Group Assignment
- use the test equipment in your lab to observe the operation of a microcontroller circuit board
Individual Assignment
- redraw the echo hello-world board
- add (at least) a button and LED (with current-limiting resistor)
- check the design rules, make it and test it
- extra credit: simulate its operation
- extra credit: render it
Eagle, Art Cam, Grbl Controller, Adobe Illustrator, Google Chrome, Sublime Text, Photoshop, Git, Arduino
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![](img/softwaregrbl.png)
 
![](img/softwareillustrator.png)
 
![](img/softwarechrome.png)
 
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Fab Academy Week 6 - Electronics Design
Hello world eagle file .BRD              
Download
Hello world eagle file .SCH              
Download
Hello world image file .BRD              
Download
Hello world gcode .NC                     
Download
DESIGN ITThe first thing I had to do was create a board file using Eagle. I began by downloading and installing a library that includes the components I would be STUFFING the board with.
This is a great piece of software that allows you to create pcb layouts and connect them and test whether the circuits will work. You can do commands like:
![](img/w4-07.jpg)
With a bit of patience I was able to recreate the board in the tutorial. I used auto-generate but it didn't resolve the paths so I had to manually position many routes.
Then I printied a .png (not export) and produced a .png that is to scale
MILL IT
I used our milling machine which doesn't have any sensors to cut out the paths. I made sure the bed was flat without any debris ontop. Next I manually positioned the head just above the copper board, loosened the bit and let it touch the surface of the board. Then I tightened the bit and set all the axis to zero. I clicked start and the mill cut out the paths into the copper board just as designed.
STUFF IT
Just like in Eagle, I went through the library of components and this time laid them out physically. It was a lot easier this time as I had done it before in Week 4.
In between components I would use a Voltmeter to test pathways and make sure there were only desired connections making contact.
![](img/w4-17.jpg)
I decided to put the pins through the board and have the pins on the bottom because it would be easier for them to stay attached to the board.
![](img/w8-6.png)
This time took me only a few hours of soldering to make the board.
![](img/w8-8.png)
With my new board I plugged it in to our new AVRISP mkII (this tool is very useful for troubleshooting and identifying bad solders) and the light stayed red. I checked my connections and cleaned up any soldering that looked conspicuous. I tested paths with the voltmeter and after a few minutes of cleaning edges I had the light green.
![](img/w8-7.png)
This week was well timed as I wanted to understand more about what components do on a PCB. When I started designing in Eagle, I was very impressed by the ability to troubleshoot electronic design. Eagle was fun to learn, I wanted the auto-generate to work but ended up having to draw the circuit paths myself (after some suggestions from the software). I had a little trouble soldering and will do research into advanced tips (both on the soldering gun and from professionals) on how to get better. I really enjoyed making the hello world and am looking forward to the bigger board designs.