Porsche Wind Deflector with Edge Lighting [from CAD, prototyping to finish]

[Nine8Six]

Originally Posted by boxster6354

Awhile back we had a sponsor of the board that did the same thing, now their site is called xxxxxxxxxxx, at the time they did not offer the LED lighting on the Boxster but did the laser etching. Seems they will be producing soon.

How will yours be compared (Costs/Style) ?

The glass will remain in its stock format/size/mounting assy. The module will achieve the same result but with an emphasis on simplicity (compact, stealthy, heat managed). Without any fancy on/off switch, dimmers and the huge black box that's needed on some fancy setup I've recently seen out of JP. In fact, something I didn't like from that Z4 was that weird and huge looking black box coming out 1.5" off the bottom of the deflector. Other than that it was all sexy stuff.

That Boxster glass is tiny... hard to squeeze stuff in there without making it look 'heavy' lol

Cost-wise; of course mine will cost $3,845 more than all the other edge-lit wind deflectors that you can find In-The-World

[BruceH]

Yes, the fewer wires the better! I didn't realize multiple colors require multiple wires. I'm glad that I could provide some inspiration

[Top_Ramen]

still might be a bit early, but here goes, I'LL TAKE ONE!!

[herve_g]

While I'm not excited about the LED thingy ... I'd definitely be interested in durable clips (metal). Subscribed!

[Slate 01]

Your original rendering looked awesome to me. I like the size and style you used. I would definitely be interested. PM me when you have it nailed down, please.

[Coaster]

Originally Posted by BruceH

LOL! That is pretty much what I thought Fred, I am sure what ever you come up with, it will be first class! I like your original rendering, which is more or less what I have now, without the LED's of course. I would love blue or white lighting. Maybe a module that can do multiple colors?

Oh oh oh. Christmas gift is a little bigger. At this point my wife asked "just what does 'stuff for the boxster' mean?" Lol.


Will you anodize/paint the clips?

[RedTele58]

I'm in.

[Nine8Six]

^^^^^

You guys so so so cool, thanks for the support and encouragement, as always!

@Coaster - lol on the wife's comment. Clips will indeed be anodized and dye'ed in choice or colors. They'll have too if we want them to last 25 years. Noting harder than aluminum with a thick anodizing coating. Keep those for last, edge lighting on the box first!

Visited a factory where they process pmma acrylic - and others lol. Got samples and test etching those as I type. I puke my chest out when I walk out of there this morning... not the fanciest place I've been (oh man the smell there). The whole town is an 1.5hrs drive north-east of Shanghai (sea side). "Chemical Town" nobody lives there or around, and everybody working in the area looks a bit green :/

Anybody wants/needs a truck full of plastic?!

[Nine8Six]

Just dropping in some visuals of the prototype assy and how things works, where's the LED strip located, how heat xfers to the module, wiring, etc.

As you can see, edge lighting is one hell of an advanced technology and require a great deal of brain power. Already thinking of rising the price from $3,845 to $6,000. Some other good news, I'll be machining/anodizing the module's front and back covers during the beginning of this week so hopefully I'll have something to mount onto the glass by this coming weekend.

I'll update then!








^ The module's back cover is machined out of 6061 aluminum and is a one-piece part! That lip (what the LED strip sits onto) is what absorbs the energy/heat generated from the LEDs. With the wind/air hitting on the module's heatsink it should be more than sufficient cooling to keep those miniature LEDs cool and happy

[nieuwhzn]

Looks like you're having a lot of fun with SolidWorks, Fred.
Did you consider of doing a thermal simulation?

[Nine8Six]

Originally Posted by nieuwhzn

Looks like you're having a lot of fun with SolidWorks, Fred.
Did you consider of doing a thermal simulation?

Haha yes, better enjoying SW because HQ is making it redundant by 2015 :/ We're moving to AutoCAD Inventor seats (only) both at the R&D and manufacturing ends. No more him on SW, her on AutoCAD, them on Catia, etc.... e-v-e-r-y-b-o-d-y will need to cope with Autodesk by mid 2015. Go figure....

RE Simulation. I have the SW Simulation module running on my workstation however the Flow Simulation is not (needed for air cooling type sims). I do my own simulations however but mainly to gauge designs/shapes/parts vs their types of materials (e.g. fatigue, stress, etc). A thermal analysis coming from me would be totally redundant in this LED application. All I could do is highlight how heat is transferred from one end to another. Plain thermal loads, convections and/or radiation per material in both transient and steady states. Boring and rather useless... without air. Given aluminum dissipate heat 2,000x faster than any other composites (e.g. plastics)... we can call it a safe $3 worth of LED strip investment (I think!)

Beside, try asking a Chinese manufacturer what are the "convection coefficient" values in BTU of their super High Tech LED strips. Luck with that mate....lol

[Nine8Six]

On a far more important issue, I am having great difficulties selecting the right visual effect for the little guards red here. I kinda like the PORSCHE 986 best in all honesty but also like the one with the badge & Porsche (Bruce's). HELP! lol

Just throwing in these for inspiration. PM for the Illustrator/vector template if anyone is interested in making his/her own (I'll do those Made-to-Order no worries). Google "FREE VECTOR" for some ideas (tribal?)

[Nine8Six]

lol getting closer....

[rfuerst911sc]

Another suggestion, the wire to power these should be a pigtail with a connector on the end or the frame should have a connector that the power wires plug into. I'm thinking if you have to remove the windscreen for any reason it would be nice to just pull apart a connector and be done. Any ideas where we would tap into for power to light these ? Love what you have designed so far !

[kjc2050]

FWIW, vastly prefer the Porsche crest and Porsche lettering beneath (next to last in post #32). Thanks - keep it going!!!

[Nine8Six]

Originally Posted by rfuerst911sc

Another suggestion, the wire to power these should be a pigtail with a connector on the end or the frame should have a connector that the power wires plug into. I'm thinking if you have to remove the windscreen for any reason it would be nice to just pull apart a connector and be done. Any ideas where we would tap into for power to light these ? Love what you have designed so far !

Well spotted. You are right and the only way I think it would work is by having a 'flat' style micro connector so it fits under the roll-bar interior trim (what is the name of that trim btw, mine are in leather... snaps onto the roll-bar, do these have a name?)

Something like on the pic below:


RE Tapping (hmmm still debatable). I was thinking getting the 12VDC from the clam shell brake light (nearest, easy to reach/snake too). I can provide a loom of about 2m long with the kit.

Wonder what our good friend Charles (member Particlewave) thinks about this idea. He is an Electrical Engineer by trade, and has a Porsche car just like ours. You think he'd be willing to help us out on this one?!

[RedTele58]

Originally Posted by Nine8Six

Wonder what our good friend Charles (member Particlewave) thinks about this idea. He is an Electrical Engineer by trade, and has a Porsche car just like ours. You think he'd be willing to help us out on this one?!

"Paging Mr Particlewave, paging Mr Charles Particlewave. Please pick up a white paging telephone. Your needed in the 986 Forum DIY Project Guides Room!"

No worries - he'll be here shortly.

[CHRISP357]

The Porsche crest and lettering will be perfect!

[Slate 01]

Originally Posted by kjc2050

FWIW, vastly prefer the Porsche crest and Porsche lettering beneath (next to last in post #32). Thanks - keep it going!!!

Absolutely my vote, hands down. I really don't think another Boxster script is necessary or close to appealing.

[BFeller]

Originally Posted by Nine8Six

RE Tapping (hmmm still debatable). I was thinking getting the 12VDC from the clam shell brake light (nearest, easy to reach/snake too).

There is a connector for the rear defroster in that area.