The Problem

I'm Funko Pop collector, kind of bubble head toys. I started having just a few of them from Star Wars franchise, but my collection increase to almost 200 units. So, I started to having problems related to store them, but also about how can be showcased. Within this kind of collectable items there are some of them that are really valuable and unique, that need to be protected.The problem is now only about storage, my major problem is related with people intending to open the collectable boxes and trying to play or joke with some valuable items, without following any protocol endangering risk their value. I intended to showcase some open funkos to aovid this kind of problems. Distributing them between different shelves around my house.

So I have been exploring different options from commercial shelves (not customize for funkos), just regular vertical shelves to store them without showcase special items, to highly customize thematic shelves. Thus, I look for inspiration by shearching diferent geometric designs that could cover completly a wall. I found some commercially and cumtomized options available in other countries. So I decide to drawn some ideas that could be applied and thinking about how I can be produced it locally using digital fabrication technologies.

The First Idea

The idea that I have is to build a hidden wall. Hence, the funkos could appear and hide using a sensor or a remote control. In this way, they could also be protected from dust and light expossure. That is also important, because it reduce possibilities of damages and investment on extra covers. Thus, I can use the space that I already occupy for showcase my funkos.

Hence, my idea is to build the wall using hexagon forms, like simulating a bee panal. That kind of structure could cover all or part of the wall. Could be built by modules, and each one could have different colors, like legos that are sticked together. Thus, some hexagons could be blank and other could containg funkos. In this way, not every hexagon serve as shelve, and coulb be build using playwood, and replace some the hexagons with 3D printed colored pieces. Like some art wall that I found on a friend house, that you can observe in the image. But instead of being 2D Hexagons stick in the wall, I can produce 3D hexagons inserted in a playwood wall.

The following image tried to provide a description of the functioning process of each 3D printed hexagon. The shelve could be closed and then could be actioned, the hexagon top is opened and a hexagon or rectangular platform could slides to showcase a funko

I visited some 3D printing designs repositories like thingiverse looking for hexagon shelves models, and found two that I think could be useful. The first are big hexagon sehlves, functioning in a modular way, the couple forming some kind of big shelve that could be ensamble. The problems with the design is that it seems very slim and it would need some kind of frame to contain a top. So the frame could also provide support to have a mobile top. Considering that I want to open and close them. I decide to look for hexagon wall shelves, that sometime I have seen used to hold flowerpots. Finally, I found a Wall mounted foldable modular hexagon shelf (print in place) desing by RiverRaid. You can observe that the design include one printed piece, that is foldable and have a frame, that allows to open and close the top, and support small flowerpots.

The First Test with 3D Printing Process

I donwload the files to printed them, and to have an idea about dimensions. Because I need to test the diferent funko models, not every model present same characteristics. So I can decide if I could used packed or unpacked funkos. I have some problems when printing. i think that ir was because my filament was expose to much time to humity.

I test product dimensions using different kind of funkos, because some special design are wider or taller. So I can decide for which kind of funkos I will develop my final design. I also notice that build something for the unpacked funkos will need something bigger

Looking for mechanisms that I can use

Thinking that I would need to use stepper motors and servo motors that I could use. I comented my idea during a global open time, thus I found some interest ideas, from artist and from previos FabAcademy Students. First I found Gonzalo Siu final project. .

During global open time I comment about my final prject idea and they suggest me to watch a group project develop by Benjamin Bente and Joany Jonathan from waag fab lab called the motion wall final project. .

First Components Layout

With my instructor support, we review the components that I'm gonna need for my final project in order to decide which output could be the starting point. So I decide to start with a Servo motor that I'll probably use to open the hidden shelve. The following picture show the potential devices that I would use for my final project. I would use 2 Servo Motors, so the option could be to fabricate one or two boards. I decide to fabricate one.

  1. One Stepper motor (4DO)
  2. One Limit switch (1 DI)
  3. 2 Servomotors (2DO)
  4. 1 LED Strip (1DO)
The idea would be to use a switch or a remote control to control prototype motion

Selecting the output device

On week 9, with my instructor support, we review the components that I'm gonna need for my final project in order to decide which output could be the starting point. So I decide to start with a Servo motor that I'll probably use to open the hidden shelve. The following picture show the potential devices that I would use for my final project. I would use 2 Servo Motors, so the option could be to fabricate one or two boards. I decide to fabricate one.

Board Components

By acknowledging that servo motors function with 5V and common power supply sources provide 12V, we select the following components for this main board. It consists of the following:

  1. One terminal block 2x1
  2. Regulator LDO 5V 1A
  3. Male connector header 2x3
  4. Male connector header 90° 1x3 (GND+2DIO)
  5. 2 Servo Motors
  6. Capacitor 1uf

This is the pcb design where you can see all the components. You can download design file and the SVG files here.

I proceeded with machining and soldering the PCB board

For functional testing I used a modified coding provided by Adrian-Torres

The following photo shows all system connection to test. I used XIAO RP2040 from Week 8 to test the board and the output device (Servomotor)

The final test was made runing the conding Arduino IDE and using a variable energy source, like shown in the following video

Selecting the input device

On week 12, with my instructor support, we review the components that I'm gonna need for my final project in order to select input device. The only input is a limit switch, that is going to activate all the complete system to stop the stepper motor that will show the funko. The following picture show the potential devices that I would use for my final project.

Board Components

By acknowledging that switch function we select the following components for this main board:

  1. One Micro Switch 3P SPDT 1A 125V AC
  2. Male connector header 90° 1x3 (GND+2DIO)
  3. Resistor 1k

This is the schematic where you can see all the components. You can download Schematic design file and the PNG file here.

This is the pcb design where you can see all the components. You can download design file and the SVG files here.

The final PCB image is shown below

The following photo shows all system connection to test. I used XIAO RP2040 from Week 8 to test the board and the output device (Servomotor)

On 14th week, with my instructor support, we review the components that I'm gonna need for my final project in order to decide which could require a wifi or bluethooth communication. So I decide to start with a Servo motor that I'll intent to use for opening the hidden shelve. The following picture show the potential devices that I would use for my final project. I would use 2 Servo Motors, so I decide to execute a bluethooth connection, using an app to activate the servomotor.

Servomotor Board Components

I used the board design and fabricated at week 9 ,the following are its components:

  1. One terminal block 2x1
  2. Regulator LDO 5V 1A
  3. Male connector header 2x3
  4. Male connector header 90° 1x3 (GND+2DIO)
  5. 2 Servo Motors
  6. Capacitor 1uf

This is the pcb design where you can see all the components. You can download design file and the SVG files here.

Using Xiao ESP32C3 Board Components

I used the board design and fabricated at week 8 , because its design includes a push bottom and a LED, and have DIO pins to connect the servo motor controller, and replaced the XIAO RP"=$= by XIAO ESP32C3. The following are its components:

  1. 01 Seeed Studio Xiao ESP32C3.
  2. 01 1kΩ resistor
  3. 01 499 Ω resistor
  4. 01 LED 1206
  5. 01 SW - Button >
  6. 01 Female horizontal row header
  7. 01 100 μf capacitor

This is the pcb fabricated where you can see all the components. You can download design file and the SVG files here.

First I decide to test the microcontroller following the steps suggested by Seeedstudio here. and use the LightBlue App to control my servomotor

In the following images you can observe the process

You can download the KiDCad library here.

In the follorwing video you can observe the final result when controlling the ServoMotor

Interface for managing a ServoMotor

On week 15, we first generated a code for a 180 arm movement. The code will need to recognize the serial imput that will come from the computer interface to control a microservo SG90

  1. We decide to use Xiao RP2040, considering that I develop a board to control a servomotor Week 9.
  2. After selecting the board, I decide to develop a specific code in Arduino IDE for the microcontroller and another in Python to connect by serial the microcontroller with the interface using Gaziro on Thonny.
  3. The interface produced two buttoms, a red one to generate a 180° arm movement and blue one to return to 0°, as shown on the image below

    4. You can download the Arduino Ide and Thonny Programing files here.

    In the follorwing video you can observe the final result when controlling the ServoMotor

    Week 17th: Individual Assignment

    Designing the Final Project Integration

    I have two options to develop my final project's main board, that does not change its general structure, but its interface to activate it.

    1. Use a Xiao RP2040, that would require to develop a PC screen interface, thus I could consider Week 14's activities
      Thus, I would need to develop an interface using Thonny-Guizero
      Its disadvantage relies on scalability because I will need a computer connected to the system to activate it.
    2. Use an ESP32C3, that would require to use a cellphone's app to activate the system
      Its advantage it is not only wireless control, but anyone that could use also LightBlue and introduce a string-value to activate it. Thus, I would need to develop an interface using MIT App Inventor
      Its advantage it is not only wireless control, but anyone that could use also LightBlue and introduce a string-value to activate it.

    Final project Selected Components

    After reviewing the mechanical and electronics requierements for my final project, its schema is shown in the following image.

    Thus, I would proceed to analyse system integration within mechanical design that would be develop for the project:

    1. ServoMotors
      In this case, the servomortor(s) would be assigned to open and close the front top (like shown in the picture below). I'm going to test if my project would requiere one or two servomotors, but my main board would be prepared for any of this cases. My mechanical design would need to consider two main factors.
        SM's Horizontal or Vertical Orientation: This decision relies on finding the best location for servomotor's arm that need to be adequately attached to the front top, and will requiere a customize design a channel like shown on image (b).
        SM's Horizontal or Vertical Orientation: This decision relies on finding the best location for servomotor's wires that need to be adequately attached and directed to the back of the hardware. The vertical orientation will work, and will requiere a longest base for the hardware like shown on image below.
    2. ServoMotors' Limit Switch
      In this case, the Limit Swith will need to be located at the base of the front top be clicked when to the front top reach the desire level to activate the motion platform. My mechanical design would need to consider two main factors.
        Location: It will requiere a larger front top and a wider main frame, and a redesign of its board, to make it smaller and could be contain in a cavity within the mainframe.
        Position: To be activate will requiere a vertical orientation like shown below
    3. Motion Platform
      In this case i reviewed two possibilities bechmarking some 3D printer platforms. There are several different popular motion schemes each offering pros and cons like reference by Instructubles. My project will requiere only Y Axis movement, thus I've considered two options.
        Two linear rails, that would placer the stepper motor at the end. Its advantages and disadvantages are:
      1. The stepper motor would be at the end of the linear rails it would not need a case for it, but would be challenging to avoid wiring disorder.
      2. The main board would requiere its own separate case
      3. The space for the DC power supply (the metal box would be located under the rails), which will requiere to enlarge the hardware.

        One linear rail, that would place the stepper motor within the hardware. Its advantages are:
        1. Would hold the stepper motor in a lateral position, and could be contained in a case down the platform like shown below, that could also have a slot for the main board.
        2. It would bring enough space for the DC power supply (the metal box that could be located under the platform).
        3. And will allow to contain wires at the left side of the structure