Travis Adcock Design

Overview

THE BRIEF

Design an innovative luminaire for a specific purpose. Use research, journey mapping, and insight documents to understand a task, its environment, and its user.

THE CONSTRAINTS

All lighting materials had to be purchased prewired. No coding, no sensors, and no open flames, so every feature had to come from the physical design.

ROLE

Solo Designer

CONTEXT

Second-Year Studio

DURATION

5 Weeks, Fall 2025

ADVISOR

Thomas Clifton

Research

CLIENT INTERVIEW · MARKET RESEARCH · MATERIAL TESTING

How might we provide better lighting in the darkest areas of server racks to improve visibility of critical hardware, reducing errors and increasing efficiency?

THE CLIENT

I partnered with Alan, owner of ASC Group IT Services, to design lighting for server racks, working hands-on in his data center and testing on a borrowed mini rack.

Alan

Owner, ASC Group IT Services

User Environment

Manages 5–8 full-size racks and ~40 wall-mounted racks, all critical to his and his clients’ data.
Full-size racks sit in data center cabinets or bigger clients’ server rooms; smaller clients use ASC’s data center racks.
Every rack uses the same hardware standard.
Every device connects to several others via power, Cat6a, or fiber, so the wires add up fast.

Values

Efficiency
Versatility
Practicality
Simplicity
“It just works”
Durability

Efficiency
Versatility
Practicality
Simplicity
“It just works”
Durability

Appreciates low cost, but is willing to pay extra for quality if it increases longevity and productivity/efficiency

Appreciates low cost, but is willing to pay extra for quality if it increases longevity and productivity/efficiency

“Server racks contain hardware that is critical to us and our clients. Fiddling with a flashlight or making mistakes because you can’t see well increases downtime, which harms both us and our clients.”

Scenario

01 · The Call

A client can’t reach their backup data, and remote monitoring shows a wall of errors.

02 · Diagnosis

A call to the data center confirms the fault is in ASC’s server, not the facility.

03 · Delegation

Alan hands the job to an experienced tech who’s in the office.

04 · The Rush

The tech grabs spare hardware and hurries downtown to the data center.

05 · The Swap

It’s a failed network switch. Every cable has to move to the exact same port on the replacement.

06 · In the Dark

He forgot his headlamp, so he traces wires through the rack’s shadows by phone flashlight, turning a quick swap into a long one.

Urgency is high. Every minute of downtime costs their clients money and hurts ASC’s reputation.

Market Research

Reaches deep in rack

Adjustable

No rack slots used

Works in open racks

No gimmicks

Gooseneck 1U

$64

Fluorescent 1U

$50

RGB 1U

$110

LED Strips

$205

Pull-out + Power

$600

Rotating + Power

$250

?

Racklight

???

Must

Light the rack’s darkest areas
Reduce shadows for easy wire tracing
Use LEDs for low energy and heat
Be quick and easy to control
Meet data center safety standards

Should

Move along tall, full-size racks
Stay compact
Fold away so cabinet doors close
Install and remove easily
Live in the rack, so it’s never forgotten

Could

Run on battery: fewer cables, works in outages
Install tool-free
Scale to fit racks of any height

Won’t

Use up valuable rack space
Block mounting or hardware work
Make wires cast harsh shadows
Add gimmicky “smart” features or effects

Light Testing

Testing showed a wide, diffused source works best. Light wraps around wires, softening the shadows that hide ports and cables.

01 · Flashlight

A small point source cast extremely harsh shadows.

02 · Diffused Bulb

Softer shadows, but wires were still hard to tell apart.

03 · Diffused LED Bar

Practically eliminated shadows.

Field Insights

Helping Alan with hardware swaps and role-playing an IT technician revealed two useful features:

A tray for screws and nuts while working
A way to organize unplugged wires mid-swap

Development

SKETCHING · CONCEPT RENDERS

Concept Development

After broad concept generation, I settled on a light bar that mounts using the same standard rack holes as server hardware. Of the variations I explored, I chose the Roto-Rail.

Concepts

Selected

01 · Roto-Rail Light

02 · Swivel Light

03 · Double Roto-Rail

04 · Ball Joint Light

05 · Curved Rail Light

Prototyping

FDM PRINTING · FIT TESTING · ITERATION

Mounting Tests

I printed a series of test parts to dial in the fit, landing on two installation options: a clip-in mount for open rail space, and a screw-in mount that fits over existing hardware, a feature Alan requested.

First complete prototype mounted on a rack

First Full Prototype

My first complete prototype revealed three problems: a rough slide, messy assembly, and a bar that rotated with the light, making positioning finicky.

For the final prototype, a linear bearing, alignment rods, and set screws solved each issue in turn.

Final

FDM PRINTING · EPOXY ASSEMBLY

Final Assembly

I 3D printed the final light in segments and joined them with epoxy into a single, continuous bar.

Introducing…

Debrief

The Summary

In five weeks, I took Racklight from hands-on work in Alan’s data center to a working rack light. Its wide, diffused LED bar mounts to standard rack holes, slides and rotates to reach deep into the rack, and installs by clip or screw, all without taking up a rack slot.

What I’d Do Next

Next, I’d explore manufacturing Racklight in metal for durability, refine the clips for manufacturability and easier installation, and develop an adjustable-length mounting pole so one design fits racks of any height.

Next project

O-TRACKR

Sports Timer · Second-Year Studio · Spring 2026

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