In the spirit of Free Software, we decided to share the mechanical design of our custom Liquid Galaxy frame.

We've taken Liquid Galaxies to over a dozen conferences around the world, and learned a lot about how to make something durable and easy to set up on-site.

Note that our frames are designed specifically to fit the 55" Samsung UN55B6000 LCD screens we use. You may need to modify the frame design if you plan to use something else.

In the Downloads tab above, you'll find:

• Google Liquid Galaxy 3-1 Mechanicals-External Panels.rar : CAD files and drawings of the external panels that surround the Liquid Galaxy

• Liquid Galaxy 3-1 External Panel Image 1 to 4.rar and Liquid Galaxy 3-1 External Panel Images 4 to 8.rar : the images we used for the external panels that surround the Liquid Galaxy

• Google Liquid Galaxy Mechanical Specification.pdf : a summary of the critical mechanical components you need to build a Liquid Galaxy

• Google Liquid Galaxy 3-1 Mechanicals-Frames.rar : all the 3D CAD files (in STP file format) for the Liquid Galaxy frames

• Google Liquid Galaxy 3-1 Mechanical Installation Guide.pdf : step-by-step instructions for how to assemble a set of Liquid Galaxy frames

Building your own Google custom frame

1. Find a manufacturer

You will need to find two different vendors:

1. A metal manufacturer who can fabricate the metal frames
2. A signage vendor who can print the external panels.

Make sure the signage vendor has the capability of cutting a material called Dibond using a CNC process.

2. Get a quote and fabricate

Once you've selected a manufacturer, you have to get a quote from them that indicates an estimated turnaround time, and an estimated unit cost.

You can start the quoting process by sending the manufacturer a quote request form with CAD files and drawings. You can find these files in the archive Google Liquid Galaxy 3-1 Mechanicals-Frames.rar in the Downloads section.

This folder also includes a Bill of Materials of all the hardware (such as bolts, nuts, etc.) needed to complete the assembly. The BOM can also be passed onto the manufacturer to have them purchase the parts for you and use them to fully assemble each frame segment.

Once you get a quote from the manufacturer, you should review it and make any revisions or negotiate the unit cost if necessary. After finalizing the quote and issuing a purchase order, all you will need to do is to wait for the finished frames. You may want to check in between to see if the quality of the frames are up to your standards. You may want to request a midpoint review to examine the frames in person if the manufacturer is local.

The same process applies for the external signage. To get a quote, send the vendor the panel images and the CAD files with a quote request form found in the archive Google Liquid Galaxy 3-1 Mechanicals-External Panels.rar, Liquid Galaxy 3-1 External Panel Image 1 to 4.rar and Liquid Galaxy 3-1 External Panel Images 4 to 8.rar.

3. Source and purchase other components

The list of hardware required is listed in the document Google Liquid Galaxy Mechanical Specifications.pdf .

4. Assemble

In the document Google Liquid Galaxy 3-1 Mechanical Installation Guide , you will find detailed step-by-step instructions of how to put the frames, panels and TVs together.

Alternatives to building custom frames

You can use the 3D CAD files provided to modify the design or use them as a reference for measurements to design your own Liquid Galaxy from scratch.

Other options would be to mount the TVs onto a circular wall or use floor TV mounting stands. There are many options available online:

• Luxor Universal Plasma Floor Mount
• LDDFS68 Universal Rotating Mount
• Peerless Industries FPZ-600 TV Mount