a 40 mm fan (e.g. 4010) over a honeycomb intake grille |
Common base: case_base.stl — works with all four lids.
The Fan lid takes a standard 40 × 40 × 10 mm (4010) 5 V fan, held by 4× M3 × 15 mm screws on the 32 mm pattern — that length is a perfect fit through the fan into the lid bosses. The center honeycomb doubles as a finger guard and intake grille; the fan blows down onto the heatsink.
⚠️ The RDK X5's onboard fan header (J15) is a JST-SH 1.0 mm 2-pin and is too small for most hobby-fan plugs. The simplest reliable hookup is the 40-pin GPIO header: fan + (red) → pin 4 (5V), − (black) → pin 6 (GND). This runs the fan full-speed whenever the board is powered.Measured cooling (assembled, lid on): idle 66 °C passive → 41 °C with the 4010 fan ducted through the honeycomb — a −25 °C drop, plenty of headroom for running YOLO on the BPU.
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Compatible board | D-Robotics RDK X5 8GB (Part No. DROBOTICS-RDK-X5-8GB-V10) |
| Reference source | Official D-Robotics V1P0 DXF & STEP (reference/) |
| Case footprint | ~89 × 60 × 24 mm |
| PCB retention | Outer clamp (no PCB-side screws — preserves stock heatsink holes) |
| Lid attachment | Snap / press-fit — no screws (tunable via SNAP_CLEAR) |
| Designed material | PLA / PETG (2.0 mm wall) |
| License | CC BY 4.0 |
Requires OpenSCAD 2021.01 or newer.
# Render all parts in one go
openscad -o stl/case_base.stl -D 'SHOW=11' rdk_x5_case.scad
openscad -o stl/lid_default.stl -D 'SHOW=12' rdk_x5_case.scad
openscad -o stl/lid_open.stl -D 'SHOW=13' rdk_x5_case.scad
openscad -o stl/lid_vesa.stl -D 'SHOW=14' rdk_x5_case.scad
openscad -o stl/lid_fan.stl -D 'SHOW=25' rdk_x5_case.scad
# (SHOW=11–14,25 = print-ready, flat on Z=0. SHOW=1–4,15 = design orientation.)Or run ./build_all.sh (Linux/macOS) / build_all.ps1 (Windows).
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Layer height | 0.20 mm |
| Walls / Perimeters | 3 |
| Top/Bottom layers | 4 / 4 |
| Infill | 20 % (gyroid) |
| Supports | None needed — designed support-free |
| Brim | Optional (5 mm) for warping-prone filaments |
| Filament | PLA, PETG, or PC-blend; ABS optional |
Open rdk_x5_case.scad and edit the // PARAMETERS block. Useful knobs:
| Variable | Default | When to change |
|---|---|---|
GAP |
1.0 mm | Per-side PCB clearance. Lower (0.8) for a snug board, raise if it binds. Printers with elephant's foot may need more — or enable foot compensation in the slicer |
SNAP_CLEAR |
0.05 mm | Lid lip press-fit. Lower = tighter lid; negative = interference |
SNAP_BEAD |
0.45 mm | Snap ridge/groove engagement depth. Raise for a firmer click, lower if the lid won't close |
TOP_CLEAR |
20 mm | Increase if using a tall heatsink + fan |
WALL |
2.2 mm | Drop to 1.6 for ABS, raise to 3.0 for TPU |
VESA |
50 (50×50 M4) | Max that fits on the 56 mm-deep lid; an assert guards against overhang |
- Default Lid — closed + cooling slits
- Open Lid — frame with X-cross ribs
- VESA Mount Lid — 50×50 M4 pattern (bosses fully supported on the lid)
- Fan Lid — 40 mm fan mount (32 mm M3 pattern) with honeycomb intake grille
- Accurate port cutouts — every connector position extracted from the
official STEP model and verified against the real board mesh
(USB-A ×2, RJ45, HDMI, audio, USB-C ×2, UART debug, 40-pin GPIO, microSD, fan).
See connector_map.md and
images/board_fit_verification.png. - Camera Lid — MIPI CSI cable pass-through (planned)
- DIN-rail Lid — industrial mount (community request welcome)
- Print validation on real hardware (PLA / PETG)
- Thermal validation under load
This is an unofficial community design. Not affiliated with or endorsed by
D-Robotics. PCB outline geometry is derived from D-Robotics' publicly
released DXF/STEP mechanical drawings (reference/); those original CAD
files remain the property of D-Robotics and are included for design
verification only.
CC BY 4.0 — see LICENSE. You may share and adapt freely, including commercially, as long as you give credit.
- D-Robotics for publishing the mechanical reference files openly.
- Lisa Li and the Robotics Dream Keeper Challenge team for the warm welcome.
- The Korosuke / コロ助 character from Kiteretsu Daihyakka — the spark for this entire project.