Light Board- Constraints and Specifications

As I move forward towards procurement of parts for my Light Board project, I see constraints and specifications that are worth highlighting.

I have designed and ordered every part and sub-assembly that will be later assembled to the final product. The holding fixture has been designed and will be assembled when all parts are received from ITLL and McMaster.

Top 5 specifications:

  1. The Holding Fixture should be strong enough to withstand constant load of 10 lbf due to the two springs attached to it.
  2. The Pinching feature of the holding fixture should not apply direct load on the LEDs of the LED strip.
  3. The dimensions of the The holding fixture should be such that it should not go beyond the boundary of the Acrylic sheet for aesthetic purpose.
  4. The LEDs should be bright enough to send adequate amount of Light to the center of the Acrylic sheet.
  5. The Length of the LED strip should be at least 2 x 35.5″ in order to cover both long edges of the board.

Top 5 constraints:

  1. The total cost of the project should not exceed $300. The most expensive part of the project was the Acrylic sheet for obvious reasons. The 23.5″ x 35.5″ x 0.5″ sheet cost $150 at Colorado Plastics. Since I needed maximum light to reach the center of the board, I needed the longer edges of the sheet to be smooth. Hence I had to pay $45 extra of for post processing (polishing of edges). This brought the cost of the project to be more than $200. For other materials from MacMaster and Amazon the total cost should not exceed $100 as then it will be way over the budget.
  2. The edges should be smooth enough to let significant amount of light to travel to the center of the board via Total Internal Reflection (TIR).
  3. The Acrylic sheet should be kept free of smudges and dirt for best results.
  4. I should be able to connect both parts of 2 x 35.5″ LED strip without affecting the aesthetic of the board.
  5. Since the Acrylic sheet is very heavy, the board should not be lifted at the maximum possible angle of the ratchet mechanism of the drafting board as it could lead to toppling of the whole table.

 

 

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2 Comments. Leave new

  • Hi Ankit, I really like your lightboard idea and I’d Imagine that this board would look really cool in a room with minimal light. I’m curious about what you’re planning to do with the board once you finish it? Also, are you using different colors for the LED lights? I think that’d be pretty cool to have.

    Reply
  • Ankit,
    I can’t wait to see how this project turns out. It’s such a cool idea. I had no idea that the acrylic would have cost that much. What other parts do you have to order? I think this was one of the more ambitious projects in the class and I am impressed with your drafting skills.

    Reply

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