D4LLE Turns Suspended Ceillings Into Autonomous Lights

D4LLE is a project designed for Gaffers, lighting crews, especially on TV or Movies sets.

This simple accessory consists to clamp Astera Helios Tubes easily to the most common T-bars that make up mineral fiber ceillings.

Combined with a plexiglass tile to diffuse the light, it becomes possible to transform a suspended ceilling, to modify the position of light panels and to change the look of rooms or corridors.

The Astera Tubes being wireless and autonomous, this solution is faster to deploy than old solutions, with heavy panels that require AC and DMX cables running over each square tiles.

D4LLE © 2022 by LIGHT CLUB is licensed under Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International

Thanks to Louka, Mateo and Xavier for pictures.

D4LLE is composed with:

• 3D Printed parts x8 units
• 8 Springs like T-18509 Model (Characteristics are specified in the attached data sheet)
• 4 Helios Astera Tubes
• 8 M5 Screws, or simpler, 8 rings often provides into the 8 helios kit
• A no-colored plexiglass tile (59,5cm x 59,5cm). I suggest 3mm thickness, and a Light Transmission between 60% - 80%

and That's All

Most of suspended ceilling tiles measures 60cm x 60cm (2'x2'), sometimes 60x120 (2'x4'), and more rarely (75cmx75cm). In this case, a variant is designed to use Titan Tubes for bigger size. See below.

So you have to download the .stl files, print them with your 3D printer configuration, or order them from your favorite 3Dprint provider. The system is in three parts, the front and back of the clip and the spring support, the mandrel, that gonna "link" parts together.

I strongly advise you to start with a print test to be sure that PLA, PTEG or other kind of material you gonna use, allow the parts to move freely once assembled. I notice different PLAs give different results, and sometimes parts are too tight.

First, find the good position with the Helios part (front) and the Clip part (back). The Four Holes must be aligned.

Now, you have to insert the mandrel into the holes, keep in mind to pass the mandrel into the spring.

Finally, you can pass through a M5 ring in the clip and screw the tube on it.

To be sure that the opposite clips on each side of a tube are perfectly symmetrical, mind that the shape of the groove matches the shape of the translucide half-pipe of the Helios tube.

To combined easily the plexiglass board, I suggest to begin inserting the diffusion into the ceilling and keep it aside. After that, put yours lights on T-bars, and finally, slide the glass under lights tubes. The result is clean and beautiful enough to be filmed.

Two options could be added. 

First, if you meet the case when ceilling tiles are bigger than 60cm x 60cm, you have to print just one different part whose can be combined with Astera Titan Tubes. Don't forget to download the "titanVersion .stl File".

Second option, it possible to mount some 5 x 2.5 x 2 (mm) neodyme magnets to strenghten the clamp capacity.

Ogiv3 is another accessory for Helios Tubes.

Have a look just there