Applications and Implications
Task: Propose a final project masterpiece that integrates the range of units covered.
Answer the following questions
What will I do?
I want to make a device for performing the digital logic tasks. It is small in size, capable to perform basic tasks of digital logic design. It includes an LCD which displays the tasks to be performed, and a rotary encoder which changes the tasks according to the user's will. Four input switches and two output LEDs. It looks smart in size and easy interface to learn the basic logics of digital design.
Who has done what beforehand?
There are Trainer kits and modules are not new things. Every technical and engineering educational institutes have such type of devices
where students perform their lab tasks. Actually there are so many companies which are providing trainer kits for Digital Logic Design,
but most of them are focusing on conventional method of learning the tasks. Here I am providing few well known companies which are providing
trainer kits to the various educational institutes of the world.
Tesca Technologies pvt ltd
K & H Manufacturing Company Limited
What will you design?
I will design a small size trainer kit for performing the lab tasks of basic logic gates. Its interface helps students to learn the things easily. It is capable to perform as much logic gates which comprises of maximum four inputs and maximum two outputs. I used atmega 32U4 board (arduino Leonardo) which is programmable by the user.
What materials and components will be used?
- LCD (16X2)
- Rotary Encoder
- 3D printed casing
- Acrylic sheet laser cutted for front panel
- Microcontroller based controlling circuit (Atmega32U4 Microcontroller)
- LEDs for Outputs, and for power and high input indicator
- Few SMD resistors of 1205 package
- Few SMD capacitors of 1205 package
- SPDT slider switches
Where will come from?
I took most of the components from the inventory of our FabLab. Including Acrylic sheet. I used milky acrylic sheet of 3mm width. Atmega32u4 Microcontroller, and Rotary encoder were not in our FabLab's inventory, so I took them from my university's lab incharge.
How much will they cast?
| Components | (Quantity of components)* (Price of components in USD) |
Total Price in USD |
|---|---|---|
| 16X2 LCD | 1*2 | $2 |
| Rotary encoder | 1*1.3 | $1.3 |
| PLA 3D printed material (100 g) | 1*2.3 | $2.3 |
| Acrylic sheet | 1*0.5 | $0.5 |
| Atmega32U4 microcontroller | 1*4.7 | $4.7 |
| LEDs | 10*0.1 | $1 |
| Resistors | ~20*0.1 | $2 |
| Capacitors | ~10*0.1 | $1 |
| SPDT slider switches | 4*0.8 | $ 3.2 |
| Total Cost | $ 18 |
What parts and systems will be made?
- 3D casing
- Acrylic sheet for front panel
- PCB board of Atmega32u4 microcontroller board for controlling the device
- PCB board for buttons, switches, and headers
What processes will be used?
- Electronics: Eagle PCB Designing and interfacing of Atmega32U4 board, and input+output board
- Electronics production:Fab modules, Milling, and Soldering
- 3D designing:3D Casing designing, and Acrylic sheet front panel designing using SolidWorks
- 3D printing:3D Case printing on Ultimaker 2+
- Laser cutting: Laser cut front panel for case on 3mm milky acrylic sheet
- Vinyl cutter machine:stickers for labeling the input and output tagging on front sheet of acrylic
- Programming:Writing firmware in Arduino IDE
What questions need to be answered?
- Which display is to use, LCD? size and type of the box/casing
- Which microcontroller is to use?
- How can I make it smaller and elegant?
- How could I launch this product in market?
- Is this device penetrates in market easily?
- How this device is different from existing ones?
How will it be evaluated?
- Video demo
- Its designing on CAD softwares (SolidWorks)
- Its Laser cutted design of SolidWorks.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.