The Steam Deck is almost here, but not quite just yet. If the anticipation is too much for you, though, you can soon have a Steam Deck in your hands immediately, technically. Valve has just publically released the CAD files for the Steam Deck, allowing users to 3D print the outer shell to the handheld device. Upon releasing the files, under the Creative Commons license, Valve encouraged curious tinkerers and makers to have fun messing around with the model, and to feel free to contact them regarding feedback and questions, as well as ideas for things that creators might come up with. You can grab the files from the GitLab page.

Source

 

[SaulFemm]

Valve keeps releasing pieces of useless information to keep people talking about the deck.

Last time literally was "the deck will release on the release date".

Edit: forgot to mention that Valve don't even need those silly news to promote the thing, if they just do as promised, the thing will sell out on every single batch they ever produce.

How is this useless information? It's a giant deviation from the policies of other console-makers.

Screw them for confirming the release date after it had been delayed once, right?

 

[Localhorst86]

Wow yeah how tf?! You some kind of 3D printer psychic?!?!

(it's actually an Ender 3 v2)

The Ender 3 family is so common because of how budget friendly but still usable it is, guessing someone has an Ender 3 always has a good chance of being correct.

Personally, I have an Ender 3 as well and when I talked about getting into 3D printing with a friend "Ender 3?" was his guess as well.

 

[Deleted member 194275]

How is this useless information? It's a giant deviation from the policies of other console-makers.

Screw them for confirming the release date after it had been delayed once, right?

They announcing that they are releasing a product on the release date is important then? Can't wait for my local post office call the press to announce that they will keep delivering mail.

And the CAD file, why is it useful? I mean, For the ones that run a Chinese accessories factory it is indeed useful, but those guys already have this information anyway, so what's the use?
I read a comment about trolling friends by printing the thing (a 20+ hours print BTW), and that was the only use I can think off.

 

[Clydefrosch]

good job.
as if they wouldn't try to sell you knockoffs soon enough

 

[andyhappypants]

Snip

 

[andyhappypants]

Wow yeah how tf?! You some kind of 3D printer psychic?!?!

(it's actually an Ender 3 v2)

No bud, My preview looked identical! CR10S pro v2 will handle it though

 

[FAST6191]

And the CAD file, why is it useful? I mean, For the ones that run a Chinese accessories factory it is indeed useful, but those guys already have this information anyway, so what's the use?
I read a comment about trolling friends by printing the thing (a 20+ hours print BTW), and that was the only use I can think off.

There are plenty of people in the would be market for this device (it seems popular for reasons I am not entirely sure about) with 3d printers, cnc machines and whatever else that can be used to make items. As you say they probably could bust out the verniers and micrometers (maybe even account for draft angle) and spend an hour on CAD if they are already good at it, and even if not then chances are someone that has such skills will have something up on thingiverse or whatever else the kids are using before too terribly long.
The trick will likely come in a) as it will presumably be a screw in shell rather than a clip on device that have... I have seen a good third party controller but I have never seen a clip on shell I want to do anything with and b) allow people to more easily explore ergonomics (you are never going to get mass production of this sort of device looking like a console controller, happily do it yourself with this sort of thing and minimal skills), disability tweaks (loops to prevent falling from hands that can't grip so well maybe), controller remapping options, larger spaces for rumble motors, big boy speaker housings, extra battery compartments, cooling, weighting, mounting into displays...

 

[Deleted member 194275]

There are plenty of people in the would be market for this device (it seems popular for reasons I am not entirely sure about) with 3d printers, cnc machines and whatever else that can be used to make items. As you say they probably could bust out the verniers and micrometers (maybe even account for draft angle) and spend an hour on CAD if they are already good at it, and even if not then chances are someone that has such skills will have something up on thingiverse or whatever else the kids are using before too terribly long.
The trick will likely come in a) as it will presumably be a screw in shell rather than a clip on device that have... I have seen a good third party controller but I have never seen a clip on shell I want to do anything with and b) allow people to more easily explore ergonomics (you are never going to get mass production of this sort of device looking like a console controller, happily do it yourself with this sort of thing and minimal skills), disability tweaks (loops to prevent falling from hands that can't grip so well maybe), controller remapping options, larger spaces for rumble motors, big boy speaker housings, extra battery compartments, cooling, weighting, mounting into displays...

now that you talked about it, yeah, it may be useful for folks that will try storage swap on base model. Many said they will, and the replacement may have different footprint (or whatever is called for soldered boards).

I still think that piece of news is just a Marketing guy yelling at Valve's office "hey, gamers will forget about us! Tell something now!!!"

I say that because until now they told out of blue that games that already run on Linux will run on their Linux, they also told that an anti-cheat system will work on multiplayer games that feature the said anti-cheat system, then they told that the release date is indeed the release date and now they released stuff for thingverse.

 

[FAST6191]

Generating/keeping a low level buzz is a fairly standard thing to be doing, one I don't even necessarily begrudge their marketing slimes for doing, and while I would be surprised if this made more than a few dozen sales that would not have happened otherwise or results in anything terribly interesting for more than a few people (only time custom replacement shells have really mattered is gamecube for mod chips to avoid paying the silly money for writeable miniDVD) it is something you can note as well.

 

[nero99]

The Steamdeck runs pretty hot, so I sure hope prospective printing enthusiasts who want to play around with this don’t use garbo filament. I also advise against removing the grill from the back or moving it closer to the fan intake to “improve thermals” - it’s a negative pressure setup, the vent is there so that the battery doesn’t overheat (which it near enough does anyway, judging by the GN analysis). If you’re going to do anything like that, account for keeping everything in the original airflow path cool.

I highly doubt the steam deck will get hot enough to melt PLA or ABS. I mean, there’s no way the system will reach that temperature without bursting into flames.

 

[Foxi4]

I highly doubt the steam deck will get hot enough to melt PLA or ABS. I mean, there’s no way the system will reach that temperature without bursting into flames.

Plastics do not have to reach melting temp in order to deform or warp - they’re malleable at much lower temperatures and due to the layered nature of filament prints there’s internal stress involved. To demonstrate, we’ve seen Switch shells warp from not even overtemp, but just high temp in general, and those parts aren’t prints - they’re professionally molded. The HDT (heat distortion temperature) of PLA under a mere 66 PSI is 49-52 degrees - half of the peak temperature recorded by the battery compartment sensor. The average, healthy man has a grip strength of around 72 PSI. So yeah, not exactly an appropriate material. In fact, PLA parts should not be used for any application that reaches temperatures above 60 degrees specifically because they lose their stiffness at that point. ABS is a much better pick, but not by a huge margin - bog standard ABS can have a HDT as low as 68 degrees, better blends go well past 100. There’s a large variety of ABS plastics, so you’d have to look into the spec of the filament to determine if it’s appropriate for the application.

 

[abda]

Valve Valve...

 

[k7ra]

Welp... I don't have a 3d printer, but with enough paper you can do this with a regular one as well... Right?




You're aware that a gpd win 3 can use steam as well, right?

Try Pepakura