This guide covers recommended print settings for the Pivot Dial enclosure, and walks through removing the Home Assistant Voice Preview Edition from its original enclosure before reassembling it inside Pivot Dial.
Allow around 20 minutes for assembly once your printed parts are ready. Take your time, avoid forcing any components, and follow each section carefully.
Care note
Pivot Dial requires removing the Home Assistant Voice Preview Edition from its original enclosure. This process may affect your original product warranty, especially if damage occurs during disassembly or reassembly. Take your time, avoid forcing any parts, and work on a clean, stable surface.
Printing
Use the prepared 3MF file if your printer or slicer supports it. If not, you can print from the STL files using your preferred slicer and the guidance below as a starting point.
Key print notes
Recommended settings
Backplate surface finish
The backplate must print face-down, which makes it harder to achieve a smooth top surface. Ironing can help significantly.
The following ironing settings have worked well on a BambuLab A1: Ironing type: Top surfaces, Pattern: Rectilinear, Speed: 100 mm/s, Flow: 40%
These are the settings and approaches used for the printed parts shown on this site. Treat them as a solid starting point, and adjust as needed for your own printer, filament, and slicer.
Before you begin
Gather everything before starting. Having the right tools and parts to hand will make the process smoother.
Required
Recommended
Keep screws organised
Keep the screws organised as you work, especially the smaller speaker screws from the original enclosure. They are easy to misplace.
Handle the PCB carefully
Take care when handling the PCB. Hold it by the edges where possible and avoid touching the components directly as much as you can.
Section 1
Remove the Home Assistant Voice Preview Edition from its original enclosure. Work carefully and keep all parts to hand – some components will be reused.
Flip the VPE over and peel back the four rubber feet. Beneath each pad you'll find a screw. Remove all four screws using a crosshead screwdriver and set them aside with the pads.
With the rear screws removed, the top shell can be lifted away from the base. Gently separate the two halves, starting from the rear edge. There are no clips – the shell should come apart cleanly once the screws are out.
With the top shell removed, locate the screws securing the PCB to the base. Remove them carefully and set aside.
Important
These are the only screws you'll need to reassemble the Pivot Dial. Keep them somewhere safe and separate from the other VPE hardware.
Locate the speaker at the rear of the unit. It is secured with small screws – note that these are smaller than the enclosure screws. Gently disconnect the speaker cable and set the speaker aside.
Carefully detach the white mute switch from its position and disconnect from the PCB. If it fell out during step 04, that's ok.
The LED diffuser ring is secured with four small screws around the dial area. Remove all of them and set aside.
Insert a knife or small flathead screwdriver through the hole at the rear and push through – the LED diffuser ring will pop out from the front. This can feel like you're forcing it, but it's the intended method once all the screws from step 06 have been removed.
Carefully lift the dial assembly away from the PCB. The smaller centre button is a separate piece, so push it out from the white outer dial and set it aside.
Using a flathead screwdriver, gently pry the black inner component away from the white outer dial.
Pay close attention to the small copper piece sitting on the black component. Its position is important for the dial to work correctly, so take a photo before removing anything. This part will be reassembled with the PCB in step 09.
Note
Keep the rubber part from the centre button. It will be transferred to the new Pivot Dial button during reassembly.
Place the copper contact back onto the centre of the PCB. The small bent contacts should face inward toward the PCB. This orientation is important for the dial to register properly.
Next, place the black centre insert into the middle of the button mechanism, with the small nib facing down into the silver centre section.
Once the copper contact and black centre insert are correctly positioned, push the larger black dial carrier over the top. This secures both pieces in place.
Before continuing, gently turn the dial. It should rotate smoothly with a clean, clicky feel. If it feels stiff, scratchy or uneven, the copper contact is likely upside down or facing the wrong way. Remove the black dial carrier, correct the orientation, and test it again.
Before moving to assembly, confirm you have the components needed for reassembly:
All other parts – the original enclosure, rubber pads, mute switch, LED diffuser ring, and remaining screws – can be discarded or stored safely in case you want to reassemble your VPE in the future.
Section 2
Reassemble the hardware inside the Pivot Dial enclosure. Follow each step in order.
Note
The following guide shows the Stand Build with the Upright angled mount because it has the most steps. The flat build, which pairs with the flat mount or raised flat mount follows the same assembly process – the main difference is that the Stand Build requires right-angle adapters and routes the USB-C cable through the mount. For the flat build, the USB-C cable can connect directly to the PCB.
Check each printed part before assembly. Remove any remaining support material, loose filament or rough edges. You may need to shave away excess support material using a sharp knife or similar tool.
Pay particular attention to the main body, faceplate, backplate, speaker cavity, mute switch opening and mount groove.
Note
If the faceplate, backplate or mount does not sit flush later in the assembly, remaining support material is the most likely cause.
Place the mute switch onto the PCB, making sure it is facing the correct way up. Check the orientation before moving to the next step, as the switch needs to align with the opening in the Pivot Dial body.
If you are using the Stand Build, connect the right-angle USB-C adapter to the PCB before placing the PCB into the body. If your build uses an aux connection, connect the optional right-angle aux adapter at this stage as well.
Note
It is much easier to connect these adapters before the PCB is seated inside the enclosure.
Carefully angle the PCB into the main body, with the mute switch entering first. Guide the mute switch through its opening, then push the rest of the PCB into place.
The fit may feel a little tight, but the PCB should slide in with an audible 'click'. Once seated, the PCB should sit as flat and flush as possible inside the body.
Before fitting the faceplate, check its orientation. The two screw holes that sit closer together should be positioned toward the bottom of the body. The wider-spaced holes should sit toward the top.
With the PCB seated, align the faceplate with the main body and press it into place. It may take a firm, even press to seat the faceplate fully. Make sure it sits squarely and flush against the main body.
If the faceplate does not sit properly, remove it and check the inside edges of the main body for excess support material. Carefully shave or clean away any obstruction before trying again.
Screw the PCB into the faceplate using the PCB screws set aside during disassembly. This holds the PCB, faceplate and main body together to form the front enclosure. An electric screwdriver can help, but use it carefully.
Once the faceplate feels firmly held against the main body and there are no visible gaps on the front, move on to step 07.
Take the original centre button that was removed earlier. On the back of it, there is a small rubber pad. This pad needs to be transferred to the new printed button.
Carefully pry the rubber pad away from the original button. It is lightly glued in place but should come away relatively easily.
Once removed, press the rubber pad onto the end of the stem on the new printed button. Make sure it sits centred and flat.
This rubber pad is important, as it helps the printed button press cleanly against the button mechanism inside the device.
Slide the inner dial over the black dial carrier in the centre of the faceplate.
This part is designed to fit tightly, so it may need a firm, even press to click into place over the circular black component. Press straight on rather than at an angle.
Once fitted, check that the dial sits evenly against the faceplate and turns smoothly. It should feel secure, with a clean, clicky rotation. If it feels rough, stiff or uneven, remove the dial and check that the inner mechanism from the previous step is seated correctly before trying again.
Slide the printed outer dial over the inner dial, aligning the teeth so the two parts can move together.
This step may take a little trial and error. The outer dial needs to rotate, but it also needs enough vertical movement for the centre button to press in and spring back out. As you fit it, gently rotate the outer dial until you find a groove that allows smooth up-and-down movement.
Once fitted, test the button without power connected. Press the centre button several times and rotate the dial. The button should press cleanly and return straight away, and the dial should turn smoothly.
If the button feels too stiff, does not press properly, or gets stuck in a long-press position, remove the outer dial, rotate it slightly and try a different groove. You may need to repeat this a few times until the fit feels right.
A small amount of resistance is normal at first. Gently pushing and pulling the dial a few times can help clear minor friction from the printed teeth. If the parts were printed together and your printer is well tuned, the grooves should allow the dial to move freely while still feeling secure.
Slide the speaker into the speaker cavity in the backplate. The fit is designed to be snug and should hold the speaker without screws. It may need a firm press.
Make sure any support material has been removed from the speaker cavity before fitting the speaker.
Connect the speaker wire to the PCB. Check that the wire is secure and positioned so it will not be pinched when the backplate is installed.
Hold your selected mount against the flat section of the backplate, opposite the speaker holes. Slide the mount into place until it feels tight and secure. The groove should help lock the mount in position.
This step can be a little awkward, but it is the easiest way to connect the cable when using the Upright angled mount.
With the speaker installed in the backplate and the mount attached, keep the backplate close to the main body so the speaker cable remains connected to the PCB.
Feed the USB-C cable up through the mount, then through the cable opening in the backplate. Connect it to the right-angle adapter on the PCB.
Take your time here, as you may need to gently hold the main body, backplate and mount at the same time while guiding the cable into place. Avoid pulling on the speaker cable while doing this.
This step is only required for the Stand Build. For the flat build, the USB-C cable can connect directly to the PCB without the right-angle adapter.
With the USB-C cable connected, bring the backplate (with the mount attached) and main body together.
As you close the two parts, make sure the openings in the backplate line up with the right-angle adapter and cable. The cable should sit cleanly through the mount and backplate without being pinched or forced.
Press the backplate into the main body using firm, even pressure. If the tolerances are good, the backplate should click into place.
Check that the backplate sits flush against the main body and that the cable still moves cleanly through the mount opening. If it does not close properly, open it again and check that the right-angle adapter, speaker cable and USB-C cable are all seated correctly before trying again.
All done
Connect the Pivot Dial to USB-C power and confirm the device starts normally. Once it has started up, turn the dial and press the centre button to make sure everything is working as expected. Check each of the following before finishing.
Checklist
If something doesn't feel right
If anything feels stiff, loose or misaligned, disconnect power and inspect the relevant part before continuing. If the dial feels rough or uneven, check the dial mechanism and copper contact orientation. If the button gets stuck in a long press, remove the outer dial and try a different groove.