Prof Brothers LED Nameplate

{
  "schema_version": 1,
  "type": "component",
  "slug": "profbrothers-led-nameplate",
  "title": "Prof Brothers LED Nameplate",
  "brief": "136x24mm USB-C desk nameplate with 117 white LEDs spelling PROF BROTHERS in a 3x5 pixel font. Georgia Tech. Plug in any iPhone charger and it lights up.",
  "version": "1.0.1",
  "tags": [],
  "license": "MIT",
  "sample_prompts": [
    {
      "prompt": "Show me the Prof Brothers LED Nameplate"
    },
    {
      "prompt": "Open the 3D viewer for Prof Brothers' nameplate"
    },
    {
      "prompt": "What components are on the Prof Brothers nameplate?"
    }
  ],
  "component": {
    "mpn": "Prof Brothers LED Nameplate",
    "manufacturer": "",
    "package": "",
    "pin_count": null,
    "category": "molecule",
    "subcategory": "",
    "body_size": null,
    "parts": {},
    "distributor_links": {}
  },
  "readme": "## Overview\n\nA white LED desk nameplate that spells **PROF BROTHERS** in a 3x5 bitmap pixel font. Designed as an Adom molecule (136 x 24 mm, 4-pin machine contact) so it can be manufactured on the InstaPCB workcell. Built for Prof Tim Brothers at Georgia Institute of Technology.\n\n## How it works\n\n- **117 white LEDs** (0603) arranged in 13 letters: P-R-O-F  B-R-O-T-H-E-R-S\n- Each LED has its own **220 ohm current-limiting resistor** (0402)\n- All LED+resistor pairs wired in **parallel** from VBUS to GND\n- **USB-C connector** on the east edge with 5.1k ohm CC pull-downs\n- **100nF bypass cap** on VBUS for decoupling\n- Total draw: ~1W at 5V, any phone charger handles it\n\n## How to use it\n\n1. Grab any USB-C cable (iPhone charger works)\n2. Plug one end into the board's east edge\n3. Plug the other end into a 5V USB-C power source\n4. PROF BROTHERS lights up white\n\n## Hardware summary\n\n| Component | Value | Package | Qty |\n|-----------|-------|---------|-----|\n| LED | white | 0603 | 117 |\n| R | 220 ohm | 0402 | 117 |\n| R_CC1, R_CC2 | 5.1k ohm | 0402 | 2 |\n| C_BYP | 100nF | 0402 | 1 |\n| J1 | TYPE-C-31-M-12 | USB-C | 1 |\n\n## Design details\n\n- Board: 136 x 24 mm, 2-layer, 1.6mm FR4, round edges\n- Molecule type: 4-pin with MachinePinMediumStandard\n- 4 corner machine contacts: MC_VCC1/MC_VCC2 (north), MC_GND1/MC_GND2 (south)\n- Pixel pitch: 3mm LED-to-LED, 3mm letter gap, 5mm word gap\n- White LED Vf ~3.0V, so 220 ohm at 5V gives ~9mA per LED\n- USB-C on east edge using UsbCReceptacle wrapper (TYPE-C-31-M-12, JLCPCB C165948)\n- InstaPCB quote: $13.04/board (fab $2 + assembly $11.04)\n\n## Build commands\n\n```bash\ncd ~/project/adom-tsci/examples/ProfBrothers-Nameplate\nbun install\nbunx tsci build lib/index.tsx --glbs --svgs --3d-png --pcb-png\nadom-tsci start .\n```\n\n## Files attached\n\n### Source (recreate the molecule)\n- **plan.md** - Original design brief and hardware decisions\n- **profbrothers-led-nameplate-source.tar.gz** - Full tscircuit project (lib/, package.json, walkthrough.json). Untar and `bun install && bunx tsci build` to recreate.\n\n### Build outputs\n- **3d.glb** - Full 3D model, opens in any glTF viewer\n- **pcb.svg / schematic.svg** - Vector PCB layout and schematic\n- **3d.png / pcb.png** - Raster previews\n\n### Fabrication files\n- **ProfBrothers-Nameplate-3d.kicad_pcb** - KiCad PCB with all 226 3D model references injected and the USB-C footprint replaced with chip-fetcher's validated TYPE-C-31-M-12 pair. Open in KiCad, run DRC, export gerbers, or send directly to fab.\n- **gerbers.zip** - Fab-ready gerber package: F_Cu, B_Cu, F_Mask, B_Mask, F_SilkScreen, B_SilkScreen, F_Paste, B_Paste, Edge_Cuts, drill files, BOM, and pick-and-place CSV. Upload directly to JLCPCB or hand to InstaPCB.\n\n## Built with\n\nAuthored in tscircuit (TSX), previewed with adom-tsci, validated in KiCad 3D viewer, published to the Adom Wiki. Georgia Institute of Technology.\n",
  "author": {
    "name": "Kyle Bergstedt",
    "email": "[email protected]"
  },
  "visibility": {
    "public": true
  },
  "hero": null,
  "discovery_triggers": [],
  "discovery_pitch": null,
  "metadata": {},
  "created_at": "2026-05-28T05:30:55.474Z",
  "updated_at": "2026-05-28T05:30:55.474Z",
  "org": "adom"
}