Electronic Theatre Controls Shutter

Electronic Theatre Controls (ETC) is a global entertainment and architectural lighting company. Dedicated to innovation, ETC sought a design firm with the same commitment to great ideas. They enlisted Design Concepts’ team to conceptualize and design an automated, customizable and configurable shutter module that integrates into their Source Four Revolution theatre light.

Design Concepts conceptualized a novel new mechanism for the shutter module. Designers created a robust, low-cost light shutter mechanism that operates reliably at elevated temperatures, fits in a very small envelope and can create any three or four-sided shape imaginable. The finished product uses only seven unique sheet metal parts configured to achieve the shutter mechanism. A stack of interlinked sheet metal irises can be manipulated to create an infinite variety of shutter cuts. Eight computer-controlled stepper motors synchronize the motion of four shutter blades for unique and dynamic lighting effects. Each shutter blade can rotate +/- 45 degrees — a first in the industry. The shutter mechanism withstands temperatures in excess of 170° F without binding.