Mechanical
Thin Mini-ITX Based PC System Design Guide 51
Figure 5-7. Example Thin Mini-ITX I/O Shield
5.6 Industrial Design, System Layout, and Usability
Considerations
Areas to consider in general system design for ease of integration, serviceability, and
overall system mechanical performance include:
Screws are generally better than snaps for retaining external chassis panels that
must be removed for system access. When compared to snaps, screws generally
allow the panel to be removed / installed easier and with less risk of damaging
plastic. Self-tapping screws which are driven in to plastic can work, but are usually
only good for a few installation/removal cycles before the plastic becomes overly-
deformed and weak. Machine screws driven into a threaded receiver, such as metal
studs, are good for numerous installation/removal cycles.
Captive screws on chassis panels, HDD frames, etc, improve the ease of integration,
and reduce the chance of parts being lost.
Minimize the number of parts which must be removed to gain access to the inside of
a system. For example, removing a chassis stand, back panel, and EMI shield to
gain access to the motherboard requires many steps. The same can be said if a
front bezel, monitor screen, and chassis components must be removed if
motherboard access is from the front. The parts may be necessary; however, the
steps needed in getting around them should be minimized.
Provide areas and features within the chassis for bundling up excess cable to reduce
system airflow obstruction effects and provide a neater system.
To Next Page
Loading...
Need help?
General
