Motivation
I've always had a fascination for neon light signs. While I initially wanted to make neon signs, I didn't have neon lights on hand but I did have left over LED light strips from previous projects (neon lights were also considerable more expensive and our club was on a budget...) I envisioned creating these miniature LED signs to compliment the larger wooden marquee letters for our showcase.
Building Process
CADing
This project began with a CADing session in OnShape. Beginning with writing the 2D text, I was able to build the 3D model around the letters.
To create a friction fit between the diffuser and the housing, I implemented a 0.3 mm clearance between the parts. The recessed portion off the top allows for the diffuser to slide in without the need for glue or guides. The design also accounts for the routing of the LED strip with the integration of tunnels and heightened base.
3D Printing
With the hard part done, it was time to make my Ender 3 Pro do the rest. Unfortunately (or luckily), I only had pink PLA other than white available at the time so pink it was for the housing. With the 3 letter diffusers and the housing, the total print time was about 9 hours.
Adding lights
For the home stretch, I weaved the LED light strip into the channels. With the sticky side pointing towards the print, I was able to sneak led into every nook in the housing. This was a bit tricky as the led would constantly stick to areas I didn't want it to go but I was eventually able to successfully add the lights. The final results made it all worth it and was a nice touch to the otherwise bare podium.
More pictures
