Dead simple split flap display

thingiverse

Split flap displays were widely used in railway stations and airports, where people loved watching the boards of rolling characters. Today, electronic devices have mostly replaced these classic displays. This module is based on a popular cheap stepper motor, the 28BYJ-48, driven by an Arduino board. The design represents a single position of a character and can store up to 32 different characters (the number of flaps). The motor is hidden inside the body cylinder, making it easy to place duplicated devices in a row to create entire words without using pulleys or timing belts. Note 1: This design does not include a handle. To mount it, use two M4 screws on your preferred base or drill holes as needed in the motor holder piece. A thick wire was used to make a temporary stand. Note 2: The same thick wire is used to set the flipping point of the top flap in this prototype. It's an easy fix for now, but it will be replaced with a printed extension of the handle or front panel in the final design. Note 3: There is no position sensor. Instead, the driver counts steps to identify the currently displayed character. This method is not entirely reliable, possibly due to gearing issues. The motor does not make perfect angles per step. To improve this, adjust the driver code. In the long run, this split-flap display may be better suited for use as a dice than a display.