Encapsulate Electronics in Clear Epoxy to Create a Functional Art Piece

If you want your electronics project to be more than just proof-of-concept prototypes, then you need to put them in some kind of enclosure…

Cameron Coward
6 years ago3D Printing

If you want your electronics project to be more than just proof-of-concept prototypes, then you need to put them in some kind of enclosure. For decades, simple mass-produced plastic boxes and Altoids tins were the maker’s enclosure of choice. In more recent years, 3D printing has made it easy to create cases that are attractive and custom-fit to your project. But, if you want to take a more artistic route, Kodera2t has a guide on how to encapsulate your projects in beautiful clear epoxy.

Before you start trapping your projects in epoxy, it’s important to note that it will be virtually impossible to interact with them afterwards, at least directly. Your device is going to be embedded in a solid chunk of material and you won’t be able to remove it. As Kodera2t shows, that’s not a big deal if you’re just making a paperweight to show off a neat old 8080 Intel microprocessor. But, if you’re encasing a functional device, it gets a bit more complicated.

The epoxy won’t affect the functionality of the electronics, because it’s not conductive. But, you need to make sure the device wiring is completely finished, and you need a way to provide power. For power, you could use a battery, but you won’t have anyway to charge or replace it when it dies. A better option is to do what Kodera2t did and embed a wireless charging coil into the epoxy with the rest of the device — an ESP32 in this case. Once you pour the epoxy, you’ll be left with a functional device that doubles as decoration.

Cameron Coward
Writer for Hackster News. Proud husband and dog dad. Maker and serial hobbyist.
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