8. Electronics Production

Goals

Group Assignment:

  • [] characterize the design rules for your in-house PCB production process
  • [] submit a PCB design to a board house

Individual Assignment:

  • [] make and test a microcontroller development board that you designed
  • [] extra credit: make it with another process

Tools Used

TLDR; Nice images

Group Project

Link to full documentation here

Summary

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Individual Project

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1. Testing Fusion 360

For my assignment this week planed to test using fusion 360 for cut my board from week 6.

1.1 CAM and settup

For my test i use the project tools to select a few traces just to try out posting the program.

Under my setup i defined my stock to be 160 x 100mm x 1.8mm

For posts i used the default fusion Roalnd RML post.

Under machine type select MDX-40 (note that although we are using the SRM-20 this still works)

1.2 Running tests

To suet up the machine is enter V-Panel and jog the x-y axis to aprox 5mm in from the edge of the copper and set my set origin point under User coordinates system and then X/Y

To set the z-axis i slowly jog the z axis down until it is close and i then release the grub screw and manually lower the bit down to the copper.

Note: make sure you minimize your stick out on the tool to reduce vibration, i like to have the tool jammed up pretty far in the collet before this step.

Now set set origin point -> User coordinates system -> Z

Files are loaded under Cut then your Add files before hitting Output

Shot of the file running

First cut was very hairy, but i noticed that the stock looked smooth, this is normally a sign that switching from climb to conventional will help

So i updated the toolpath from climb to conventional and the cut was much smoother

1.2 Tweeks

I was worried about my ability to solder with the pads being close to the other copper, so i wanted to experiment with using a 2D Pocket to remove all the unused copper.

The results of using a 2D Pocket to remove all the unused copper were quite impressive. The copper was removed cleanly and evenly, leaving a smooth surface for soldering.

1.3 Results

Testing continuity with the multimeter was successful.

And looking at the tool under the magnifying glass did not show any damage or chipping

2. Making my Quentorres from Week 6

2.1 Setup

For my first full cut, the first step was to create a new setup and set up my stock size.

I hide all the bodies except copper traces to create a pocket toolpath selecting each of the traces.

And then un-hide the body and select the outline of the board.

Then check each of the loops, and make sure the tool is cutting on the right side of the line using the red arrow.

In the Heights tab is set the bottom height to be 0.2mm offset from the Stock Top

Set the Multiple Depths to be each at 0.1mm

My stock to leave is 0.1mm radial and 0mm axial

Simulation of the pocket toolpath

I then set up a 2d Contour to finish the traces, in this case i was able to use the silhouette selection to select the outline of the board.

Again, in the Heights tab is set the bottom height to be 0.2mm offset from the Stock Top

And, Set the Multiple Depths to be each at 0.1mm

I then decided that the rectangular board was a bit boring.

So used an online generator to generate a squircle.

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3 Making things flat

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4 Trying Again - No Pocket

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5 If at first you fail, fail again

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6 The Mil-enth time the charm

I was going to keep at this tract of thinking but at a certain point out lab actually ran out of 0.4mm endmills so I had to rethink my approach.

The only option i could get working was a 60deg v bit we had and just to keep things as tried and true as possible i decided to switch up my board for a Fab-Xiao

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basic_blink.py

import machine
import time

led = machine.Pin(0,machine.Pin.OUT)

while True:
    led.toggle()
    time.sleep(0.5)

print("Hello, Pi Pico!")

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import machine
import utime

# Define pin numbers
ledPin1 = machine.Pin(0, machine.Pin.OUT)  # First light (RP2040: Pin 0, ESP32-C3: D6)
buttonPin = machine.Pin(1, machine.Pin.IN, machine.Pin.PULL_DOWN)  # Button (RP2040: Pin 1, ESP32-C3: D7)

while True:
    buttonState = buttonPin.value()  # Read button state

    if buttonState:  # If button is pressed
        ledPin1.value(1)
        utime.sleep_ms(500)
        ledPin1.value(0)
        utime.sleep_ms(500)
        ledPin1.value(1)
        utime.sleep_ms(500)
        ledPin1.value(0)
        utime.sleep_ms(500)
        ledPin1.value(1)
        utime.sleep(2)s
        ledPin1.value(0)
        utime.sleep(1)
    else:
        ledPin1.value(0)  # Keep LED off if button is not pressed

In Summary

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Things I would do differently next time

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See below link to to files created this week:

End

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