8x8x8 LED Cube Using Arduino

I made a 8x8x8 LED cube by myself with using Arduino. It was a big project, it took almost a month to finish it, but it worth every time. The cube has 8 types of flash and you can switch between the modes with a button.

Components:

• 512x 5mm LEDs (8x8x8, green, red or blue)
• 1x large prototyping board (100x100 is enough)
• 64x resistors (220 Ohm)
• 9x 74HC595 ICs
• 9x 16 pin IC sockets
• 16x PN2222 transistors
• 1x pushbuttons
• Arduino Uno
• A lot of wires
• Piece of wood for template and base
• 5v power supply (Personally I used a power bank)

Tools:

• Solder
• Soldering Iron
• Helping Hands
• Wire cutter
• Paint (for the box)
• Fan (for fresh air due soldering)

The first step is to test all the 512 LEDs. This step is very important because once you started soldering the LEDs, it will be difficult to remove them.

Using TinkerCAD I attached 2 pictures how you can test the LEDs.

Next step is to create the layers. Each layer is made up of 8×8 LED. Build the layers correctly, draw a net like in the picture (2,5cm between the holes) and take a piece of wood and make holes based on the drawing. Place the LEDs and start soldering all the cathodes together (bend the legs of the cathodes into the next LED). You need to repeat this movement 8 times then you will have 8 piece 8x8 layer.

Make your LED cube nicer and more stable you need to solder wires into the net, but the wires are not straight when you order it from a shop so you need to straighten it. I attached a picture how you can straighten the wires with using a drill.

When you have all the 8 layers and the straight wires you need to put them together so after that it could be look like a cube. But to reach that result you need a lot of time and patient because this process is time-consuming. You can't really spoil it because the LED cathode legs are already soldered. You need to solder the LED anode legs to a column and repeat it 64x times. The finished structure with 8 layers, will look something like on the picture.

Start by placing the sockets next to each like on the pictures and leave enough place to solder and place wires.

Allocate a common GND and VCC line that will connect to each socket. The black wires are for the common GND line, VCC are the red ones.

I made a circuit schematic for the controller. I made it in TinkerCAD so its very clear and the program has every component that I need. I also marked the wires in different colours so its more easier and convenient to navigate through it.

A small tip from me, start wiring with the GND and with the VCC and use only black and red colours for that.

When you are ready with the soldering you can attach the wires to the controller like on the pictures. If it's done you can connect the controller and the cube with each other.

It doesn't really matter what box is this. Personally I used a large keyholder cabinet. I sprayed it with black paint and it's done. As I mentioned I drill the holes like on the sketch in Step 2.

For programming I used the original Arduino IDE which is not the easiest programming language because it is used C++ and you need to know how to use the programming with C++.

I made a code for the cube and I attached it but just you have to know there are many codes available in the internet what you can use, and they are different so you can choose from a lot of variations.

Overall, I am very satisfied with the result. As soon as I finished, it worked well for the first time, I didn't have to fix anything not even the code.

If you have any questions from the project please leave them in the comments below.

By Dominik Bozso