LED-Cube 4x4x4
Today I would like to introduce you to a new, exciting project that I built at home, an LED cube in the dimensions 4x4x4.
Thanks to JLCPCB for sponsoring my projects! You can visit them here: https://jlcpcb.com/HAR
Supplies
- 1 x Nano V3
- 4 x NPN 2n2222 transistors
- 4 x 1k Ω resistors
- 16 x 220 Ω resistors
- 64 x blue diffuse LEDs (5mm) Micro USB port Yellow LED (SMD) (any other color (look at the needed current!))
Preparation
For this I use:
- 1 x Nano V3
- 4 x NPN 2n2222 transistors
- 4 x 1k Ω resistors
- 16 x 220 Ω resistors
- 64 x blue diffuse LEDs (5mm) Micro USB port Yellow LED (SMD)
Building
To build the LED cube:
With all 64 LEDs the anode (always in the same place) is bent by 90 °. These are then led down to the positive pole.
As you can see in the picture above, the cube consists of an X-Y axis and 4 layers stacked on top of each other. The bottom layer is number 0 and the top is number 3. Similarly, the LEDs are numbered like a three-dimensional matrix. The lower left LED is on layer 0 (1.1). The LED above is also on layer 1 (1,1). The right LED on layer 0 (2.1) and so on. All of the horizontal layers are the negative pins of the LEDs soldered together.
All positive pins of the LEDs are treated as columns of this matrix cube. So we have 4 layers and 16 columns that make it 20 wires connected to the Arduino. The positive pins (layers) have 220 ohm resistors.
Assembly
The assembly of the cube:
First of all, we need a moderately thick cardboard or wood. Now we drill holes in them so that a 4 × 4 cube pattern is created with equal distances between all the holes.
5mm holes (each hole is 2.4 cm from the next (center-center)) were drilled as a template for the LEDs.
Now you need to test and prepare your LEDs. You can use a 3V button cell for this purpose. Test all the LEDs so that you don't have any problems later!
If you want the light to come out from all sides of the LED, you can diffuse the light by rubbing the plastic shell with sandpaper.
Place the LEDs in the box, but be careful about their orientation. The positive pins of the LEDs have to be bent and the negative pins connected like a layer. That's because we're going to make four such layers and it's easy to solder them together.
We repeat these layers 4x and finish them on top of each other, connecting all + pins and placing them on top of each other.
PCB Layout
The board, pinout and connections:
in my case I chose the following pinout to control the cube like in a matrix:(picture)
You should make these connections and pay attention to the correct choice of pins, otherwise the animation will not run correctly later.
I designed the circuit board as follows and should only give you an idea of how the layout might look:
Programming
Here is the needed code!
//LED-Cube 1.0
//Niklas Heinzel
//2021
int layer[4]={A3,A2,A1,A0}; //initializing and declaring led layers
int column[16]={13,12,11,10,9,8,7,6,5,4,3,2,1,0,A5,A4}; //initializing and declaring led rows
int time = 250;
void setup()
{
for(int i = 0; i<16; i++)
{
pinMode(column[i], OUTPUT); //setting rows to ouput
}
for(int i = 0; i<4; i++)
{
pinMode(layer[i], OUTPUT); //setting layers to output
}
randomSeed(analogRead(10)); //seeding random for random pattern
}
void loop()
{
turnEverythingOff();
flickerOn();
turnEverythingOn();
delay(time);
turnOnAndOffAllByLayerUpAndDownNotTimed();
layerstompUpAndDown();
spiralInAndOut();
turnOnAndOffAllByColumnSideways();
delay(time);
aroundEdgeDown();
turnEverythingOff();
randomflicker();
randomRain();
diagonalRectangle();
goThroughAllLedsOneAtATime();
propeller();
spiralInAndOut();
flickerOff();
turnEverythingOff();
delay(2000);
}
//turn all off
void turnEverythingOff()
{
for(int i = 0; i<16; i++)
{
digitalWrite(column[i], 1);
}
for(int i = 0; i<4; i++)
{
digitalWrite(layer[i], 0);
}
}
//turn all on
void turnEverythingOn()
{
for(int i = 0; i<16; i++)
{
digitalWrite(column[i], 0);
}
//turning on layers
for(int i = 0; i<4; i++)
{
digitalWrite(layer[i], 1);
}
}
//turn columns off
void turnColumnsOff()
{
for(int i = 0; i<16; i++)
{
digitalWrite(column[i], 1);
}
}
//flicker on
void flickerOn()
{
int i = 150;
while(i != 0)
{
turnEverythingOn();
delay(i);
turnEverythingOff();
delay(i);
i-= 5;
}
}
//turn everything on and off by layer up and down NOT TIMED
void turnOnAndOffAllByLayerUpAndDownNotTimed()
{
int x = 75;
for(int i = 5; i != 0; i--)
{
turnEverythingOn();
for(int i = 4; i!=0; i--)
{
digitalWrite(layer[i-1], 0);
delay(x);
}
for(int i = 0; i<4; i++)
{
digitalWrite(layer[i], 1);
delay(x);
}
for(int i = 0; i<4; i++)
{
digitalWrite(layer[i], 0);
delay(x);
}
for(int i = 4; i!=0; i--)
{
digitalWrite(layer[i-1], 1);
delay(x);
}
}
}
//turn everything on and off by column sideways
void turnOnAndOffAllByColumnSideways()
{
int x = 75;
turnEverythingOff();
//turn on layers
for(int i = 0; i<4; i++)
{
digitalWrite(layer[i], 1);
}
for(int y = 0; y<3; y++)
{
//turn on 0-3
for(int i = 0; i<4; i++)
{
digitalWrite(column[i], 0);
delay(x);
}
//turn on 4-7
for(int i = 4; i<8; i++)
{
digitalWrite(column[i], 0);
delay(x);
}
//turn on 8-11
for(int i = 8; i<12; i++)
{
digitalWrite(column[i], 0);
delay(x);
}
//turn on 12-15
for(int i = 12; i<16; i++)
{
digitalWrite(column[i], 0);
delay(x);
}
//turn off 0-3
for(int i = 0; i<4; i++)
{
digitalWrite(column[i], 1);
delay(x);
}
//turn off 4-7
for(int i = 4; i<8; i++)
{
digitalWrite(column[i], 1);
delay(x);
}
//turn off 8-11
for(int i = 8; i<12; i++)
{
digitalWrite(column[i], 1);
delay(x);
}
//turn off 12-15
for(int i = 12; i<16; i++)
{
digitalWrite(column[i], 1);
delay(x);
}
//turn on 12-15
for(int i = 12; i<16; i++)
{
digitalWrite(column[i], 0);
delay(x);
}
//turn on 8-11
for(int i = 8; i<12; i++)
{
digitalWrite(column[i], 0);
delay(x);
}
//turn on 4-7
for(int i = 4; i<8; i++)
{
digitalWrite(column[i], 0);
delay(x);
}
//turn on 0-3
for(int i = 0; i<4; i++)
{
digitalWrite(column[i], 0);
delay(x);
}
//turn off 12-15
for(int i = 12; i<16; i++)
{
digitalWrite(column[i], 1);
delay(x);
}
//turn off 8-11
for(int i = 8; i<12; i++)
{
digitalWrite(column[i], 1);
delay(x);
}
//turn off 4-7
for(int i = 4; i<8; i++)
{
digitalWrite(column[i], 1);
delay(x);
}
//turn off 0-3
for(int i = 0; i<4; i++)
{
digitalWrite(column[i], 1);
delay(x);
}
}
}
//up and down single layer stomp
void layerstompUpAndDown()
{
int x = 75;
for(int i = 0; i<4; i++)
{
digitalWrite(layer[i], 0);
}
for(int y = 0; y<5; y++)
{
for(int count = 0; count<1; count++)
{
for(int i = 0; i<4; i++)
{
digitalWrite(layer[i], 1);
delay(x);
digitalWrite(layer[i], 0);
}
for(int i = 4; i !=0; i--)
{
digitalWrite(layer[i-1], 1);
delay(x);
digitalWrite(layer[i-1], 0);
}
}
for(int i = 0; i<4; i++)
{
digitalWrite(layer[i], 1);
delay(x);
}
for(int i = 4; i!=0; i--)
{
digitalWrite(layer[i-1], 0);
delay(x);
}
}
}
//flicker off
void flickerOff()
{
turnEverythingOn();
for(int i = 0; i!= 150; i+=5)
{
turnEverythingOff();
delay(i+50);
turnEverythingOn();
delay(i);
}
}
//around edge of the cube down
void aroundEdgeDown()
{
for(int x = 200; x != 0; x -=50)
{
turnEverythingOff();
for(int i = 4; i != 0; i--)
{
digitalWrite(layer[i-1], 1);
digitalWrite(column[5], 0);
digitalWrite(column[6], 0);
digitalWrite(column[9], 0);
digitalWrite(column[10], 0);
digitalWrite(column[0], 0);
delay(x);
digitalWrite(column[0], 1);
digitalWrite(column[4], 0);
delay(x);
digitalWrite(column[4], 1);
digitalWrite(column[8], 0);
delay(x);
digitalWrite(column[8], 1);
digitalWrite(column[12], 0);
delay(x);
digitalWrite(column[12], 1);
digitalWrite(column[13], 0);
delay(x);
digitalWrite(column[13], 1);
digitalWrite(column[15], 0);
delay(x);
digitalWrite(column[15], 1);
digitalWrite(column[14], 0);
delay(x);
digitalWrite(column[14], 1);
digitalWrite(column[11], 0);
delay(x);
digitalWrite(column[11], 1);
digitalWrite(column[7], 0);
delay(x);
digitalWrite(column[7], 1);
digitalWrite(column[3], 0);
delay(x);
digitalWrite(column[3], 1);
digitalWrite(column[2], 0);
delay(x);
digitalWrite(column[2], 1);
digitalWrite(column[1], 0);
delay(x);
digitalWrite(column[1], 1);
}
}
}
//random flicker
void randomflicker()
{
turnEverythingOff();
int x = 10;
for(int i = 0; i !=750; i+=2)
{
int randomLayer = random(0,4);
int randomColumn = random(0,16);
digitalWrite(layer[randomLayer], 1);
digitalWrite(column[randomColumn], 0);
delay(x);
digitalWrite(layer[randomLayer], 0);
digitalWrite(column[randomColumn], 1);
delay(x);
}
}
//random rain
void randomRain()
{
turnEverythingOff();
int x = 100;
for(int i = 0; i!=60; i+=2)
{
int randomColumn = random(0,16);
digitalWrite(column[randomColumn], 0);
digitalWrite(layer[0], 1);
delay(x+50);
digitalWrite(layer[0], 0);
digitalWrite(layer[1], 1);
delay(x);
digitalWrite(layer[1], 0);
digitalWrite(layer[2], 1);
delay(x);
digitalWrite(layer[2], 0);
digitalWrite(layer[3], 1);
delay(x+50);
digitalWrite(layer[3], 0);
digitalWrite(column[randomColumn], 1);
}
}
//diagonal rectangle
void diagonalRectangle()
{
int x = 350;
turnEverythingOff();
for(int count = 0; count<5; count++)
{
//top left
for(int i = 0; i<8; i++)
{
digitalWrite(column[i], 0);
}
digitalWrite(layer[3], 1);
digitalWrite(layer[2], 1);
delay(x);
turnEverythingOff();
//middle middle
for(int i = 4; i<12; i++)
{
digitalWrite(column[i], 0);
}
digitalWrite(layer[1], 1);
digitalWrite(layer[2], 1);
delay(x);
turnEverythingOff();
//bottom right
for(int i = 8; i<16; i++)
{
digitalWrite(column[i], 0);
}
digitalWrite(layer[0], 1);
digitalWrite(layer[1], 1);
delay(x);
turnEverythingOff();
//bottom middle
for(int i = 4; i<12; i++)
{
digitalWrite(column[i], 0);
}
digitalWrite(layer[0], 1);
digitalWrite(layer[1], 1);
delay(x);
turnEverythingOff();
//bottom left
for(int i = 0; i<8; i++)
{
digitalWrite(column[i], 0);
}
digitalWrite(layer[0], 1);
digitalWrite(layer[1], 1);
delay(x);
turnEverythingOff();
//middle middle
for(int i = 4; i<12; i++)
{
digitalWrite(column[i], 0);
}
digitalWrite(layer[1], 1);
digitalWrite(layer[2], 1);
delay(x);
turnEverythingOff();
//top right
for(int i = 8; i<16; i++)
{
digitalWrite(column[i], 0);
}
digitalWrite(layer[2], 1);
digitalWrite(layer[3], 1);
delay(x);
turnEverythingOff();
//top middle
for(int i = 4; i<12; i++)
{
digitalWrite(column[i], 0);
}
digitalWrite(layer[2], 1);
digitalWrite(layer[3], 1);
delay(x);
turnEverythingOff();
}
//top left
for(int i = 0; i<8; i++)
{
digitalWrite(column[i], 0);
}
digitalWrite(layer[3], 1);
digitalWrite(layer[2], 1);
delay(x);
turnEverythingOff();
}
//propeller
void propeller()
{
turnEverythingOff();
int x = 90;
for(int y = 4; y>0; y--)
{
for(int i = 0; i<6; i++)
{
//turn on layer
digitalWrite(layer[y-1], 1);
//a1
turnColumnsOff();
digitalWrite(column[0], 0);
digitalWrite(column[5], 0);
digitalWrite(column[10], 0);
digitalWrite(column[15], 0);
delay(x);
//b1
turnColumnsOff();
digitalWrite(column[4], 0);
digitalWrite(column[5], 0);
digitalWrite(column[10], 0);
digitalWrite(column[11], 0);
delay(x);
//c1
turnColumnsOff();
digitalWrite(column[6], 0);
digitalWrite(column[7], 0);
digitalWrite(column[8], 0);
digitalWrite(column[9], 0);
delay(x);
//d1
turnColumnsOff();
digitalWrite(column[3], 0);
digitalWrite(column[6], 0);
digitalWrite(column[9], 0);
digitalWrite(column[12], 0);
delay(x);
//d2
turnColumnsOff();
digitalWrite(column[2], 0);
digitalWrite(column[6], 0);
digitalWrite(column[9], 0);
digitalWrite(column[13], 0);
delay(x);
//d3
turnColumnsOff();
digitalWrite(column[1], 0);
digitalWrite(column[5], 0);
digitalWrite(column[10], 0);
digitalWrite(column[14], 0);
delay(x);
}
}
//d4
turnColumnsOff();
digitalWrite(column[0], 0);
digitalWrite(column[5], 0);
digitalWrite(column[10], 0);
digitalWrite(column[15], 0);
delay(x);
}
//spiral in and out
void spiralInAndOut()
{
turnEverythingOn();
int x = 60;
for(int i = 0; i<6; i++)
{
//spiral in clockwise
digitalWrite(column[0], 1);
delay(x);
digitalWrite(column[1], 1);
delay(x);
digitalWrite(column[2], 1);
delay(x);
digitalWrite(column[3], 1);
delay(x);
digitalWrite(column[7], 1);
delay(x);
digitalWrite(column[11], 1);
delay(x);
digitalWrite(column[15], 1);
delay(x);
digitalWrite(column[14], 1);
delay(x);
digitalWrite(column[13], 1);
delay(x);
digitalWrite(column[12], 1);
delay(x);
digitalWrite(column[8], 1);
delay(x);
digitalWrite(column[4], 1);
delay(x);
digitalWrite(column[5], 1);
delay(x);
digitalWrite(column[6], 1);
delay(x);
digitalWrite(column[10], 1);
delay(x);
digitalWrite(column[9], 1);
delay(x);
//spiral out counter clockwise
digitalWrite(column[9], 0);
delay(x);
digitalWrite(column[10], 0);
delay(x);
digitalWrite(column[6], 0);
delay(x);
digitalWrite(column[5], 0);
delay(x);
digitalWrite(column[4], 0);
delay(x);
digitalWrite(column[8], 0);
delay(x);
digitalWrite(column[12], 0);
delay(x);
digitalWrite(column[13], 0);
delay(x);
digitalWrite(column[14], 0);
delay(x);
digitalWrite(column[15], 0);
delay(x);
digitalWrite(column[11], 0);
delay(x);
digitalWrite(column[7], 0);
delay(x);
digitalWrite(column[3], 0);
delay(x);
digitalWrite(column[2], 0);
delay(x);
digitalWrite(column[1], 0);
delay(x);
digitalWrite(column[0], 0);
delay(x);
//spiral in counter clock wise
digitalWrite(column[0], 1);
delay(x);
digitalWrite(column[4], 1);
delay(x);
digitalWrite(column[8], 1);
delay(x);
digitalWrite(column[12], 1);
delay(x);
digitalWrite(column[13], 1);
delay(x);
digitalWrite(column[14], 1);
delay(x);
digitalWrite(column[15], 1);
delay(x);
digitalWrite(column[11], 1);
delay(x);
digitalWrite(column[7], 1);
delay(x);
digitalWrite(column[3], 1);
delay(x);
digitalWrite(column[2], 1);
delay(x);
digitalWrite(column[1], 1);
delay(x);
digitalWrite(column[5], 1);
delay(x);
digitalWrite(column[9], 1);
delay(x);
digitalWrite(column[10], 1);
delay(x);
digitalWrite(column[6], 1);
delay(x);
//spiral out clock wise
digitalWrite(column[6], 0);
delay(x);
digitalWrite(column[10], 0);
delay(x);
digitalWrite(column[9], 0);
delay(x);
digitalWrite(column[5], 0);
delay(x);
digitalWrite(column[1], 0);
delay(x);
digitalWrite(column[2], 0);
delay(x);
digitalWrite(column[3], 0);
delay(x);
digitalWrite(column[7], 0);
delay(x);
digitalWrite(column[11], 0);
delay(x);
digitalWrite(column[15], 0);
delay(x);
digitalWrite(column[14], 0);
delay(x);
digitalWrite(column[13], 0);
delay(x);
digitalWrite(column[12], 0);
delay(x);
digitalWrite(column[8], 0);
delay(x);
digitalWrite(column[4], 0);
delay(x);
digitalWrite(column[0], 0);
delay(x);
}
}
//go through all leds one at a time
void goThroughAllLedsOneAtATime()
{
int x = 15;
turnEverythingOff();
for(int y = 0; y<5; y++)
{
//0-3
for(int count = 4; count != 0; count--)
{
digitalWrite(layer[count-1], 1);
for(int i = 0; i<4; i++)
{
digitalWrite(column[i], 0);
delay(x);
digitalWrite(column[i], 1);
delay(x);
}
digitalWrite(layer[count-1], 0);
}
//4-7
for(int count = 0; count < 4; count++)
{
digitalWrite(layer[count], 1);
for(int i = 4; i<8; i++)
{
digitalWrite(column[i], 0);
delay(x);
digitalWrite(column[i], 1);
delay(x);
}
digitalWrite(layer[count], 0);
}
//8-11
for(int count = 4; count != 0; count--)
{
digitalWrite(layer[count-1], 1);
for(int i = 8; i<12; i++)
{
digitalWrite(column[i], 0);
delay(x);
digitalWrite(column[i], 1);
delay(x);
}
digitalWrite(layer[count-1], 0);
}
//12-15
for(int count = 0; count < 4; count++)
{
digitalWrite(layer[count], 1);
for(int i = 12; i<16; i++)
{
digitalWrite(column[i], 0);
delay(x);
digitalWrite(column[i], 1);
delay(x);
}
digitalWrite(layer[count], 0);
}
}
}
Enjoy!
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I hope you have a lot of fun with the project, enjoy the lightshow! :D