Today I'll share how to make an 4x4x4 led cube which is built from Arduino Nano, RGB LEDs 10mm - common anode and double side prototype PCB.

Let's get started.

Step 1: PARTS LIST

Main parts include:

01pcs x Arduino NANO.
64pcs x RGB LED, 10mm, Common Anode.
06pcs x Power Logic 8-Bit Shift Register TPIC6B595N.
04pcs x Transistor A1013.
02pcs x Double Side Tinned Prototype PCB Universal Board 8x12cm.
06pcs x Capacitor 0.1uF.
48pcs x R100.
04pcs x R1K.
04pcs x Female 40pin 2.54mm Header.
04pcs x Male 40pin 2.54mm Header.
01meter x 8P Rainbow Ribbon Cable.
01pcs x White Acrylic Plate, A4 size.

Step 2: SHEMATIC

For 4x4x4 RGB led cube, we have 4 layers and each layer has 16pcs x RGB leds. The control circuit works as follows:

- 4 layers are controlled by 4 transistors

- 16 RGB LEDs are controlled by 6pcs x TPIC6B595N. Each RGB led has 3 colors so each color of 16pcs x leds is controlled by 2pcs x TPIC6B595N.

Step 3: SOLDERING LED CUBE

You can refer to lots of projects related to build a led cube or check at my instructable:

https://www.instructables.com/id/Interactive-Color...

And you should make a wooden cube template with 16 holes, diameter 10mm and led tester with battery to check before and after soldering your LED.

After soldering 4 planes of led cube, I arranged and assembled them into the Prototype PCB.

I aligned them neatly and symmetrically then soldered them to the Prototype PCB.

On top of led cube, I soldered 16pcs x RGB led in same layer together. We have totally 4 layers and they are connected to a female header 4 pins. Later they will be plugged on control board by this header.

At bottom of led cube, I soldered LED pins to 6pcs x 8P-female headers in color groups: RED, GREEN & BLUE. Because each layer has 16 RGB LEDs, so we need to use 2pcs x TPIC6B595N to control each color.

Led cube is done!

Step 4: SOLDERING CONTROL BOARD

I used a remaining prototype PCB to solder the control circuit following the circuit diagram on STEP 2. Note that in order for led cube and control board to be matched together perfectly, firstly we have to align & solder all male headers on control board following female headers of led cube.

Picture below is bottom side of control board. I soldered all capacitors at bottom and you can see there're 4pcs x high power transistors. They can control layers in case 4pcs x low power transistor A1013 cannot work well. It is an option even though I know the A1013 can handle 16 RGB LEDs in one layer.