Large 7-segment display project

Thread Starter

benjo

Joined Mar 31, 2007
2
Hi guys,

This is probably a slightly unusual question. I really have no knowledge in electronics and am not building anything. However, I am doing an assignment for university on a business idea that we have to create a business plan for. The product that we have come up with involves a large 7-segment display. Basically all I need is some idea of how it would be put together, and the costs associated in doing it. A website or company that offers the components would also be helpful.

The product is a two digit 7-segment-display. Each digit will be 14inches tall and 7 inches wide, making the whole thing 14x14. There will be a pole running from the display which is used as a handle. On the handle will be a "count" button which increases the number by 1 (max 99), and a reset button which brings it back to 0.

As I said, I have no real knowledge in this sort of stuff. All I really need is some basic costing info.

Any help is greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance,

Ben
 

kender

Joined Jan 17, 2007
264
Dear Ben,

DigiKey, is a good place to look for parts. The biggest 7-segment LED they have is 7" tall part # 160-1021-ND.

Nick

P.S. And if you need to brainstorm further, you will have to either become an engineer... or make one interested.
 

beenthere

Joined Apr 20, 2004
15,819
You'll have to use discreet LED's to make the display segments that size. The thing will be a bit weighty, as it will need relatively large batteries.
 

Thread Starter

benjo

Joined Mar 31, 2007
2
Thanks very mich for the info.

Just wondering from a large-scale manufacturing perspective, would a company exist that would manufacture this sort of product? Also, would it be best to manufacture the whole thing from individual components, or use a pre-packaged 7-segment-display and add anything we need to add to it?

Thanks,

Ben
 

John Luciani

Joined Apr 3, 2007
475
If you find a company that makes a display that meets your requirements you should
purchase the display and then add your own custom circuits.

You will need discrete LEDs. Place a piece of opague plastic over the LEDs to scatter
the light. To estimate the cost you will need to determine the intensity of the LEDs
that meet your requirements. If you need high intensity LEDs your display could
get very expensive. I would recommend building one segment and testing it
in the appropriate environment. This will give you an idea of what the cost of
system will be.

There are contract assembly houses that will build as much of the system as
you want. You need have your design complete and documented.

(* jcl *)

---
www.luciani.org
 
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