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Epaper Display for 80 mm instrument hole

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TomBric edited this page Dec 22, 2022 · 4 revisions

This is an inspriation how you can build an Epaper-Display for your 80 mm instrument hole (3 1/8 inches). It connects to a separate Stratux. You can also install multiple of these displays in your airplane.

List of materials

  • Rasperry Pi Zero 2 W, many suppliers, e.g. welectron
  • 3.7 inch Epaper display 18381, waveshare, e.g. supplied by welectron
  • Epaper Driver Hat 13512 (universal) waveshare, e.g. supplied by welectron
  • SD card extender to be able to access the SD from the front, e.g. supplied by reichelt
  • 32 GB SD card (at least 16 GB should be used), my suggestion is San Disk Ultra 32 GB
  • Step-Down power converter to connect to 12 or 24 v: LM2596 (lots of suppliers), ebay
  • 3 x micro switches 6x6 mm, length 17mm or 20mm (lots of suppliers, reichelt or ebay)
  • distance holder (brass) and screws 2.5mm, lots of suppliers, e.g. amazon
  • small black M2 screws for fixing the epaper-hat and the micro switches, e.g. amazon You can either use Aluminum (0.5 mm sheets) for building the case or use the provided 3D print files to fully 3D print your instrument.
  • D-SUB 9 pole male and female connector for power supply at the back, e.g. reichelt, reichelt, reichelt, reichelt
  • for Intercom sound: USB-Sound adapter

3D print files

  • OpenScad (if you want to modify something) source. Modifying the value of "display_offset = 0;" from -8 to +8 allows you to move the front to the left or to the right
  • STL-File (for direct printing) source

Hints for building

  • First 3D print the front, consisting of 3 parts: front, cover and latch for the micro switches.

  • Mount the Epaper-adapter into the space inside the front (use 2 mm screws for that)

  • Connect the epaper display (be careful). If you want, you can just clue it on the front.

  • Put the cover on top of the epaper and front and push slightly. The epaper display should now be held exactly in the front/cover.

  • Install and solder cable to 3 micro-switches (17 mm or 20 mm long switches). Install the micro-switches in the front, using M2 screws and using the printed back-latch

  • Install the sd card extender in the front and fix it from the back with hot-glue

  • connect all cables and test the functionality of the display

  • Cut the aluminum case or print the case in 3D

  • Install the Epaper-hat on the right side of the case with 5 mm brass holders.

  • On top of the Epaper-hat install the Pi Zero 2 with brass holders

  • Install the LM2596S step down converter on the left side of the case, again using brass holders

  • Power connections to a Pi Zero: Since the zero has no voltage protection, you can directly solder the power cables into the GPIO holes:

    Cable Connection Point on Pi Zero or Zero2
    VCC + 5V PIN #2 or Pin #4 at GPIO
    GND PIN #6 at GPIO

  • If you additional want a line based sound output to your intercom, connect the usb sound card to the Pi Zero:

    Cable Connection Point on Pi Zero or Zero2
    VCC + 5V PP1
    GND PP6
    Data+ PP22
    Data- PP23

    see this illustration -> scroll down here

Cooling should not be a problem, the case is large enough and has opening holes. No fan is required for the Pi Zero/ Pi Zero 2.

As a final step install the provided stratux-radar-display image with Raspberry Pi Imager on an at least 16 GB sd card.

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