Jason (Tse-Kang) Wang
How to make (almost) anything!

Week 06

Electronics Design


For this week, we are assigned to redraw the "hello world board", add LED and button, and make it!

The process is pretty straight forward. In my case, draw the board out with Eagle, modified the png file Eagle export out with Inkscape, and mill it out on CNC.

For the last step, mill it out on CNC, I decide to try a new software called GRBL Controller. GRBL Controller work as a host software for CNC that have a GRBL G-Code interpreter. With a little more functions than Universal G-Code sender, GRBL Controller looks promising for CNC work that require a g-code file (ie, job that need to use a more powerful CAM).

My version of Hello-World-Board.png


Drawing PCB with Eagle


Drawing with Eagle is not as complicate as I imagine. Being able to have the schematic layes out, really helps me understant the design. (I was more the kind of people that like to connect every line in my PCB drawing first, until I try drawing a schematic myself.)
Routing the board is a bit tricky a first, so I use Autorouter to try many different configuration of the components, and than modifiy the one that I prefer the most (as for no cross line).


Milling out my PCB


Like last time, I use Inkscape (it's becoming my favorite vector drawing software!) to process the png to add words and clear background. Unlike last time, I use Easel just to generate the g-code, and use a new host software called "GRBL Controller" to control the CNC. It's a better layed out host compare to Universal G-code sender in my opinion. As a bonus, since as the name applyes, GRBL Controller is build specific for GRBL based CNC, it came with abilites to change grbl settings without user messing with command lines. The PCB on the left shows a failed attempt. Due to the incorrect milling bit size entered into the CAM software, many of the traces are not seperated. The right PCB is a succes after correct the bit size.
Since I ordered all the component by myself and DigiKey is backordered on the pin header I need, I just use a plier to bend the end of a normal pin header 45 degrees and let it sit on the PCB with an angle. The finished Hello World Board. I still need to get a finer soldering point and practice solding with SMD. Notice the blue jump wire. It's there because in my Eagle drawing, one of the line in the schematic is not connected properly, and I forgot to check the error message...... Going back to Eagle to fix my mistake. Looking forward to learn how to program this PCB next week!!!!! Feel so much more satifying than useing a off the shelf board.