My automatic window project has been completed successfully, now I have another fun one (with a skill to learn). So I’d like to build a new center module for the map lights in my car, the one I currently have is not backlit and has no “on” position (just “door” and “off”). I can build a circuit for the “on” position easily enough, and I can print the frame with white ABS in the Polyprinter.
I need help figuring out the illumination, though. I have an idea and wanted to see if anyone had any suggestions. I think if I can print some vinyl stickers of the text and symbols I want illuminated, press them onto the ABS, and spray-paint it, then remove the stickers, I can get an effect similar to what is shown in the attached picture.
I am open to other suggestions! Let me know what you guys think. If the idea above sounds good, does the vinyl printer require a class?
used to do this for prototypes of panels for boats at work (stuff like this
). what we did was use a semi transparent white laserable material, coat it black with a laserable paint/coating then laser through just the coating. can be a bit testy depending how 3d the buttons are. also have to use materials that wont produce toxic gases or damage the laser.
@dannym would know best which plastics are laser safe. ABS and ASA make fumes when printing, so I’d assume the same fumes would be present when etching. I don’t know if those fumes would hurt the lens.
the buttons were actually some sort of translucent white silicone rubber that they made with a mold and fit over the pcb like a slip cover. then they coated the silicone with some thick matte black coating which was both flexible and lasered really well. the whole thing fit into an abs faceplate where only the buttons protuded.
i would suspect that blank laserable button panels might actually be a thing. so many heavy duty trucks, boats, and such ive worked with have used the same sort of silicone membrane construction. they usually just have power and canbus connections so you can make them do whatever you want.
https://www.carlingtech.com/electronic-switching-products-ckp-series i think this what we had in most of the heavy-duty trucks and such. not sure if you can find off the shelf laserable blanks in low volume. seems like there would be a market for it. might just take some research.
this is just the way a few people make custom heavy-duty (and even waterproof) illuminated buttons for custom vehicles using laser etching rather than some sort of masking process. it doesn’t really need to use abs at all except if you want to bezel the keys with something rigid after its lasered. you can bezel the whole keypad or have individual key holes in the bezel. and other materials can also be used for the bezel, like metal too. its also insanely cheap in volume because you can just tape little metal domes on exposed pcb features to make a rugged pushbutton.
but there’s probably more than one way to do this sort of thing.
Indeed. I’m going to be 3D printing the base control panel- has to be ABS because it’s going to be inside a hot car (and the Polyprinter is amazing). I’ll figure something out.
