Prusa MK3 X axis RPI Camera Mount by MoonDoggy

Last crawled date: 3 years ago

Update: 2018/04/09: Added new Ball Mount and Cable Guide to work with new R2 Prusa part revisions. All other parts unaffected. Parts named and watermarked with R2.
Update: 2018/02/13: Added a Ball Link with support for camera cable.
This is a Ball and Socket based RPi camera mount for use with the RPi Zero directly attached to a Prusa i3 MK3. This project compliments my MK3 Einsy RPi Zero Access project. https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:2734810.
It mounts the RPi camera on the X-axis stepper, keeping the camera relative to the hot end, no mater the project height. The camera only moves when the Z-axis changes, so less weight to effect the print, compared to mounting on the bed. The camera can then be positioned high, low, close or far, based on the amount of ball socket links added.
There are two pieces that sandwich together and mount on the X-stepper. The Camera Arm Ball faces forward, and holds the additional links, and the the camera. The Cable Guide supports the camera cable under the stepper, and guides the camera cable over the X-axis stepper loom.
New Ball Link with Support: The camera cable was sagging under the chain of ball links, and still being unruly. A new Ball Link with a support was added to clip the cable into and keep it tucked up against the chain of ball links. The support is open on one side, so it can be snapped into the chain, and not require undoing the camera cable. Only a couple of these links should be required.
If using with a Prusa MK3, and the attached RPi Zero, the cable guide also helps keep the camera cable out of the way, and routes cleanly to the adapter board, required to use a camera with the smaller RPI Zero camera cable. See https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:2734810.
The brackets that mount on the X-axis stepper were reworked from files on Prusa's github project.
The Ball Socket Link was rotated 1%, so it would sit flat on the build plate.
The Camera Mount was broken apart, to remove an unnecessary part, and open it up, for easier focusing.
The Camera Ball Stud and the Camera Ball Socket were reworked form the original Ball Socket Link.
Assembly
Order the parts just as shown in first picture.
Run a m3x20mm screw through the Camera Arm Ball opening, through the Cable Guide, and into the open hole on the X-axis stepper.
Route the camera cable through the guide.
Attach the front end of the cable to the RPi camera.
Attach the rear end of the cable to the cable adapter, connected to the mini cable and RPi Zero.
Mount camera in housing and snap on the back. If it isn't tight add a drop of glue, or piece of tape.
Add as many Ball Socket Links as needed to position the camera where desired.
The camera cable in my pictures is 24" long, and seems just about perfect.
The Adafruit adapter required to lengthen the short mini camera cable is https://www.adafruit.com/product/3671.