• 1
    Designing the Enclosure

    I started by designing the entire enclosure in Autodesk Fusion 360, keeping the design compact, easy to assemble, and optimized for the Waveshare ESP32-S3 Matrix board.

    To achieve a smooth and uniform glow, I used a lithophane-inspired diffuser instead of a standard flat diffuser. By varying its thickness, the light spreads more evenly across the surface, helping to reduce visible LED hotspots and creating a much softer ambient effect.

  • 2
    3D Printing the Enclosure

    With the design complete, I printed all the parts using PLA filament. For the diffuser, I used matte white PLA with a 0.8 mm wall thickness. This provides excellent light diffusion while preserving the lithophane effect, resulting in a smooth, even glow across the entire surface.

    For the housing, I used Black PLA with a 3 mm wall thickness to give the enclosure good rigidity and durability while maintaining a clean, minimal appearance.

  • 3
    Hardware Assembly

    Carefully insert the Waveshare ESP32-S3 Matrix board into the 3D-printed enclosure, making sure it sits flush and the LED matrix aligns with the front opening. The fit should be snug, so avoid applying excessive force during installation. Once everything is aligned, apply a very small amount of super glue around the edges to secure the board in place.