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Week 4 Electronics production
Group assignment
- characterize the design rules for your in-house PCB production process
- send a PCB out to a board house
Individual assignment
Make and test a microcontroller development board
Group assignment
![](Week 4 Electronics production/Final_Result_(1).jpg)
You can find the group assignment here
I’m entirely new to the concept of electronics so it was important to start from the basics
What is a PCB
A printed circuit board ( PCB ), also called printed wiring board ( PWB ), is a medium used to connect or "wire" components to one another in a circuit . It takes the form of a laminated sandwich structure of conductive and insulating layers: each of the conductive layers is designed with a pattern of traces, planes and other features (similar to wires on a flat surface) etched from one or more sheet layers of copper laminated onto and/or between sheet layers of a non-conductive substrate.
![](Week 4 Electronics production/Untitled.png)
Types of PCB
Single-sided PCBs:
They represent the simplest form, featuring a sole layer of substrate with a thin conductive metal layer, commonly copper, etched to create the circuit pattern. Electronic components find placement on the opposite side of the board. These cost-effective PCBs find utility in straightforward electronic devices like power supplies, calculators, and radios.
Double-sided PCBs:
They elevate complexity by incorporating conductive metal layers on both sides of the substrate. Through-hole technology or surface mount technology facilitates connections between the two sides. This design flexibility is advantageous for intricate applications such as amplifiers, automotive dashboards, and HVAC systems.
Multi-layer PCBs:
They introduce a higher level of sophistication, consisting of multiple stacked layers with insulating material in between. Plated through holes connect these layers, allowing for 4 to 12 or more layers in high-density designs. Multi-layer PCBs are integral to intricate electronic systems like computers, satellites, and medical equipment.
There are two distinct ways to cut materials when CNC milling: Conventional Milling (Up) and Climb Milling (Down). The difference between these two techniques is the relationship of the rotation of the cutter to the direction of feed.
Making and testing a microcontroller development board
1.Personalising the trace
The design was provided in the fab academy. We downloaded the same and personalised it by adding our initials. I did the same in Photoshop.
2.Milling
Milling is the process of machining using rotary cutters to remove material by advancing a cutter into a workpiece . This may be done by varying directions on one or several axes, cutter head speed, and pressure.
Roland Modela milling machine
The Roland Modela milling machine is a desktop-sized milling machine that is used for precision milling, drilling, and carving of a variety of materials such as plastic, wood, wax, and metal. It is manufactured by Roland DG Corporation, a Japanese manufacturer of digital fabrication tools and equipment
![](Week 4 Electronics production/Untitled%201.png)
Fabmod
![](Week 4 Electronics production/Kalyani_1.png)
- The document was uploaded in PNG format.
- The origin was adjusted
- .4 mm bit was used for tracing and .8mm was used for cutting and drilling
- After adjusting the bit and sending the file the process took almost 30 minutes.
Mistakes made
- It’s important to be very careful while changing the bit or you might drop it and break it which I did
- Make sure to tighten the bit properly or you might get a hole in your PCB
3.Collecting the components
Once milling was done we collected the components required from the material lab and made a list like this
![](Week 4 Electronics production/WhatsApp_Image_2024-02-19_at_11.18.37_AM.jpeg)
4.Soldering
Soldering is a process used for joining metal parts to form a mechanical or electrical bond . It typically uses a low melting point metal alloy (solder) which is melted and applied to the metal parts to be joined and this bonds to the metal parts and forms a connection when the solder solidifies.
Soldering tools
![](Week 4 Electronics production/WhatsApp_Image_2024-02-19_at_2.29.08_PM.jpeg)
Safety measures
-
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE):
- Wear safety glasses or goggles.
- Avoid loose clothing; opt for long sleeves and pants.
-
Work Area:
- Ensure good ventilation.
- Keep a fire extinguisher nearby.
-
Soldering Iron Safety:
- Set the iron to the right temperature.
- Use a holder; never touch the hot element.
-
Materials and Substances:
- Use flux in moderation.
- Wash hands after handling flux.
- Prefer lead-free solder.
-
Electrical Safety:
- Turn off and unplug the iron when not in use.
- Regularly check and replace damaged cords.
-
Workspace Organization:
- Keep the workspace clean and organized.
- Minimize distractions while soldering.
-
Training and Knowledge:
- Understand equipment and materials.
- Seek proper training if new to soldering.
How I soldered
![](Week 4 Electronics production/WhatsApp_Image_2024-02-19_at_3.03.05_PM.jpeg)
![](Week 4 Electronics production/Untitled%202.png)
5.Programming
Quentorres
Quentorres board can program the new AVR Series 1 and 2 for example Adrianino and the ARMs for example SAMDino . It also has a button and an LED to learn to program in C, Rust, Go, Micropython... It has breakout pins in case you want to connect other external elements.
- Installed Arduino from here
- Followed the steps provided here
Open File > Preferences
![](Week 4 Electronics production/Screenshot_(28).png)
Open Tools > Board > Board Manager . Type "pico" on the search bar and download Raspberry Pi Pico RP2040 .
![](Week 4 Electronics production/Untitled%203.png)
Once it is installed. Select Tools and follow the steps as given to select the board.
![](Week 4 Electronics production/Screenshot_(30).png)
Then I modified the code to light the LEDs and uploaded to get the reults
![](Week 4 Electronics production/Untitled%204.png)
Final result
Extras
Reflow
As an extra assignment we did reflow soldering.
Reflow soldering
is a process in which a
solder paste
(a sticky mixture of powdered
solder
and
flux
) is used to temporarily attach one or thousands of tiny electrical components to their
contact pads
, after which the entire assembly is subjected to controlled heat. The solder paste reflows in a molten state, creating permanent solder joints. Heating may be accomplished by passing the assembly through a
reflow oven
, under an
infrared lamp
, or (mainly for prototyping) by soldering individual joints with a hot air pencil.
We made a stencil arrangement to perfectly fit the breakout board "ProshPlay" designed by Saheen Palayi in our lab.
![](Week 4 Electronics production/WhatsApp_Image_2024-02-21_at_3.41.10_PM.jpeg)
![](Week 4 Electronics production/WhatsApp_Image_2024-02-21_at_3.18.15_PM.jpeg)
Preheat Phase: The PCB assembly is gradually heated to dry the paste and activate the flux, a chemical agent in the solder paste that cleans metal surfaces to improve the solder's ability to bond.
Done using an oven designed by a startup named "ZoidLabs
![](Week 4 Electronics production/Untitled%205.png)
The following are the steps we followed to setup the oven
![](Week 4 Electronics production/Untitled%206.png)
![](Week 4 Electronics production/Untitled%207.png)
![](Week 4 Electronics production/Untitled%208.png)
![](Week 4 Electronics production/Untitled%209.png)
![](Week 4 Electronics production/Untitled%2010.png)
![](Week 4 Electronics production/Untitled%2011.png)
Files