University of Cincinnati CCM “Peep Show” Electronic and Pneumatic Flat

For Orpheus in the Underworld which was the undergraduate opera at UC-CCM this spring it required a "Peep Show" flat that had individually controlled letters and two half mirror balls attached to pneumatic cylinders that moved up and down as well as a small motor in each mirror ball to spin tassels.

For the Flat:

1x4 pine ripped to 1x3 true

1/2" plywood

Small pulleys

Screws & Glue

For the Pneumatics:

2' cylinders

5/3 Flexiblok Valves

Filter/ Regulator

Flow Control Valves

1/4" - 1/2" Step up valves

1/4" 90* elbow valves

1/4" hose

1/2" hose

For the "boobs":

16" mirror ball

Wireless Relays

Battery Pack to power the relays

Solenoid

1/16" Aircraft cable

Tassels

3/4" plywood

For the pneumatic portion of this project, I used two 2' cylinders because they had the stroke to achieve as much movement as possible in the four foot flat. Each of them were wired to a 5/3 valve that was controlled through Creative Connors spike mark. There are flow controls to control the speed of the cylinders as well as a regulator to monitor psi.

For the electronics portion of this project, we used a wireless relay to control the motor. We then wired the relay to a battery pack so that it wasn't perpetually on. When the time came, the motor would spin a tassel that was mounted to the coupler with a bolt.

I drafted out the components of this flat in AutoCad 3D

Here is the finished product with a clip of the show and me and my professor with the tassels spinning.