Ultra-Thin Mechanical Image Switching System – 25 Images

I am looking for an experienced mechanical engineer to develop an innovative, ultra-thin, fully mechanical image-switching system for a premium corporate product catalog.

Main requirements:

- Overall panel dimensions: 350 × 250 mm (landscape).
- Fixed viewing window: 110 × 90 mm, displaying one complete photograph at a time.
- Capacity: Up to 25 different photographs.
- Total thickness target: 4–6 mm, with an absolute maximum of 8 mm, including both front and back covers.
- Operation: A small, recessed, mouse-style scroll wheel. A short, light finger movement must advance exactly one image.
- Precise image alignment and reliable mechanical indexing.
- Continuous cycling through all 25 images, returning to the first image without manual resetting.
- Completely mechanical: no batteries, motors, or electronics.
- The entire 350 × 250 mm panel area may be used to accommodate the mechanism.
- Initial prototype may be manufactured using 3D printing.

Important: Mechanical feasibility comes before CAD design.

The main engineering challenge is storing and advancing 25 large images within an extremely thin enclosure.

Conventional film-and-spool systems, zigzag-folded films, and stacked-card mechanisms have already been discussed with other engineers, but no convincing solution has yet been demonstrated.

I am not looking for generic proposals or theoretical ideas without mechanical justification.

In your proposal, please briefly describe a technically plausible mechanism and explain how it could address image storage, movement, indexing, and the 8 mm thickness constraint.

A complete design is not expected at the proposal stage. Once a promising mechanical principle is established, we can discuss the engineering budget, CAD development, and physical prototyping.

I am ready to begin working with the right engineer.