This week I worked on designing and CNC machining a display board for my Zweihander that I created!.

Group Assignment

This week we were on break and didn't have a group assignment

Process for Roland Machining

I started by taking my fancy board file from Week 7 and importing it to Mods CE as a PNG. To do this, I had to navigate the menu, which started by pressing right click to get the menu to appear. Then, I clicked on programs, and selected open program. Then, I scrolled down till I saw Roland, and clicked on "Mill 2d PCB"

Then I got this massive mess of stuff that made no sense to me. It was only after my instructor clarified what I was looking at that I could even begin to understand what I was doing.

I clicked on my import PNG button. After that, I went ahead and set my milling machine speeds, which are as follows. I also turned off the WebUSB output button and turned on the Save File output button so that my file saved to my computer so I can upload it to the machine later.

Then I rastered the PNG by pressing this calculate button.

Then I downloaded it to a USB, and uploaded it to the machine. Then I got to work on the physical part. I first applied double sided tape.

Then I placed the board on the table.

Then I had to change the bit and zero the board. In order to zero the board properly, you had to loosen the kollet a little bit, then push down on the board, then re-tighten the kollet so that its touching the board.

On the program, I added my Roland file using the "add file" button. Then I set my origin points.

Then I ran the program, and it started cutting!

After that, I got started on soldering! I hadn't done it in a while so I first practiced on some dead boards.

Then, once I felt sure about it, I started soldering on my actual board. I first did my micronctroller, followed by my resistors and LED, and then I did the pin headers.

However, the keen eye may notice an issue with my board. I had a pin header blocking the microcontroller! "Egads!", I cried. However my instructor and I resolved to bend the pin upwards with pliers so that the microcontroller wouldn't be blocked.