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Electronics Production

Assignment:

  • Make and test a microcontroller development board

  • Linked to the group assignment page.

  • Documented how you made (mill, stuff, solder) the board.

  • Documented that your board is functional.

  • Explained any problems and how you fixed them.

Learning outcomes

  • Described the process of tool-path generation, milling, stuffing, de-bugging and programming

  • Demonstrate correct workflows and identify areas for improvement if required

As usual, here is my schedule for the week!

Group Assignment:

At DGI Aesthics Centre we worked with the SRM 20 for cutting our PCB. In the group assignment, we understood that the machine doesn’t operate so well when it comes to very small lines, so from .001mm to .010mm. Also, the outline didn’t get cut completely or smoothly, this might have been because the copper plate was not pasted properly due to limited double sided tapes and experience.

Our Fablab uses the Monofab SRM-20 Milling Machine. Here is a labelled picture of the machine:

And for making PCB Boards we have to set this setting:

Conclusion:

We concluded that only the 0.020 range shows proper visibility of the trace width and spacing. This is due to the fact that the only range larger than 1/64” (0.015) is 0.02. We must therefore stick to this range while designing our circuit boards in the future.

Reflow

We also tried out reflow in the JNWSFL.

SO Reflow soldering in electronics involves melting pre-applied solder paste to connect components on a circuit board, creating reliable and durable connections during manufacturing.

Here is a picture of me trying it!

Click this link to view the group assignment

Individual Assignment

Quentorres

For this week, I started of by downloading the PNG files for the traces, interiors and drills from here

Components Required

  • SEEED STUDIO XIAO RP2040 - 1

  • CONN HEADER SMD 10POS 1.27MM - 1

  • CONN HEADER SMD R/A 6POS 2.54MM - 1

  • Tactile Switch SPST-NO Top Actuated Surface Mount - 1

  • LED BLUE CLEAR 1206 SMD - 3

  • RES 1K OHM 1% 1/4W 1206 - 4

  • RES 499 OHM 1% 1/4W 1206 - 1

  • CONN HDR 7POS 0.1 TIN SMD* - 2

Here is a pinout of Xiao

Here are the images that I downloaded:

Customizing

To customize, I used Inkscape to create a logo.

Then I used Mods to convert the PNG files to RML format.

FOLLOW THESE STEPS TO USE MODS:

In Mods right click -> Programs -> Open Program -> Roland (SRM-20 mill 2D PCB)-> Select png/svg

Firstly, do this:

Then follow the instuctions in this image:

PRINTING!!

FEW MOMENTS LATER…

Done with the printing part!

NOW, Let’s solder it!!!

DONE WITH SOLDERING!

Testing

The LED is integrated on GPIO Pin 26, but we will also test the other 2 leds.

Step 1: Open Arduino IDE

If you don’t have Arduino IDE downloaded in your laptop, then use the above link to download it.

Now go to files -> Preferences. Then add the required URLS for this week. For now, we need Arduino PICO.

You will also need to add these links:

https://github.com/earlephilhower/arduino-pico/releases/download/global/package_rp2040_index.json

https://raw.githubusercontent.com/espressif/arduino-esp32/gh-pages/package_esp32_index.json

Like this:

Step 2: Download the board

For quentorres, we will need download PICO in the boards manager. To do that, go to Tools->Board->Board manager. Like this :

Step 3: Set the board to seeed xiao RP2040

To set the board to seeed xiao RP 2040, go to Tools -> Board -> Raspberry Pi RP 2040 -> Seeed Xiao RP2040. Like this:

Step 4: Test

To check if you have soldered all the components properly, use the blink program. To open the blink program, go to File -> Examples -> Basics -> Blink. Like this:

Then, change the pins to 26, 1 and 0 alternatively. Like this:

Here is the code:

// the setup function runs once when you press reset or power the board
void setup() {
  // initialize digital pin LED_BUILTIN as an output.
  pinMode(1, OUTPUT);
}

// the loop function runs over and over again forever
void loop() {
  digitalWrite(1, HIGH);   // turn the LED on (HIGH is the voltage level)
  delay(1000);                       // wait for a second
  digitalWrite(1, LOW);    // turn the LED off by making the voltage LOW
  delay(1000);                       // wait for a second
}

Here is the video I took while testing the leds:

This video is for pin 1:

Extra

To set the xiao board to the programmer mode, we need to press the “B” button and then, without letting it go, press the “R” button.In that mode, it exposes its flash memory as a hard drive!!

Like this :

Then, upload the uf2 file to it.

You can then use it as a programmer. However, for this week, I did not use it as a programmer.

So to reset it back to normal, you have to do the same process of pressing the buttons.

Tips:

90% of electronics problems…are the result of bad soldering.

  • Use a small enough tip to make soldering small parts easier

  • Use less solder to electrically adhere the component to the board…don’t use too much!!.

  • Keep solder iron tip clean and shiny

  • Use brass wool or sponge to clean before and after soldering a connection.

  • Dirty solder tip doesn’t solder well!! SO, use flux liquid or flux paste (to make solder flow better)

  • Clean up flux after with isopropyl alcohol make sure your iron is at least 300c.

  • Do not hold the iron on the component or pcb copper for longer than about 3 seconds (longer and components and the board may get damaged)

  • Solder joints should look smooth and shiny when done

These tips were provided by Mr. Rico aka our fab guru!!.

THAT’S IT FOR THIS WEEK!

Files

Last update: April 13, 2024