DIY Auto Operated Diwali Lantern

Diwali or Deepavali is the Hindu festival of lights celebrated every year in autumn in the northern

hemisphere (spring in southern hemisphere). It is an official holiday in Fiji, Guyana, India,

Malaysia, Mauritius, Myanmar, Nepal, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Suriname, and Trinidad and Tobago. One of

the most popular festivals of Hinduism, it spiritually signifies the victory of light over darkness, good over evil, knowledge over ignorance, and hope over despair. Its celebration includes millions of lights shining on housetops, outside doors and windows, around temples and other buildings in the communities and countries where it is observed. This project one of part of of Diwali celebration with self creativity. Its DIY sky lantern which starts and stops as per light intensity.

Some basic objective behind this project :

1.Basic understanding of electronic components

2.Soldering and other electronic skill.

3.Idea bout electronic circuits and its functioning.

4.Sensor study and its applications.

5.2d designing and laser printing.

So let’s start with step by step:

Electronic

components

1k resistor 1

Diode: IN4007 1

Transistor BC547 1

Relay 5VDC 1

LDR 1

10K potentiometer 1

Green screw connector 2

Power supply connector 1

LED strip (with 9 LED’s)

Adapter 9V /1A

Connecting wires - 1 meter

Lantern material :

MDF sheet

Gelatin paper / Butter paper

Decoration
material

Thread , Fevicol

Tools required :

Soldering gun and Metal, flux

Glue gun

Needle

Scissor

In Diwali you will find different types of lanterns made from Papers , MDF sheets , Plastic sheets etc. But here we are concentrating on MDF sheet designs. So to make this download any design template (Vector graphics image) from internet which needs to be suitable for your lantern. Now import that downloaded image into either Inkscape or Corel draw software to make this laser cut file and for additional improvements. Here I used Inkscape (https://inkscape.org/en/https://inkscape.org/en/

) for edge detection and holes addition to hang decoration. Below Pictures showing selection of design and edge detection method for downloaded PNG image using Inkscape software. Once its done open Box designer (http://boxdesigner.connectionlab.org/ ) to design lantern box with proper dimensions. Here you have to put only Length, Hight and Breadth parameters to design box;it creates PDF file of parts that need to import inside Ink scape software.

Finally you have to export design in DXF format.

Import exported DXF file in laser machine software. Here I’m used SIL laser cutter with RD works software. Now arrange it properly and give it to laser cutter to cut on 2.5mm MDF sheet. Make younr parts ready for assembling. Pictures showing cut parts and their orientation

This part makes difference in this lantern compare to others. Here we used LDR circuit which detects light intensity and operates LED strip accordingly. If light intensity is LOW (usually at night time) it starts LED strip and when its HIGH it stop supplying voltage to LED strip (usually at day time). So lets make this circuit !!

First you need mentioned components, tools and PCB board on table. Arrange one by one component on PCB with referring shown circuit diagram and signs on PCB board. Solder it with high precision and make necessary wire connections. Here we need external wire connections for Potentiometer, LDR sensor and for LED strip. Do it as shown inside pictures.

Let’s start assembling laser cut parts and electronics part together. First take top laser cut part of lantern and fix electronic circuit on it as per shown in picture with help glue gun. Now place potentiometer and LDR sensor on top of plate and make connection with external wires from bottom side as per shown in picture. Now paste led bulb strip at bottom side and connect external wire connection with it. Connect adapter connection to board . Now enclose lantern with other remaining laser cut parts all these are press-fit and make it ready for decoration.

For decoration you can use any type of material (waste, recycled etc.) here I used decoration lase and Moti to decorate lantern hangers and for border decoration. From inner side you can paste any type of colour papers like gelatin paper or thin card-sheet paper. Make hanging arrangement with help of thread and holes made on top side.

So yes your lantern is ready to operate automatically !!!

See here operational video :