XTEND- Extend your UNIHIKER with your imagination

I have been using UNIHIKER for more than a year and whenever I want to use it in a project, I have to start designing a new case for that project again and again. And there are thousands of UNIHIKERs all around the world and if we all have to design the case for every new project, that's a lot of time wastage. But not anymore.

Introducing XTEND, a project that will allow you to extend your UNIHIKER with your imagination without redesigning the case from scratch from your new projects. Re-use the parts that you have designed for older projects.

The concept is simple, attach anything and everything to it without re-designing from scratch. For this project, I designed some rules to make some consistency in extending this project. The rules are simple:

1. Each hole is 4mm in diameter 2. The distance between two holes is 10mm from center to center3. The wall thickness where the hole is should be at least 4mm4. Only M3 screws should be used for mounting electronics parts to the 3D-printed mount.

Now our rules are set, let's jump in CAD software and design some stuff

To design the parts you can use any software that you are familiar with, there is no limitation as long as you keep rules in mind while designing the parts. Here are few parts that I can created. I wanted to extend my UNIHIKER so that it can be attached to any surface possible be it metal, fabric, cylindrical rod, wall, curtain rod, keyring,etc.

1. Front part with cutouts for Ports

2. Front part with no cutouts for Ports except Type C

3. Back part of the case

4. Handle to hang on wall

5. Handle for keyring

6. Cylindiral rod holder with 24mm Diameter

7. Desk stand

8. Curtain rod Hanger

9. Tripod mount connection plate

10. Ambient Light sensor mount

11. Any component mounting plate

Download 3mf files and step of all the parts here:

You will need the following basic parts for assembling

Let's assemble the back plate of the case

a. Place a pair of 2 magnets in each hole given at the back of the case, you can use super glue to make them stay in place.

b. Add Hook side of Velcro in the center

Let's assemble the Ambient sensor mount

Heat up the soldering iron with brass thread and insert the tip to around 100-150C and with the help of tweezer hold the brass thread insert the slightly press it in the hole. 

I have been using my UNIIHKER for home automation, instructions of which I shared in my last article. I am using the case without ports cutout.

FRONT LOOK

BACK LOOK

WALL HANGER MOUNT

KEYCHAIN HANGER

CURTAIN ROD HANGER

24 mm CYLINDRICAL ROD MOUNT 

DESK STAND

TRIPOD STAND MOUNT

ANY COMPONENT MOUNT PLATE

USE CASES

1. Use of magnets to stick UNIHIKER on the side of Table with iron Legs

2. Use of Cylindrical rod Mount to stick UNIHIKER on the Tripod stand

3. Tripod Stand mount to mount UNIHIKER on Tripod stand

4. Use of Velcro to stick UNIHIKER on curtains, I have used hook side of Velcro on the back.

5. Use of Any component mounting plate to mount the Ambient light sensor mount

I have just made a mount for the Ambient light sensor because I have only that one with me, but I can extend the whole system to make all the DF ROBOT components compatible with this system so that you don't have to re-design it!

Enjoy!