How to Design and Build a Bluetooth Speaker

So today you will learn how to design a Bluetooth speaker box and then proceed to assemble/create it. We are going to be focusing on the design part more so than the building part, this is because in order to build it, you will need a laser cutter and that is one thing that not everybody has. For that reason, if you don't have a laser cutter I have a link in the materials section that has the precut panels that we are going to design. This project is for kids 14 - 18 but it can most definitely be made by anyone older. This is a fun project that has multiple different components to it.

Learning Objectives:

1. Will be able to design a box with joints and cutouts in solidworks
2. Will learn how to use the smart dimension tool in solidworks
3. Will learn how to use extrude cut tool to make speaker cutouts in solidworks
4. Will learn to assemble speaker box and speaker components with it
5. Will be able to wire speaker components together

Practices:

1. Creativity
2. While I give step by step instructions to make this speaker there is also the ability for the person making it to add their own creative twist to make their speaker unique to them. Some of these steps could be adding a design to the speaker box, painting the speaker box, or changing the overall size of the speaker box to test different acoustics.
3. Making and Doing
4. A big practice in this project is the ability to make and do. I want to the person to be able to learn how to make a design for a speaker in a software like Solidworks and then begin to make the actual parts to the speaker box and assemble it. Both making and doing should always go together.
5. Systems Thinking
6. There are multiple components to this project: Designing, fabrication, electrical/wiring, and assembly. All of these things work together to make the project work in the end. Attention to detail in each of these components is crucial to the overall function of the final product which is the speaker.

Core and Disciplinary Standards:

1. Nature and Characteristics of Technology and Engineering
2. The study of technology and engineering draws upon knowledge, tools, and processes from across the human experience. This can refer to the processes by which knowledge is obtained and through which technological products and systems are created. It can also be used very broadly in reference to an entire system of products, knowledge, people, organizations, regulations, and social structures (e.g., the technology of the electric grid, or the entirety of the internet). 
3. Core Concepts of Technology and Engineering
4. Like other branches of knowledge, technology and engineering have a number of core concepts that characterize and distinguish them from other fields of study. These concepts serve as cornerstones for the study of technology. They help unify the study of technology and engineering by helping students understand the designed world.
5. Integration of Knowledge, Technologies, and Practices
6. There are many opportunities to connect ideas and procedures from different content areas. New products and systems build on previous inventions and innovations, while demonstrating how knowledge acquired in one setting can be applied to another.
7. Design in Technology and Engineering Education
8. Humans design for enjoyment and to solve problems, extend human capabilities, satisfy needs and wants, and improve the human condition. Without design—the purposeful development of a plan of action—a product or system cannot be made effectively. Design is the foundation for all technology and engineering activity. 

Technology and Engineering Contexts:

1.  Material Conversion and Processing
2. All goods are made of materials, and without these material resources production is impossible. Although every material can be traced to one or more natural resources, very few materials can be used in their natural form. They must first be processed to some degree before they can be used to produce goods that are ready for market.
3. Energy and Power
4. Energy drives the technological products and systems used by society. The quality of life is sometimes associated with the amount of energy used by a society. Choices about which form of energy to use influence our society and the environment in various ways, and there are always trade-offs to consider.

• 1/8" Plywood/Hardboard/MDF 2 ft x 1 ft sheet(Link)
• Bluetooth Speakers(Link 1, Link 2, Link 3)
• AA Batteries(QTY: 4)
• screws
• Computer
• laser cutter
• Software: Solidworks or any other solid modeling software

So first we are going to start designing the front facing speaker panel. These steps are going to be very repetitive because we are going to be making a lot of tabs and cutouts that are the same size. I am teaching you how to do it this way because it will help you understand how to use Solidworks by doing a lot of repetition. But if you don't want to do all of the made from scratch designing you can get a box pre made from Makercase, just enter in the 4 3/4in x 2 3/4in for the dimensions and it will auto generate the joints for you. Then you can proceed with the steps below to add the cutouts and screw holes for the speakers and the rest of the components.

1. Start a new sketch and make a box that is 4.96875in x 2.46875in
2. This is going to be the base design that we work with
3. Next we are going to delete the top line of the box
4. Then make a rough outline of the top show in the image above starting from the left point and going right
5. Once you make a rough sketch outline of it proceed to smart dimensioning it to the shown in the image above.
6. Once you get the top dimensions correct proceed to doing the bottom part of the panel by repeating steps 2-3
7. You can also mirror the top to the bottom by creating a center line and then mirror it across the center line but I don't recommend this way because it can get the overall dimensions to be a little off.
8. Once you get the bottom done we can now start adding the cut outs for the speakers each circle is 2" in diameter
9. then use the image above to get the dimensions of how it is centered on to the face and repeat for the other speaker hole as well
10. Once you have the right dimensions the go to the features tab and click extruded cut and proceed to cut the hole out of the sketch.
11. The last step is to add the screw holes and tab cutouts
12. each screw hole is 3/32 in diameter and each cutout is 19/32" x 1/8"
13. Use the dimensions from the image above to position each screw hole and cutout
14. Once you have the right dimensions the go to the features tab and click extruded cut and proceed to cut the screw holes and cutouts out of the sketch
15. Once you have that done then all that is left is to extrude the face
16. Use the extrude feature and extrude it by 3/32 in
17. Now you have completed the front facing panel

Like I mentioned above there is a lot of repetition and and in order to make this tutorial less repetitive I won't repeat the same steps mentioned above. I will just provide the pictures above with the right dimensions so you can have a reference point. Use the same steps in step 1 to make the rest of the speaker panels. The steps are pretty much identical. It is crucial though to make sure everything is smart dimensioned because it it isn't things can go south really quickly. Feel free to add you own creative twist to the panels to make them look cooler. Some people laser etch their logos into the panels to add a little bit of art to their speaker.

This video you the steps that I took to make one of the panels. I went really slow so feel free to speed it up. It shouldn't take you more than 8 minutes to make each panel.

Every laser cutter is different so refer to the laser cutting manual before proceeding with this next step!

1. The laser cutter I used for this project is a Universal Laser Systems Laser cutter
2. So first I chose the material and marked the center point on this material
3. Some people cover their material in tape and mark the center point because the tape gives it less of a burnt look
4. I then placed the material into the top left corner of the laser cutter bed
5. I then positioned the laser head over the center point and raised the laser bed to where the material was barely below the laser head
6. I then added my design into the Universal Laser Systems software and click start.
7. Each software is different so like I mentioned before reference the manual for it to get more in depth instructions
8. Once it finished my designed looked like what I have above
9. I then proceed to pop out the panels from the wood
10. Be careful in this step because sometimes the wood can split and you whole piece is ruined.

1. The first part of the assembly is to attach the speakers to the front facing panel
2. First lay the panel down then position the speakers face down over top of the speaker cutouts
3. Line up the screw holes with the slots on the speaker frame
4. You will need 8 screws and proceed to screw the speaker into the frame
5. It will look like the picture on the right when done

1. The next step in the assembly is to attach the battery pack to the back panel
2. First lay the panel down and position the battery pack where the wires are on the same side as the hole
3. Next line up the holes in the battery pack with the holes on the panel
4. You will need two screws and screw the battery pack to the back panel
5. Next flip the panel over and pull the wires through like the second picture shows

1. The next step in the assembly is to attach the motherboard to the bottom panel
2. First lay the panel down and position the motherboard over the four holes in the bottom panel(It doesn't matter the red plug is on)
3. Next line up the holes in the battery pack with the holes on the panel
4. You will need four screws and screw the battery pack to the back panel
5. Be very careful when screwing the board in as the bottom of the board has solder points sticking up. Tighten it up just enough to make sure the board doesn't wobble

1. The next step in the assembly is to attach the Switch to the Top panel
2. First lay the panel down and slightly lift of the side with the cutout
3. Then place the wires through the cutout
4. Once the wires are through you can then push the button into the panel gently until you hear it click
5. It should look like the picture on the right

1. The next step in the assembly is to attach the front panel to the bottom panel
2. Place the bottom panel down with the motherboard side facing up
3. Then line up the front panel tabs with the bottom panel tabs and gently push down
4. If use wood glue you can place the wood glue over top of the tabs and cutout holes

1. The next step in the assembly is to attach the back panel to the the rest of the assembly
2. Line up the tabs on the back panel with the cutouts on the bottom panel
3. Make sure the battery pack is facing outward
4. Then gently push down and add wood glue if needed

1. The next step in the assembly is to attach the side panels to the the rest of the assembly
2. Line up the tabs on the side panel with the cutouts on the bottom, front, and pack panels
3. One of the the side panels is slight different than the other so make sure to take that into account before lining it up
4. Once it is lined up wiggle it into the cutouts and gently push and then push in the front and back panels as well
5. Do this for both panels and it will look like the image on the right
6. Add glue as needed

1. The next step in the assembly is to wire the speaker
2. First attach each speaker connector into the white connectors on the motherboard(It doesn't take much pressure for it to pop into place)
3. Next grab the other white connector with the black end and put the white connector into the red connector slot on the mother board
4. Next take the black wire from the red connector and join it with the black wire from the battery pack
5. Then take the red wire from the white connector and then connect it to the red wire with the pin from the switch
6. Finally take the red wire from the battery pack and connect it to the red wire on the switch with the female end
7. The wiring is now complete

1. The last step is to attach the top panel to the rest of the assembly
2. Gently push the wires into the speaker box and line up the tabs with the top panel cutouts
3. Once lined up gently push the panel down and add glue as needed
4. Now you are finished!
5. Add batteries
6. Flip the switch on
7. Open Bluetooth on your phone
8. And connect to the speaker
9. And start playing music!!!