This looks fantastic, is the only option to build one ourselves according to your plans, or can this be developed into a purchasable product?

I created a repository for that project: github.com/tikiss/PowerShield
So everybody can build their own, but I am planning to order machine populated boards if there are interests.

Depending on price I'm interested in a machine populated board.

Where did you get the front and rear plates punched?

Thanks

J.

I have to request an offer from a company that can produce the raw PCB and can also populate it.
I am on that topic, maybe next week I can answer the question more precise.

The front and back plates are also PCBs, so it is drilled and milled, gerber files are also uploaded in GitHub, it can be ordered from any PCB manufacturer.

Clever! I would not have thought of doing that!

I think I would certainly be interested, I have no idea how to use the files on the github repo to order the boards, and would that still mean I would have to source all the components and solder them on myself, or is that the service a PCB supplier would do?

If it could be supplied as a kit to assemble, with no soldering required, then I would suppose we need to find out how much interest there is, as I'm sure ordering a number of prototypes instead of one at a time would work out cheaper with the economy of scale.

Incidentally - I attach an external USB3 SSD to my Astroberry, if there was anyway to somehow accomodate that in the enclosure as well - even if it is a hole to loop a short USB cable round... This is the SSD : www.scan.co.uk/products/500gb-samsung-t7...e-c-bus-powered-blue

On Github, every file are available to modify the design and create your own variant. Or you can use the generated Gerber files, with these files you can order the PCB from any PCB manufacturer. Yes, also you have to take care of the order and solder every component.
I am working on to get price offer from manufacturers who can completely populate the board, I will post here how much would such a board cost.
That is not a bad idea, but currently, there is no space in the housing, a new housing concept would be needed, this SSD has no fixing screws that would make the fixing a little bit difficult. I can also imagine that the front- and backplate design should be changed as well in case of a new housing concept.

Well, any SATA drive would do, I happen to use the Samsung one, because it fits in my current design of a wooden box with the Pi4, USB Disk, USB Hub etc...

You can use any Internal SSD disk coupled with a cable like this one:

Excellent idea. I don't have the Indi Dev experience to contribute but a couple of ideas on the hardware:

1. Add an external Wi-Fi antenna (signal strength seems an issue for my RPi inside a case
2. Fan location/position: dew falls downwards so ensure the airflow is drawing in from underside and expelled ideally through a side?

Ian

You could use velcro to stick the SSD to the housing. Not pretty but it works. I use an SSD as well. MUCH faster than a SATA drive but also more expensive.

Yes, don't get me wrong, I'm interested with this "as-is", but as we're still in the stages of design, just thought that some suggestions might still be worthwhile. Even if it is space internally to house a 2.5" SSD SATA, and a hole (perhaps with a blanking plate) big enough to loop a USB cable back internally.

Just to let you know... an INDI driver for this board is on its way!