OpenWordClock

myminifactory

Introduction It was back in 2015 when I decided to take on a hobby project - a so-called "word clock". The front panel of this word clock consists of a matrix of words, which are selectively highlighted to display the correct time. This very clock has been up and running since then. In 2019, I made the decision to create a new version and implement other languages as well. And here we are. Steps to Follow Before you start printing or assembling the wordclock, refer to the provided STEP model. Next, make sure your 3D printer is calibrated properly. After that, print the frame and grid. Snap them together and then proceed with printing 110 simple diffusors, which should be snapped to the grid as well. Once this is done, it's time to build and program the electronics. Create the front panel (you can either laser-cut or 3D print) and glue it onto the frame. Then, print the back panel and glue that onto the frame too. Important Note: DXF files are not accepted by MyMiniFactory, so I've uploaded them to GitHub. Arduino Code and PCB Design The Arduino code and PCB design files can be found on https://github.com/Balazzzska/OpenWordClock. Currently, only an English version is available, but Hungarian is being implemented as we speak. I'm excited to implement other languages in the future - feel free to reach out to me if you want to collaborate. Electronics BOM Here's a list of electronics components needed for this project: * 1x PCB (check GitHub) * 110x 5mm LED lights (I regret using LTL2H3KEK, a wider angle LED would have been better) * 1x Arduino Nano * 3x 74HC595 chips * 10x 150Ω resistors * 11x IRLML2502 MOSFETs (any general-purpose N-Channel MOSFET should be okay) To-Do List This project is unfinished in certain areas. The oscillator of the Arduino Nano is not quite accurate, so an external RTC will need to be implemented - specifically, the DS1903 will be used for this purpose. Additionally, the PCB design contains 2 push buttons for time-setting purposes, but these are not being used yet (the time setting is done via serial communication). Other languages than English are also a work in progress, with Hungarian currently being implemented.