Week 8: Electronics Production

Date: March 12 - 18, 2026 Status: 🚧 Work in Progress

What I Did This Week

🚧 Work in Progress

Tools I used: - 🚧 PCB milling machine (Roland Modela, Bantam, etc.) - 🚧 Soldering iron - 🚧 Multimeter

📋 Assignment

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 an embedded microcontroller system that you designed

Extra Credit

  • [ ] Make the same system using a different fabrication process

🔬 Group Assignment: PCB Design Rules

📎 Group Work Page

🚧 Work in Progress

In-house PCB production characterization:

Parameter Value
Min trace width 🚧 mm
Min clearance 🚧 mm
Min drill size 🚧 mm
Material FR1 / FR4
Machine 🚧

Board house submission: 🚧

🔧 Individual Assignment: Make and Test a PCB

I made the PCB I designed in Week 6.

Step 1: Export Files from KiCad

🚧 Work in Progress

I exported the following files from KiCad for milling:

File Purpose
🚧 .png / .svg Traces (F.Cu layer)
🚧 .png / .svg Outline (Edge.Cuts layer)
🚧 .png / .svg Drill holes

Step 2: Mill the PCB

🚧 Work in Progress

PCB Milling 🚧 Image to be added

Milling settings:

Setting Value
Machine 🚧
Trace tool 🚧 V-bit
Outline tool 🚧 mm end mill
Cut depth 🚧 mm

Step 3: Solder Components

🚧 Work in Progress

Soldering 🚧 Image to be added

Components soldered:

Reference Part Value
J1, J2 Pin header 1×7 XIAO socket
SW1 Tactile switch Button
R1 Resistor 1KΩ
D1 LED Red

Step 4: Test the Board

🚧 Work in Progress

Board Test 🚧 Image to be added

Test procedure: 1. Check continuity with multimeter 2. Connect XIAO SAMD21 3. Upload Week 4 test sketch 4. Press button → LED lights up

Result: 🚧

📦 Design Files

All files are in docs/files/week08/.

File Description
🚧 Milling file (traces)
🚧 Milling file (outline)
🚧 Arduino sketch

🔗 Connection to Final Project

How this week helps my Smart Reptile Habitat System:

  • PCB production skills → Make a custom sensor board for the habitat
  • Soldering practice → Connect sensors and actuators
  • Test skills → Verify the board works before full assembly

🔧 Problems and Solutions

Problem 1: 🚧 Title

What Happened: 🚧

How I Solved It: 🚧

What I Learned: 🚧

⏱️ Time Management

Activity Time Spent
Group PCB characterization 🚧
KiCad export 🚧
PCB milling 🚧
Soldering 🚧
Testing 🚧
Documentation 🚧
Total 🚧

✅ Evaluation Checklist

Group Assignment

  • [ ] In-house PCB design rules characterized
  • [ ] Board house submission done
  • [ ] Results on group work page

Individual Assignment

  • [ ] PCB milled successfully
  • [ ] Components soldered
  • [ ] Board tested and working
  • [ ] Process documented with photos

Documentation

  • [ ] Design files in repository
  • [ ] Images compressed (under 500KB)
  • [ ] Pushed to repository

💭 Reflection

What Went Well

🚧

What I'd Do Differently

🚧

Lessons Learned

🚧

For Next Week — Output Devices

  • Plan what output device to connect to the board
  • Review PWM, I2C, SPI interfaces

📚 References

Last updated: March 12, 2026