---
_id: '13049'
abstract:
- lang: eng
  text: "We propose a computational design approach for covering a surface with individually
    addressable RGB LEDs, effectively forming a low-resolution surface screen. To
    achieve a low-cost and scalable approach, we propose creating designs from flat
    PCB panels bent in-place along the surface of a 3D printed core. Working with
    standard rigid PCBs enables the use of\r\nestablished PCB manufacturing services,
    allowing the fabrication of designs with several hundred LEDs. \r\nOur approach
    optimizes the PCB geometry for folding, and then jointly optimizes the LED packing,
    circuit and routing, solving a challenging layout problem under strict manufacturing
    requirements. Unlike paper, PCBs cannot bend beyond a certain point without breaking.
    Therefore, we introduce parametric cut patterns acting as hinges, designed to
    allow bending while remaining compact. To tackle the joint optimization of placement,
    circuit and routing, we propose a specialized algorithm that splits the global
    problem into one sub-problem per triangle, which is then individually solved.\r\nOur
    technique generates PCB blueprints in a completely automated way. After being
    fabricated by a PCB manufacturing service, the boards are bent and glued by the
    user onto the 3D printed support. We demonstrate our technique on a range of physical
    models and virtual examples, creating intricate surface light patterns from hundreds
    of LEDs."
acknowledged_ssus:
- _id: M-Shop
acknowledgement: We thank the reviewers for the valuable feedback. We also thank the
  Miba Machine Shop at ISTA, PCBWay, and PragoBoard for helping us with fabrication
  and assembly. This project was supported by the European Research Council (ERC)
  under the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation program (Grant Agreement
  No. 715767 – MATERIALIZABLE).
article_number: '142'
article_processing_charge: No
article_type: original
author:
- first_name: Marco
  full_name: Freire, Marco
  last_name: Freire
- first_name: Manas
  full_name: Bhargava, Manas
  id: FF8FA64C-AA6A-11E9-99AD-50D4E5697425
  last_name: Bhargava
  orcid: 0009-0007-6138-6890
- first_name: Camille
  full_name: Schreck, Camille
  id: 2B14B676-F248-11E8-B48F-1D18A9856A87
  last_name: Schreck
- first_name: Pierre-Alexandre
  full_name: Hugron, Pierre-Alexandre
  last_name: Hugron
- first_name: Bernd
  full_name: Bickel, Bernd
  id: 49876194-F248-11E8-B48F-1D18A9856A87
  last_name: Bickel
  orcid: 0000-0001-6511-9385
- first_name: Sylvain
  full_name: Lefebvre, Sylvain
  last_name: Lefebvre
citation:
  ama: 'Freire M, Bhargava M, Schreck C, Hugron P-A, Bickel B, Lefebvre S. PCBend:
    Light up your 3D shapes with foldable circuit boards. <i>Transactions on Graphics</i>.
    2023;42(4). doi:<a href="https://doi.org/10.1145/3592411">10.1145/3592411</a>'
  apa: 'Freire, M., Bhargava, M., Schreck, C., Hugron, P.-A., Bickel, B., &#38; Lefebvre,
    S. (2023). PCBend: Light up your 3D shapes with foldable circuit boards. <i>Transactions
    on Graphics</i>. Los Angeles, CA, United States: Association for Computing Machinery.
    <a href="https://doi.org/10.1145/3592411">https://doi.org/10.1145/3592411</a>'
  chicago: 'Freire, Marco, Manas Bhargava, Camille Schreck, Pierre-Alexandre Hugron,
    Bernd Bickel, and Sylvain Lefebvre. “PCBend: Light up Your 3D Shapes with Foldable
    Circuit Boards.” <i>Transactions on Graphics</i>. Association for Computing Machinery,
    2023. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1145/3592411">https://doi.org/10.1145/3592411</a>.'
  ieee: 'M. Freire, M. Bhargava, C. Schreck, P.-A. Hugron, B. Bickel, and S. Lefebvre,
    “PCBend: Light up your 3D shapes with foldable circuit boards,” <i>Transactions
    on Graphics</i>, vol. 42, no. 4. Association for Computing Machinery, 2023.'
  ista: 'Freire M, Bhargava M, Schreck C, Hugron P-A, Bickel B, Lefebvre S. 2023.
    PCBend: Light up your 3D shapes with foldable circuit boards. Transactions on
    Graphics. 42(4), 142.'
  mla: 'Freire, Marco, et al. “PCBend: Light up Your 3D Shapes with Foldable Circuit
    Boards.” <i>Transactions on Graphics</i>, vol. 42, no. 4, 142, Association for
    Computing Machinery, 2023, doi:<a href="https://doi.org/10.1145/3592411">10.1145/3592411</a>.'
  short: M. Freire, M. Bhargava, C. Schreck, P.-A. Hugron, B. Bickel, S. Lefebvre,
    Transactions on Graphics 42 (2023).
conference:
  end_date: 2023-08-10
  location: Los Angeles, CA, United States
  name: 'SIGGRAPH: Computer Graphics and Interactive Techniques Conference'
  start_date: 2023-08-06
date_created: 2023-05-22T08:37:04Z
date_published: 2023-07-26T00:00:00Z
date_updated: 2024-01-29T10:30:49Z
day: '26'
ddc:
- '006'
department:
- _id: GradSch
- _id: BeBi
doi: 10.1145/3592411
ec_funded: 1
external_id:
  isi:
  - '001044671300108'
file:
- access_level: open_access
  checksum: a0b0ba3b36f43a94388e8824613d812a
  content_type: application/pdf
  creator: dernst
  date_created: 2023-06-19T11:02:23Z
  date_updated: 2023-06-19T11:02:23Z
  file_id: '13156'
  file_name: 2023_ACMToG_Freire.pdf
  file_size: 78940724
  relation: main_file
  success: 1
- access_level: open_access
  checksum: b9206bbb67af82df49b7e7cdbde3410c
  content_type: application/pdf
  creator: dernst
  date_created: 2023-06-20T12:20:51Z
  date_updated: 2023-06-20T12:20:51Z
  file_id: '13157'
  file_name: 2023_ACMToG_SuppMaterial_Freire.pdf
  file_size: 34345905
  relation: main_file
  success: 1
file_date_updated: 2023-06-20T12:20:51Z
has_accepted_license: '1'
intvolume: '        42'
isi: 1
issue: '4'
keyword:
- PCB design and layout
- Mesh geometry models
language:
- iso: eng
month: '07'
oa: 1
oa_version: Submitted Version
project:
- _id: 24F9549A-B435-11E9-9278-68D0E5697425
  call_identifier: H2020
  grant_number: '715767'
  name: 'MATERIALIZABLE: Intelligent fabrication-oriented Computational Design and
    Modeling'
publication: Transactions on Graphics
publication_identifier:
  eissn:
  - 1557-7368
  issn:
  - 0730-0301
publication_status: published
publisher: Association for Computing Machinery
quality_controlled: '1'
status: public
title: 'PCBend: Light up your 3D shapes with foldable circuit boards'
type: journal_article
user_id: 2DF688A6-F248-11E8-B48F-1D18A9856A87
volume: 42
year: '2023'
...
