K-TAC Rugged T-Beam Enclosure 1

K-TAK RTE-1 (Ruggedized T-Beam Enclosure 1) is an open-sourced ruggedized tactical enclosure for the t beam m8n. RTE-1 is designed to help bring meshtastic to the roughest outdoor conditions in a small man-portable package. RTE-1 was designed around a large battery compartment ensuring space for a high-capacity battery; this will allow days of continuous operation on a single charge. It also utilizes commercially available waterproof components to offer a weatherproof and completely sealed body, protecting the electronics from the elements. Though not a beginner-friendly project, RTE-1 is relatively a simple construction. The body is 3D printed with CNC cutout "armor" panels for added protection and strength. However, the CNC parts are not necessary and can be substituted with printed parts. The CNC parts are relatively simple, with a drill press and good saw (and skill) it can be cut out by hand

Designed & Developed under the K-TAC ecosystem by Canine Rocket Technologies

For full write up, CAD Files, and more check out the GitHub page.

For a visual profile of the project, check out the Hackday page.

Trailer Video

Technical Overview

Assembly Tutorial

3D Printing Info

Included are 2 versions, one for FDM and one for SLA. The only difference is how the screws mount, for the FDM version the holes are larger to accommodate threaded heat-set inserts, whereas the SLA version has 3 mm holes intended to be tapped straight into the resin print itself. For the SLA version, all the files are identical except the center frame. Ensure you are printing the correct center frame file! For full rugged performance, FDM printing is favored over resin printing, however for more moderate usage resin prints should also work (Indoor, casual hiking, urban environment, ect.).

FDM Recommended Settings:

100% infill

0.2 mm layer height minimum

PETG, Polycarbonate, or ABS

Tools

3D Printer (The body is printed)

CNC Mill (See below if you do not own one)

Wire Snips

Soldering Iron (And basic soldering skills)

M3 Taps (Only needed for resin print version)

Electronics

1x TTGO T-BEAM M8N

1x OLED Display

2x 12 mm stainless steel waterproof push button (generic, make sure it's momentary)

1x Upgraded Antenna (stock antenna could work but not recommended)

1x 25mm GPS Antenna (stock antenna could work but not recommended)

2x Li Ion 21700 (Optional, other li ion cells pouch or even 18650s could work, but who dosen’t want to cram the biggest cell this enclosure will take right?) https://www.18650batterystore.com/collections/21700-batteries/products/samsung-50e

1x Set of male and female XT-30 Connectors (Optional, but these are our preferred battery connectors. Directly soldering to the board will work but is not recommended)

1x Roll of this silicone wire (Make sure it’s thin) https://www.adafruit.com/product/3164

1x Roll of thicker gauge silicone wire for battery (Depends on what your cell specs are)

1x Waterproof Panel Mount Micro USB

1x micro usb male breakout (4 pin, 5 pin could also work, just ignore the extra connection)

Material

Carbon fiber/Polycarbonate 3D printer filament (PETG or ABS could also work)

1x Roll of Double Sided Sticky Tape

1x RTV Sealer (Most should work, we used JB Weld Ultimate Black)

1x 5 min epoxy (We like JB Weld)

1x Roll of Painters Tape

1x 2.7 mm polycarbonate sheet (Acrylic could also work, for our U.S. folks the generic small squares of Lexan sheets sold at Home Depot are roughly 2.7mm and should work)

1x 1 or 2 mm carbon fiber sheet (Optional but recommended)

8x M3 brass threaded inserts (Not needed for the SLA resin printed version)

Screws

(It’s much cheaper to buy a screw kit online, stainless steel is highly recommended)

6x M3x12 Socket Head Cap machine screws

2x M3x6 Socket Head Cap machine screws

4x M3x5 Roundhead cap machine screws

4x M3x10 Roundhead cap machine screws