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5. Electronics production#

This week marks my first attempt at electronics production from scratch. In the past, I've built solar, arduino alarm clock. . . Building the FabTinyISP.

Major takeaways

This week's outline and assignment page

See the class videos below

Homework this week#

Group assignment:

  • Characterize the design rules for your PCB production process

Individual assignment:

  • Make an in-circuit programmer by milling the PCB, program it, then optionally try other PCB processes.
  • What worked: fts_mini_traces.png what I changed on mods: (2nd window)
  • select mill traces
  • tool diameter (in): 0.01574803149 (3rd window)
  • tool diameter (mm): 0.40
  • click calculate 4th window
  • set the x and y to start, click calculate again, open the serialserver.sh file, click open serial device in the 5th mod, click open serial server in the 5th mod, click calculate again, then click move to origin to confim the mill is in the correct location.
  • Adjust mill and ensure you have the correct size, lower mill down manually with the bit raised high so it can be as low as possible, then adjust mill and tighten just snug while holding mill down with both fingers to ensure good contact.
  • Learn how to use a multimeter...again. Why do I keep forgetting this? They're such a magical tool..

Tasks#

Collecting the parts - Confused 499k ohm with 499 ohm (fist one was 1000x the 2nd one) - docs said 49 ohm but only found 49.9 ohm.. same thing - Red LED had green line.. because it's polar.
- Only way to tell LED color is put a tester to it - clean the board first! turn on solder iron, clean the tip with a damp sponge or wire brush, and make sure you select the right solder wire - describe solder station

  • check out flatcam: open source tool that can produce gcode from gerber files or from a png

Fab Academy week 5 electronics production topics

Challenges I had this week#

  • Getting the jog height correct
  • Breaking mill bits
  • wouldn't drill deep enough
  • How to stop the machine
  • Getting the board pressed down flat
  • How to tell what size bit is in the machine
  • No measurement markings on some bits
  • How much to tightent bit
  • How much pressure to put on mill while tightening
  • Did I mention, how to stop the machine?
  • How to easily remove and install a new bit
  • How to tell if a bit is broken (fuzzy logic, really)

Advice#

  • Set the speed to 1
  • Hold down the mill bit with both fingers so it can rest firmly against the board while you're tightening the mill into place
  • Use a one-fluted mill bit because they are more durable

Videos#

Electronics production(1:19:30) February 13th, 2019 from Academany on Vimeo.

Global review of this week's work(1:32:09) February 22nd, 2019 from Academany on Vimeo.