ELECTRONICS DESIGN

This week will be dedicated to learning how to build our own circuit, which will enable us to acquire fundamental skills and knowledge in electronic design. Understanding this topic will pave the way for future advancements in electronics, as we delve deeper into the basic concepts for electronic operations, which include:
V: Voltage; It helps us understand the driving force of electron flow.
I: Current; Represents the rate of flow of charge.
R: Resistance; Indicates how much a material opposes the flow of electrons.
P: Power; It is the rate at which energy is absorbed or produced.
For a more comprehensive understanding of these concepts, you can refer to the group assignment online.

BASIC CONCEPTS FOR ELECTONICS

Concept Unit Definition Formula
Voltage Volts Volts Voltage is the electric potential difference between two points. V = I * R
Current Amperes Current is the flow of electric charge per unit time. I = V / R
Resistance Ohms Resistance is the measure of opposition to electric current. R = V / I
Power Watts Power is the rate at which work is done or energy is transferred. P = I * V

To be able to manufacture my electronic design well, it is essential that I understand the basic components that I will use in the design process.

Component Unit Schematic Footprint Image
Resistance Ohmios
Button N/A
Microcontroller N/A
Capacitor Farad
LED N/A

For this task, we relied on KiCad, an open source electronic design tool. With it, you can create from the simplest diagrams to complex designs with considerable ease. KiCad offers a range of options to customize designs, and its built-in simulator allows you to check everything before you build it. In addition, its 3D viewer gives a preview of what your project will look like once finished. With KiCad, transforming ideas into reality becomes accessible to most people.

  1. To start making our schematic sample it is necessary to add the symbols library. With the preferences tool at the top and then I click on the (+) button to be able to add my folder where I have my file with symbols.
  2. It is also necessary to add fingerprints to the software since with these we will be guiding ourselves
  3. By having that step ready. I will click on file>New project and the already uploaded folders will begin to load. With the key (A) you can open the library of saved symbols and their fingerprint will be displayed on the lower right side.
  4. When placing the components that I want my circuit to have, I will connect them with the X key
  5. To start designing how I want my components to be arranged, I go to the PCB button so that it takes me to another window and I click on the update board from schematic button so that my components are shown. and click on update the board.
    I also want to add a file that I made in Corel of the design of my board from file>import>graphics. A new window will open, in which an option appears that says file and in it I have to add my design in my case it was a .DXF format
  6. Now I just have to link and arrange the components to have my electronic design. This part was the longest since sometimes it was difficult for me to join the components with the cables
  7. Now I have to convert this file to .SVG so that a special mod file can be generated for the machine that will cut my PCB. The only options I will choose will be F.Cu, B.Cu and User.Drawings>To finish this process I will click on export and it will appear in my files.

    8. MOD´S

  8. Right click to open the page menu and click on the programs option>A new options box will open in which I will look for Machines, G-code and the option that tells me mill 2D PCB
  9. By pressing that option it will take me to a menu where I can load my .SVG files generated previously in the KiCad program and when it loads I will click on the second image in the button that says invert and insert traces so that I can generate the .nc file that my machine will use in cn and at the end in calculate. do the same with the User.drawings file

    10. Cutting my PCB

  10. I will open the program to control the mini mill and I will load my .nc files so that the design that I previously generated in the MOD'S program can be cut. I will do this first for the first file with the engraving piece, which is the F.cu file and when that file is finished cutting I will load the User.drawings file and change the piece so that it can cut the plate and not I just recorded it
  11. This was the result of cutting my pcb

Solding

I didn't like how my solder turned out as much so I tried it again and this was the result, honestly I liked how it cut the first time better but I definitely liked how the solder turned out better on the last try

Files

  • FILE TRACES.SVG
  • FILECUT.SVG
  • MOD´Straces.NC
  • MOD´Scut.NC
  • Tutorial on how to solder
  • KiCad Tutorial