Enclosure layout... without POTS to mount to.

[darwin999]

With typical filament used in printers, I’d argue against using heat set inserts.

I print with PETG, carbon-filled PETG and carbon-filled nylon, and have frequently made jigs for woodworking - and have never had a problem with heat-set inserts. I have found them quite robust and strong.

 

[Alan W]

I print with PETG, carbon-filled PETG and carbon-filled nylon, and have frequently made jigs for woodworking - and have never had a problem with heat-set inserts. I have found them quite robust and strong.

I’d imagine especially with carbon filled nylon, you’d have no problems. We would use that in SLS prints, and it’s just an incredibly strong and stabile material. We had insert boss failures with PLA, ABS, and PC, which were our main extrusion filaments. My caution was based on an assumption, possibly now outdated, that most people are using a PLA variant, which were by far the worst performing in this regard. I should have been more specific, rather than just saying “typical.”

 

[darwin999]

My caution was based on an assumption, possibly now outdated, that most people are using a PLA variant

Your assumption re: PLA is still true, no worries.
PETG also works well w/ inserts, actually I've never tried PC or ABS as I print in my basement and don't want to breathe the fumes - I do use a home-built air-tight printer cabinet with internal HEPA air filter to capture particulates. So your comments are helpful to other folks reading this thread.

Here are some example printed jig parts for use on my table saw - the knob handle at upper doesn't have an insert yet.
These are larger screws, 1/4-20, but I've had great results w/ thermal inserts from 5/8-11 down to M3 threads.
And with carbon-filled PETG/nylon, I've even made small chuck jaws for my mini-lathe that have worked out well for small wood pieces.

 

[Alan W]

Those knobs are probably the closest similar material to insert ratio to the types of bosses we would typically be using. And m3 would be a big size for most of what we would do as “preproduction“ samples. (We were not involved in production manufacturing, except for very short (less than 100 units) runs.) Think computer mice, that sized object. I think even in PLA you’d have reasonable success with something like those bars.

The first time we had parts printed in a carbon filled nylon (SLS, which I jobbed out) the designer had used bird bones as a structure hint, thin walled tubes that had a series of very thin struts that spanned across the interior, at various angles. A 40 inch long by 1 1/8 diameter tube was pretty unwarpable by hand, and weighed around an ounce! These were being used as the main beams in an octo-drone. I was super impressed, both with the material and his cleverness.

 

[Aentons]

I've seen people rough up the inside of an enclosure and use hot glue around the edges of a screento hole it down, or alternatively JB weld standoffs in place and use screws to clamp down on the edges of the pcb

 

[Aentons]

This is the inside of the new Maestro enclosures. They glue and use standoffs

 

[Aentons]

This midi foot switch has glue and tape for the front screen, and they mounted the PCB to the bottom so the screws don't show on top

 

[darwin999]

This midi foot switch has glue and tape for the front screen

Hmm, so was the tape there to hold the screen in place until the glue dried?

 

[darwin999]

The first time we had parts printed in a carbon filled nylon (SLS, which I jobbed out) the designer had used bird bones as a structure hint, thin walled tubes that had a series of very thin struts that spanned across the interior, at various angles. A 40 inch long by 1 1/8 diameter tube was pretty unwarpable by hand, and weighed around an ounce! These were being used as the main beams in an octo-drone. I was super impressed, both with the material and his cleverness.

Very clever biomimicry - I love seeing creative materials design!

 

[Aentons]

Hmm, so was the tape there to hold the screen in place until the glue dried?

Not sure. I bought it used.

 

[Rpschultz13]

As for @Rpschultz13 original question...

I would design a PCB that fills the entire space of the enclosure and use a pair of standoffs on opposite sides of the PCB (on each corner) that are flush with the top and bottom of the enclosure so it is securely suspended. A couple of the 1590A projects here are designed this way.

No external hardware, no adhesive to break loose later. The PCB can't move when the lid is on the enclosure, and easily drops right out as a complete assembly when the lid is off.

Yeah I was thinking about something similar to this, standoffs up and down. You say a couple PedalPCB projects... can you point me to one?