RAIN

the project formerly known as RAIDEN

Status

Reviewing changes to compute module v1.1 and test-fitting various chassis parts.

Description

RAIN is project to make high-performance computing more accessible. Work is currently focused on the development of RAIN Mark II, a personal supercomputer designed to make writing supercomputing applications accessible to a wider range of programmers and developers.

Journal

02032018 - RAIN module v1.1

After reviewing the most recent version of the compute module bracket, a number of improvements have been identified:

  1. Add 1mm more gap for nut and power lugs
  2. Reduce power rail hole by 1-2mm
  3. Power lug interferes with board on the top, maybe push board back 1-3mm
  4. Power lug interferes with the board at the bottom too, maybe sink board another 1-2mm into brace? Or, orient power lugs vertically, then they clear the board and provide a clearer path for the power wiring
  5. Power rail "bosses"(?) could have thinner walls to make more room for the wire barrel part of the power lugs (they are OK when they print correctly but print errors make the fit too tight).
  6. LED holes seem too small, but could be due to printer error
  7. Switch hole is too small, could be print error or might just need .5mm more room
  8. Bus connector could be raised about 1-2mm from bottom plate
  9. USB connector clears the switch but barely. The electrical connectors on the switch are accessible on a regular Pine64 but may be occluded on a board with WiFi
  10. Overall thicknesses could probably be reduced, the part is plenty strong and the stack-up on the front panel might be too deep for switches and LED's to poke-through at the current thickness

Chassis

Due to Ethernet switch interference, about 40mm of room on the faceplate for node brackets is lost. Based on initial layout tests, this gap falls on the right-hand side of the chassis. Because of this, I can only fit 7 modules at the current size (25mm).

We also loose ~6mm on the left due to the screw mounting holes for the faceplate (this may be accommodated for in the faceplate drawing).

Total width is ~235mm

If I can get the module width under 24mm it might fit.

01302018 - Raiden is renamed to RAIN

RAIDEN has been renamed to RAIN because it turns out there's already another supercomputer named Raiden. RAIN is an acronym that stands for Redundant Array of Inexpensive Nodes but more imporantly it's also what happens when the clouds fall back to the ground.

01302018 - Journal init