WEEK 4 - ELECTRONICS PRODUCTION

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In the Apollo Moon missions, the Saturn V rocket was guided by an advanced onboard computer system built by IBM. This system was built from hybrid modules, similar to integrated circuits but containing individual components
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A circuit board from the Saturn V LVDA. MORE DETAILS HERE

aSSIgnment

group assignment:

  • CHARACTERISE 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

You can find our group page here and this week group ASSIGNMENT here.we tested our milling machine with a 1/64 in and 1/100 in flat end mill with good results.

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GLIMPSE OF OUR GROUP WORK

about pcb milling

HERE WE USE ROLAND ROLAND MODELLA MDX-20 WHICH IS A 3D Milling Machine FOR MULTI PURPOSES.

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PARTS AND INTERFACE OF ROLAND MODELLA MDX-20 (FROM USER MANUAL)

Before initiating the milling process, it's essential to FAMILIARISE ourselves with bed leveling and cutting bits. The machine primarily employs two types of drill bits: a 0.4 mm (1/64") trace cutting bit and a 0.8 mm (1/32") PCB cutting bit.

basically there are 2 types cutting types climb and CONVENTIONAL. we use climb bits in our fab lab

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from wayken website

there are different types of fiber epoxy like fr1, fr2, fr3 ,fr4 etc which are composed of:-

FR1 – Basic phenolic resin with paper substrate
FR2 – Cotton paper phenolic
FR3 – Synthetic fiber epoxy
FR4 – Woven glass epoxy
FR5 – High Tg woven glass epoxy

you can find more details here.

MAKING THE Quentorres

QUENTORRES IS A combination of a programmer to rule them all and a hello board to learn to program, created by Quentin Bolsée and redesigned by Adrián Torres.

i downloaded the design of traces which is in png format .
quentorres_interior.jpg, quentorres_drills.jpg, and quentorres_traces.jpg

added some customisation to the traces using gimp

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NHL quentorres_traces.jpg

preparing

we stick the pcb board on bed using double sided tape. TRANSFER the tape on boar and paste it on the work plate of the machine

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now we have to allign the carriage towards THE orgin and install bit

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loose the screw on one side using allen key. and drop the carriage.when i arrive at optimal depth, set the bit touch the board

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now we have to use FABMODS.pcb cut program to set the desired origin. and start uploading your design file PREFERABLY png for pcb milling.

put pcb defaults into 1/64 mill trace mode and pressed calculate .i reviewed the path of traces and finds everything good
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milling toolpath

MILLING SPECIFICATIONS

SPEED :-4 MM/S

it started milling the traces .it came good initially but the traces where not milling properly on right upper edges.

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saheen helpED me to sort this situation without redoing it from start by reverse milling and DROPPING the bit more.

yes it worked out and traces came good

then i went forward with drilling tool path.

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drill file

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drill toolpATH

AFTER COMPLETING DRILLING I WEN TWITH INTERIOR CUT

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INTERIOR DRAWING

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INTERIOR TOOLPATH

(🚫 do not forget to change the bit to 1/32 for drilling and cutting operations)

setting for each step

  • milling ->mill traces (1/64)
  • drill ->mill outline (1/32)
  • interior->mill outline (1/32)

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while operating this ROLAND MODELLA MDX-20 if something bad happens we need to press "view" button home the carriage and after we need to press both up and down button to clear the job queue
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how to clear queue

soldering

then i sourced the COMPONENTS from our inventory and headed to soldering station

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i had experience of SOLDERING through hole COMPONENTS before but smd COMPONENTS are first time.

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SOLDERING WORKBENCH

i first soldered the xiao rp 2040 ON TO THE PCB.WHAT WE NEED TO TAKE CARE ATMOST IS BOTH SURFACES ARE ADEQUATELY HEATED BEFORE APPLYING SOLDERING WIRE.

*learn soldering basics*

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i used both SOLDERING IRON AND heat gun to solder remaining components. tinning the pins properly is something we have to take care in this stage.

.

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board is ready

soldering settings

temperature:- 350°C

installing ide & blinking the leds

arduino ide is already installed in computer. i setup the board and rp 2040 library by following
QUENTORRES documentation.assigned proper port for our baord.

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now its time see our board alive!!!
for that we have to understand each gpio of rp 2040.
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i prompted this code in chat gpt to get the code

Write code to blink LEDs connected to GPIO pins 26, 0, and 1 in Arduino.

// Define the pins for the LEDs

const int ledPins[] = {26, 0, 1}; // GPIO pins 26, 0, and 1

  

// the setup function runs once when you press reset or power the board

void setup() {

// initialize digital pins as outputs

for (int i = 0; i < sizeof(ledPins) / sizeof(ledPins[0]); i++) {

pinMode(ledPins[i], OUTPUT);

}

}

  

// the loop function runs over and over again forever

void loop() {

// Turn on each LED one after another

for (int i = 0; i < sizeof(ledPins) / sizeof(ledPins[0]); i++) {

digitalWrite(ledPins[i], HIGH); // turn the LED on

delay(100); // wait for a second

digitalWrite(ledPins[i], LOW); // turn the LED off

delay(100); // wait for a second

}

}

code to blink all 3 leds -from chat gpt 3.5

upload the code pressing compile and upload button in arduino ide

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the result

ALTERNATIVE PROCESS

I AM PLANNING TO MAKE HELLO D11 by engraving in laser.all the files are present int he repo of the baord.

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minimise wastage

UNFORTUNATELY OUR LABS LASERS CUTTING IS NOT WORKING PROPERLY. I NEED TO DO the edge cut in milling machine.

(tell about trotec speed 400 here...)

i made the files ready by inverting the traces adn putting the edge cut around it in other color. i put red.so that i can allign the baord when using laser.

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i headed to the laser machine for engraving. i took a CARDBOARD adn cut the red part in it adn placed the pcb on it.

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then i started engraving

settings

power:- 100
speed:-30
passes:-5

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settings for the cut

you can assign different setting for each COLOUR.

i did 3 try for engraving

1st try

due to focus issue some right edge part didit came well

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we sorted the issue by LEVELLING the CARDBOARD reference base adn ADJUSTING the focus again

2nd try

in this try some traces we gone and and some traces came like pixelated.?!!
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3rd try

this time i changed the setting a bit and put a another fresh pcb peice.

settings

power:- 90
speed:-30
passes:-8

after 3rd try the traces did not isolated wll which made the board useless. jogin ADVISED giving some more passes in vertical direction may solve the issue...

reflection

The electronics production assignment was truly empowering. I explored milling techniques and attempted PCB engraving, which didn't succeed. Despite the failure, I am happy to have learned through the process. This experience taught me valuable lessons, even when things didn't go as planned.