Living With It & Roadmap

Stub — section skeleton authored 2026-06-27; prose to follow.

7.1 Field-Use Notes

This section covers the practical experience of using the DFCD as a workshop tool over an extended period. Topics include:

• The sliding screen mechanism in day-to-day use: does the screen stay put when open, is the travel smooth, does the drag-chain hold up
• The keyboard’s usability in a shop environment — surface cleanliness, key travel feel with work gloves [VERIFY whether the builder addresses this]
• The trackball’s ergonomics for FreeCAD viewport navigation: orbit, pan, zoom feel compared to a mouse
• NP-F battery management in practice: how often recharging is needed, whether the USB-C recharge on the NP-F pack is convenient, whether pass-through use works during a long session
• Shoulder-strap carry between bench areas: stability, comfort
• Ambient lighting in the shop vs. the display brightness range: is the display legible in a bright space

7.2 Current WIP Items

The upstream reference build is honest about its status: as of the time of this writing, the main functionality is complete (screen, keyboard, trackball) and two modules remain unwired. This section documents both, including what is already printed and physically present versus what remains electrically unresolved.

7.2.1 Left Connection Module

The left connection module provides external device ports — the specific connector types and purpose [VERIFY from upstream documentation] are documented here. The module’s 3D-printed shell is part of the chassis design; the module-specific electronics are the unresolved portion.

The left connection module likely serves as an extension of the rear USB power/signal rails to an accessible left-side connector position, making it convenient to plug in external devices without reaching behind the chassis. The exact electrical interface [VERIFY from upstream build notes or community issues] and the planned component list for the wiring are noted here with honest open-question status.

7.2.2 Scrolling Handle

The scrolling handle provides an ergonomic grip point and navigation control for panning the FreeCAD viewport. Its 3D-printed form is present in the chassis design; the wiring to the rotary encoder or a dedicated input device [VERIFY] is the outstanding work.

The scrolling handle’s design intent — vertical and horizontal scroll for FreeCAD viewport pan, in a grip that is more ergonomic for sustained use than trackball-only navigation — is noted here along with the current status.

7.2.3 Custom Trackball Electronics

The most clearly scoped future project in the upstream build is the replacement of the harvested Logitech Marble electronics with purpose-built trackball PCB electronics. The upstream builder explicitly names this as a future improvement area.

This section covers what is known about the custom trackball target: the sensor type [VERIFY], the PCB form factor for the DFCD trackball module, and what the custom electronics would improve over the harvested Marble (primarily: precise fit, no legacy wiring, potentially a different ball size or surface). At the time of authoring, the custom electronics are at the concept stage.

7.3 Living With the Slider Mechanism

The sliding screen over the hidden keyboard is the DFCD’s most distinctive mechanical feature. This section covers the long-term durability considerations: wear surfaces in the rail, whether the drag-chain’s flex cycles have a meaningful lifespan limit, and what maintenance the mechanism requires over time (cleaning, lubrication).

It also covers the practical discipline of the sliding screen: a device where the keyboard is hidden when the screen is closed has different daily-use habits than a device with an exposed keyboard. For a workshop tool that may sit idle for extended periods, the closed state protects the keyboard from debris.

7.4 Upgrade Path

7.4.1 Compute Board

The DFCD’s compute board is the Raspberry Pi 5 (8 GB). The chassis is built around the Pi 5’s physical dimensions and power requirements. A future builder upgrading to a Pi 6 (or equivalent) would need to verify physical compatibility and the step-down module’s output voltage against the new board’s requirements. The Joy-it step-down module’s output is adjustable [VERIFY] and should accommodate a different compute board within its input/output envelope.

7.4.2 Display

Upgrading to a larger or higher-resolution display would require chassis redesign for the sliding screen rail and panel mounting, but the electrical connection (micro HDMI) would remain compatible with the Pi 5 and its successors. The touch interface would need to be re-evaluated for the new panel.

7.4.3 Power System

The NP-F battery format provides a natural upgrade path: a higher-capacity NP-F pack (e.g., 13200 mAh [VERIFY availability]) would extend runtime with no other changes, assuming the pack fits the same battery bay dimensions. The Joy-it step-down module would handle the higher-capacity pack without modification, since the input voltage is the same.

7.5 Community Modifications

The upstream DFCD design explicitly encourages community modification. As of mid-2026, the repository had 59 forks, representing a range of adaptations. This section covers the modification landscape:

• Variants built on different compute boards (Raspberry Pi 4 rather than Pi 5, or alternate SBCs) [VERIFY if any forks are documented]
• Different display sizes or types
• Chassis modifications for different module configurations
• The PCBWay manufacturing path for builders without 3D printers

The modular architecture makes the DFCD a platform: changes to modules can be made without rethinking the core chassis. New modules that conform to the rear USB rail attachment geometry can be added by anyone who can model a STEP part.

7.6 What the Author Would Do Differently

This section captures reflections from the upstream builder on design choices that might be made differently in a revision — as documented in build notes, the build video, or community discussions. These observations are valuable for builders who want to adapt the design before starting their own build.