A fine front edge
The case incorporates the row clamps to keep its edges slim. A fine chamfer surrounds each opening; the fasteners remain off the front. Each case section prints in one color; finish colors are previews.
FLIGHT PANEL / AN ANALOG OBJECT
A little theater.
For your everyday.
The sound. The anticipation. The last letter falling into place. Fourteen mechanical characters, in a case worth looking at.
Explore the actual printable casing below. Example messages, not a live flight feed.
01 / DESIGN IN MOTION 14 MOVING POSITIONS
Loading measured geometry…
DRAG TO ROTATE · SCROLL TO ZOOMREADY
Explore the build Separate parts, inspect a character, or see a flap’s reverse ↗
TRY YOUR FLIGHT
Pick a route, or write anything.
ORD–LAX · UA 1899 · example flight
02 / THE CURRENT DESIGN
Quiet lines.
A tactile edge.
A dark field of characters, smooth sides and a fine, recessed front. Three finish studies share the same printable casing. Every position—including the dash—can become a letter.
2 × 7fully changeable positions
38symbols per character
532two-sided printed flaps
≈ 290 mmplanned enclosure width
Make it serviceable
Two identical rows share the same module interfaces. Removable rear panels expose the controller, expanders, fuses and labeled wiring. Every case piece fits the P2S bed.
One coordinated display
One ESP32-C3 sends both lines as one update. Five expanders drive fourteen motors, with bounded homing and a separate reset path for bus faults.
Designed for reuse: the first three mechanisms transfer unchanged into the 2×7. Add eleven mechanisms and 418 leaves; retain the controller and each motor’s calibration. Expansion instructions ↗
Prototype gate: the 38-position drum reduces hinge spacing slightly. Clamp the three reusable housings in the prototype case and prove one loaded character before completing the others. CAD dimensions do not establish physical fit.
03 / FROM PIECES TO PANEL
Make every
little part count.
Follow the build in order. Each step selects the relevant parts in the 3D model above.
04 / A deliberate electrical system
One brain.
Fourteen mechanisms.
Defined motor outputs and an independent reset line release the coils if the bus fails. Power runs through dedicated wiring and row fuses.
ESP32-C3
GPIO4 → SDA
GPIO5 → SCL
GPIO10 → expander reset
BSS138 shifter
LV = 3.3 V · HV = 5 V
CH1: SDA · CH2: SCL
CH3: reset
5 × MCP23017
Addresses 0x20–0x24
Three motor slots per chip
One slot unused
14 motor modules
5 V 28BYJ-48 + ULN2003
38-position drum
A3144 + 3 × 1 mm magnet
5 V / 6 A enclosed brick→6.5 A rated inlet→Two 3 A row fuses + 1 A logic fuse→Separate power harness
Pin assignments per expander
| Slot | Motor IN1–4 | Hall OUT |
|---|---|---|
| 0 | GPA0–GPA3 | GPB4 |
| 1 | GPA4–GPA7 | GPB5 |
| 2 | GPB0–GPB3 | GPB6 |
10 kΩ pull-down at every motor input; 10 kΩ pull-up from every Hall OUT to 5 V. MCP power and logic are 5 V. The ESP32 stays on the shifter’s 3.3 V side.
Position map
01 is top left; 08 is bottom left. Linear groups of three share an expander. Never connect 5 V I²C directly to ESP32 pins.
Full net list and first-power checks ↗05 / The complete panel
Build three.
Keep all three.
The three prototype mechanisms transfer into the full panel. Three motor/driver sets and a magnet assortment are already ordered; the remaining parts below are not confirmed owned. Pack sizes and budget cover the eventual full board; use the three-character quantity for the first stage.
HISTORICAL FULL-BUILD ALLOWANCEUpdating component quotesBefore tax and shipping · tools and printer excluded
0 items checked
Checklist stays in this browser. Stock and delivery are not reserved. Delivery promises depend on your current address, account, offer and checkout time.
Detailed shopping specifications and sources ↗06 / One current product
Build the right thing.
Keep it traceable.
The website, print files, wiring and firmware belong to one release. Earlier six-character and fixed-dash plans are retired from the active build.
CURRENT DESIGN
Flight Panel R1
Two rows · seven positions each · 38 symbols
Engineering in progress
Digital checks and physical acceptance are recorded separately.
The fastest sensible build
- First: one complete character
Print the reusable three-housing stack and prototype case first. Test one loaded drum and all38 symbols, Hall sensing, power and homing.
- Then: the three-character prototype
Finish the two remaining housings with their drums, gears and leaves. Check alignment, current and temperature before making the remaining eleven.
- Finish: both seven-character rows
Reuse the three mechanisms, add eleven, and assemble the full casing. Test coordinated updates, restart recovery and a sustained run.
Planning time
7–14 days
After the parts arrive, allow time for the first fit check, painting and assembly. The print plan gives measured slicer estimates for black PETG. Plan 24–40 hands-on hours for the full board, beyond printer time.
The first 38-position character is the largest unknown. Do not batch 532 flaps before it passes.
Build and acceptance checklist ↗Firmware and flight input
Use one atomic two-row command. A real flight feed connects through the documented adapter; the preview uses labeled examples.
Build, flash, calibrate and connect data ↗Release and source details
Project: /Users/john/splitflap-display, branch main. Current source and artifacts are recorded in the release manifest. Physical validation requires the assembled hardware.
Release manifest pending.
Mechanism based on Morgan Manly’s design; firmware base by Jordan Hoff and contributors. Pinned originals are kept separate from revised print files. Commercial redistribution rights have not been established.