Custom Acrylic & Resin Keyboard Build
Overview
This custom keyboard project focused on combining precision engineering with expressive visual design. The case components were modeled in Fusion 360, carefully dimensioned to align with an existing PCB's screw holes and component layout for seamless integration.
The build used clear acrylic panels and 3D-printed resin parts to showcase the keyboard's internal lighting, emphasizing transparency and glow. The side pieces feature an organic, custom-designed pattern, adding a sculptural element that contrasts with the mechanical precision of the internal components. This project utilized CAD modeling, digital fabrication, and aesthetic experimentation to elevate the functional object into a personalized piece of hardware art.
Challenge
How can we transform a utilitarian device into a visually expressive object by using material transparency, light interaction, and generative form — without compromising functionality or usability?
Solution
The finished keyboard features a transparent body with fluid, laser-etched designs that glow when exposed to light — especially under RGB or natural sunlight. The layered construction provides depth, while the patterns guide light through edges and curves, turning a static input device into a kinetic, light-responsive artifact.
Tools & Technology
Materials: Clear acrylic, mechanical keyboard components (PCB, switches, keycaps).
Techniques: Laser cutting, layered assembly, visual light diffusion.
Software: Illustrator (cut patterns), Fusion 360 (structural prototyping).