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FlexLED

POV Display on Flexible PCBs!

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Project FlexLED is an attempt to create a simple POV display from flexible PCBs!

My first FlexLED prototype!

FLEXLED-GERBER.zip

Gerber files for 0.13mm thick Flexible PCB

x-zip-compressed - 15.95 kB - 04/02/2019 at 20:47

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  • New FlexLED Concept

    Carl Bugeja10/09/2020 at 06:50 0 comments

  • FlexLED v2

    Carl Bugeja02/20/2020 at 21:47 1 comment

  • Geeky Holographic Valentine's Heart

    Carl Bugeja02/20/2020 at 21:46 0 comments

    This year I went a little overboard with a super geeky Valentine's day gift! 🤓 

  • Designing FlexLED 2.0

    Carl Bugeja09/21/2019 at 12:12 0 comments

    This is the design video for FlexLED 2.0! I tried to log the design process from start to finish. Starting from the initial idea, architecture design, selection of components, schematic design, pcb design, mechanical design and finally ordering the new flexi rigid pcb!

  • Open Source Gerber Files

    Carl Bugeja04/02/2019 at 21:00 0 comments

    The open source gerber files for the first FlexLED prototype are now posted on the project page! The PCB is very simple as this was only intended to proof the concept. It consist from the coil, the footprint for the APFA2507LSURKSYKZGKC LED package and the six pads (3 back-to-back) to pass power through the coil and LED.

  • This idea vs Other POV displays

    Carl Bugeja04/01/2019 at 04:57 0 comments

    POV displays are usually made from a pcb that have multiple Leds on it and that is connected to the shaft of a motor that rotates 360 degrees. The challenging part of this is to pass power and control signals to the rotating PCB. This is usually done via slip rings and carbon brushes. 

    The neat part about this FlexLED project is that the PCB itself can generate the a flapping motion and create persistence of vision. It main disadvantage is its limiting angle which is currently set to around 120deg. But it eliminates the need of a motor which makes things simpler and cheaper. 

    For example the total BOM of the first prototype is $2 which only consists from a flexible PCB and one LED (at 100pcs). This exclude the magnet and the other electronics needed to power the thing. But to generate this type of motion you would usually need a brushless motor which will add at least $10 to the total cost. 

  • First Prototype

    Carl Bugeja03/28/2019 at 01:11 0 comments

    Project FlexLED is an attempt to create a simple POV display from flexible PCBs! The video bellow shows my first basic prototype with just one LED. 

    My camera has not done much justice to this project, in real-life it looks amazing. The results are very promising, so in the video I also discussed the challenges of how can I add more LEDs.

    Thank you PCBWay for providing me with these flexible PCBs!

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William Bennett wrote 04/14/2020 at 17:43 point

What app will i need to open the pcb file?

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kvtoet wrote 07/19/2019 at 20:28 point

Very cool and ingenious.

I wonder how long the flexpcb lasts though.

Also how much current are you running on the coil and how much current is left, since flexpcb is usually rated low afaik? I can imagine if you want to add more leds you'll need to run more current for the increased weight. But this is definitely a better way to make a POV display.

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the_3d6 wrote 07/10/2019 at 11:56 point

Very simple and promising approach! Still need to figure out how to get more control over the motion (ideally go to 2D but not sure if it's possible this way, after all they flex well only in one direction) - but that gave me a whole lot of ideas. Thanks! :)

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Dan Maloney wrote 04/08/2019 at 20:32 point

BTW, I don't think there's anything that says you can't enter this in both the 2019 Hackaday Prize and the Flex PCB Contest.

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John Loeffler wrote 04/05/2019 at 14:34 point

Here yo go   XZCBDDGME56W

RGB LED Right angle I CADed it if you are interested

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Dan Maloney wrote 03/28/2019 at 00:31 point

I can see where you're going with this and I like it already. Can't wait for the details.

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Carl Bugeja wrote 03/28/2019 at 01:02 point

Thanks Dan :) 

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