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8. Electronic Design

Computer controlled machining

For this week assigmnement we had to :

  • My group assignment was use the test equipment in your lab to observe the operation of a microcontroller circuit board and to send a PCB out to a board house
  • My individual assignment: use an EDA tool to design a development board to interact and communicate with an embedded microcontroller, produce it, and test it

Development Board Design

Kicad

I decided to play around with KiCAD and Fusion 360.

I began by downloading KiCAD, and following the tutorial on their website to design a simple development board for an LED connected to a power source.

decided to play around with KiCAD and Fusion 360.

I began by downloading KiCAD, and following the tutorial on their website to design a simple development board for an LED connected to a power source.

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I began with the schematic layout of the PCB.

Schematics

Schematics

Schematics

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I still need to layout exactly which components I need for my final project (encoders, displays, motors, etc.), but once I do, I feel confident that I could design the PCB I need for them.

Connecting the Xiao board to BME280

From the datashee(and online video’s) i explored I2C communication, given it’s a common method for such sensors and microcontrollers. My conclusion was to connect.
U2 (BME280):GND to
U1 (ESP32C3):GND.

This establishes the ground reference for both devices. BME280 has two GND pins.

• Connect U2:SDI to U1:GPI06_SDA_D4. This connects the data line of the BME280 to the ESP32C3.
• Connect U2:SCK to U1:GP107_SCL_D5. This connection is for the clock signal from the ESP32C3 to the BME280.
• Connect U2:VDD and U2:VDDIO to U1:3V3.

Both the power supply to the BME280’s logic be connected to the 3.3V output from the ESP32C3. I started with tinkering with a coin battery but realsied the voltage drop will not be able to supply 3.3 volt to the board.

Battery Connector

Fusion360

I also tinkered with an example from Fusion360 Electronic Design . The interface is more user friendly and makes it easier to incorporate CAD design inside the software
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Group Assignment

I used the Oscilloscope and Signal Generator in the lab to produce different waveforms. I continued the learning on tinkercad using a virtual Oscilloscope , Signal generator and Powersupply with a BBC Microbit and Ardiuno board.

Tinkercad

Jacdac Connector

My project main USP is incorporating jacadac connectors in the datalogger

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