Caution panel build - step by step

[LeLv30_Superbus]

Ah I see. You can run two leds just as easily as one. At least that's what I did. Leds require very little current so the Phidgets card shouldn't have any trouble with two. Just connect them in series and calculate the correct forward resistor. I used R = 1 ohm for two TLG 114A leds. Most leds like a current of 20 mA. That gives Vf = 2.5 volts for the leds which is good for TLG 114A (rated 2.1 - 2.8 volts Vf). 12 ohms would give Vf = 2.4V, for example.

 

+5V ----U----U-----R---- -5V

 

U = led

R = 1 ohm resistor

 

Led calculator: http://led.linear1.org/led.wiz

 

Unfortunately Helios does not support OC cards. :(

Edited August 25, 2011 by LeLv30_Superbus
Added link to calculator

[pitbldr]

Thinking about this some more and I believe it would work. With the phidgets board, you don't have to worry about resistors, you just attach the LED's and go. You can set the current to 20ma, 40ma, 60ma, or 80ma.

 

I am not electronics wiz, but I would think if one LED needs 20ma and you wire 2 in series, the phidgets board could be set to 40ma and it would work.

 

However, the cost of a 2 LED panel would probably end up being around $175. Then you'd need double the number of LED's and still need an interface solution ($125 if you go with a phidgets). I think the total cost would fall around $350.

[LeLv30_Superbus]

$175 is fine for me. Just drop me a pm when you are planning to make another one. The 1-hole version is probably just as good if you mount the led deep enough. I'd like to see a picture with the lights on first, though. The led will probably have to be brighter if it's further back from the face plate. It all depends on how wide the beam of light from the led is.

 

This just crossed my mind: what about light bleeding to neighbouring indicators through the baseplate or diffuser plate? Is that going to be a problem?

Edited August 25, 2011 by LeLv30_Superbus

[pitbldr]

This just crossed my mind: what about light bleeding to neighbouring indicators through the baseplate or diffuser plate? Is that going to be a problem?

 

There is no light bleeding through the baseplate - it's made of black acrylic. There is a very small amount that may bleed through the sides of the indicators and that is just a result of it being more difficult to get a good coat of paint on the 1/8" sides and not overcoat the tops in the process.

 

I'll try to get a couple good photos of it light up.

[PanelBuilder]

I was wondering if two 5 mm leds side by side would give a better result than just one? Have you tried what the panel looks like when lit up? I made 3 landing gear and one take-off trim light last weekend using two leds and a semi-transparent piece of plastic to scatter the light and they look ok to me.

 

I was thinking something like this:

 

http://www.us.kingbright.com/images/catalog/SPEC/KB2885SGD.pdf

 

Colin

[pitbldr]

Have you tried what the panel looks like when lit up?

 

Forgot to ask if you saw this: http://forums.eagle.ru/showthread.php?t=77939

 

That's the first panel I made and used clear acrylic that I painted black. More bleed through. The panels with black acrylic are much better. :)

 

I was thinking something like this:

 

http://www.us.kingbright.com/images/catalog/SPEC/KB2885SGD.pdf

 

Colin

 

Those could work and the price isn't more than if you used two LED's per indicator (92 in all).

 

I guess is all depends on your budget really.

[LeLv30_Superbus]

I saw it after I posted. Some bleeding there, but I'm glad to hear you fixed it already. One thing that caught my eye, however, was that in the picture the letter "L-"'s weren't illuminated very well in some of the second column indicators. That's what it looks like to me, anyway. Same thing with some of the "R-"'s in the third column. Double leds would probably help there, or mounting the single led a little deeper, or using a led with a wider beam. What do you think?

[pitbldr]

I saw it after I posted. Some bleeding there, but I'm glad to hear you fixed it already. One thing that caught my eye, however, was that in the picture the letter "L-"'s weren't illuminated very well in some of the second column indicators. That's what it looks like to me, anyway. Same thing with some of the "R-"'s in the third column. Double leds would probably help there, or mounting the single led a little deeper, or using a led with a wider beam. What do you think?

 

Here's a pic with it held up to sunlight. It shows that everything will light up well, but you're right in that two LED"S would provide more even illumination. Another alternative is more diffusion under the panel. Right now I just have the diffusion plate made from 1/16" white acrylic. I've also read that you can flatten tops of LED's to create more dispersion.

 

I'll play around with the design this weekend.

[bnepethomas]

very nice work pitbldr, in one of my earlier sims I had used two leds, definitely the way to go. Also check these flat top leds, they basically don't need a lot of diffusing at all.

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?VISuperSize&item=290592133518

[pitbldr]

very nice work pitbldr, in one of my earlier sims I had used two leds, definitely the way to go. Also check these flat top leds, they basically don't need a lot of diffusing at all.

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?VISuperSize&item=290592133518

 

Thanks! :)

 

Yeah, I need to try the flat tops. I actually have some, but they came pre-wired with a resistor attached, so I need to get some without the resistor.

[TulsA-10]

Here's a pic with it held up to sunlight. It shows that everything will light up well, but you're right in that two LED"S would provide more even illumination. Another alternative is more diffusion under the panel. Right now I just have the diffusion plate made from 1/16" white acrylic. I've also read that you can flatten tops of LED's to create more dispersion.

 

I'll play around with the design this weekend.

 

I can't even tell you how perfect it turned out. Your panel looks better and more easy to read than the real thing.

[Cali]

That is amazing, nice work!

[TulsA-10]

Hey Pit! I have my new caution panel working thanks to you, phidgets, and the makers of helios. It turned out very well. I picked up some 3mm superbright white leds here:

 

http://www.superbrightleds.com/moreinfo/component-leds/white-3mm-led-30-degree-viewing-angle-8000-mcd/303/

 

It's better to go to bright and turn them down then not go bright enough. I will post pics and a video soon. Thanks again for the great panel and can't wait for more.

[pitbldr]

Hey Pit! I have my new caution panel working thanks to you, phidgets, and the makers of helios. It turned out very well. I picked up some 3mm superbright white leds here:

 

http://www.superbrightleds.com/moreinfo/component-leds/white-3mm-led-30-degree-viewing-angle-8000-mcd/303/

 

It's better to go to bright and turn them down then not go bright enough. I will post pics and a video soon. Thanks again for the great panel and can't wait for more.

 

Glad to help out!! :D

 

Looking forward to seeing the pics.

[trigen]

Its not the pit (parts) that cost money its the tools you need to build it ;)

[Afterburn]

I am not electronics wiz, but I would think if one LED needs 20ma and you wire 2 in series, the phidgets board could be set to 40ma and it would work.

 

Nor am I an expert but from my experience in the controls field (all sorts of 4-20ma inputs/outputs) and my engineering background I seem to remember that amps = amps anywhere along a series circuit. It's the voltage drop that changes in a series connection. If you set a sensor to drive 20ma through the controlled loop, the electrons will move at that rate at any point in the series circuit. Each device on the circuit will drop the voltage along that wire. Conversely with a parallel circuit, the voltage will be identical along the parallel nodes but the amperage will vary as a function of resistance along each path. :smartass:

 

I don't have any LEDs to test or I would...anyone with hands-on experience on this question?

[grimm0ne]

Pit, you still making panels?

[pitbldr]

Pit, you still making panels?

 

Yes, but work and real life have been taking up all of my time lately. I have several "orders" at present and would need to finish those before I can commit to anything else. Also, when I have time to make a few more caution panels and UFC's, I'll just be posting any not already claimed in the "For Sale" forum.

[grimm0ne]

cool thanks, i'll be keeping an eye out then.

[JCook]

Pitbldr

 

This is an excellent tutorial - thank you. Where can I get the CAD files for creating all the different layers of the warning panel? Unless you're planning to fabricate some new ones for sale - I'll try and build this panel.

 

John

[JCook]

Does anyone have some accurate dimension's for this caution panel. The tutorial above is excellent at showing how to put it all together, however the pieces are all pretty intricate to cut. Can you please hare the CAD files used to CNC those pieces or at least provide the raw dimensions? Thanks.

[pitbldr]

Hey John,

 

I don't use CAD and my files are just Corel drawings. Also, they are my own design and don't match the actual panel. And my design is pretty intricate because of how I wanted it to look. You could make a much simpler design by using a piece of black acrylic with holes drilled in it to let the light through to a text "overlay" on top.

 

If you like, I'll upload my drawings in PDF format.

[JCook]

Thanks Pitbldr

 

Any source material for panel design is very helpful. Would I be able to get accurate dimensions from the pdf for each of the indicator cutouts?

[avlolga]

Hi Jcook,

 

check this out , you will found some dimension's here.

http://forums.eagle.ru/showpost.php?p=1323194&postcount=45

 

http://forums.eagle.ru/showthread.php?t=80233&page=5

[JCook]

That panel looks great - could you share the measurements that you used for the components? Indicator light length/width, spacing between indicators, etc. That would really help in trying to duplicate the process.

 

Thanks