September 2022
Hardware
Coral Dev Board Micro
谷歌 's Coral Dev Board Micro is a microcontroller board with a built-in camera, microphone, and Coral Edge TPU.
0A to 65A Integrated Current Sensors
Crocus Technology 0A to 65A Integrated Current Sensors have a 1MHz Bandwidth and better than 1% accuracy.
3D-MID Component Carriers
HARTING AG - MID 3D-MID Component Carriers enable alternative component positioning and mounting utilizing fully automated assembly and soldering. These 3D molded interconnect devices can replace circuit boards utilizing a 3-dimensional circuit on molded plastic. This 3D shape can allow for more compact integration of electrical components into the available space. HARTING 3D-MID Component Carriers utilize a high-temperature thermoplastic, enabling compatibility with reflow soldering.
Alcoswitch MRSS Miniature Rotary Switches
TE 中国 Alcoswitch MRSS Miniature Rotary Switches are surface mount and thu hole rotary switches with horizontal and vertical mounting configurations. These switches are offered in hexadecimal and binary code configurations.
HFM? High-Speed FAKRA-Mini Connectors
Rosenberger Group HFM? High-Speed FAKRA-Mini Connectors are designed for the automotive industry and offer space savings of up to 80% compared to conventional FAKRA connectors. This intelligent modular system is designed for frequencies up to 20GHz and ensures fast transmission of high data rates up to 28Gbps.
Protocol examples:
Ultra-wide input range AC/DC unit
The RECOM Power RAC05-K/480 series of 5-watt AC/DC units are specially designed for harsh industrial and outdoor mains conditions. These PCB-mount power supplies are rated to OVC III conditions from 100-480VAC nominal input lines with phase-to-phase or single-phase operation without any external components.
Hardware Design Templates
?? Early September was an important period for the Beny-devices project. The release event!
Since September 2022, all hardware developers, self-made engineers, and DIY hobbyists can use the advantages of verified Hardware Design Templates.
Why templates?
...because I need them.
I am a freelancing hardware designer who likes to make things simple and easy to use.
Anytime I design a product, I struggle with the enclosure selection. The 3D-printed enclosures are fully customisable, but they do not look good. Any generic enclosure needs finalisation in making openings, mounting holes, spacers etc.
Right the first time
I realised that we hardware engineers need the design templates for the mechanical part of the design. To have a verified template to use.
When I am working on a new template, it takes me a few hours of measuring and testing. Sometimes the process took two revisions to get a working template.
Example of the verified enclosure with the Hardware design template
I have created the templates to have a few crucial features:
For the price of one or two coffees, you will get a template that will save you time measuring, testing and wasting material for the wrong prototype run.
领英推荐
The big projects I have worked on recently improved my skills and forged them.
Here are the three things I want to share with you.
1?? Extract maximium from each signal layer
? Take every single signal layer as you ultimate playground.
? Do not switch layers too soon. Make sure each possible routes are routed.
? Be patient. Could not see any free route to be routed on the current layer? Start over the analysis.
2?? Comb routes like your hair
? Rather than route signal by signal approach the routing as a combing your hair. Each signal step by step little by little forward, group by group.
? This approach is best for space limited routing in the walley between components for instance.
3?? Focus on small area, keep in mind the bigger picture
? The big and complex board can overwhelm you and you can feel lost in the myriad of unconnected lines.
? Focus on small area and work as the best as you can.
KiCAD
?????? Symbol check in KiCAD
Did you know you can perform a check for the newly created symbol in KiCAD?
I have started using this feature recently but it works well and can be helpful. Especially for large symbols where numbering can be a trap.
1?? I tried to simulate an issue in the symbol.
2?? The symbol check failed.
3?? After the correction, the check passed.
?????? Export of all Project symbols and footprints in KiCAD
This is quite a Pro kit for KiCAD users who need to export all Project symbols and footprints.
Let us start with Footprints which are really easy to export:
1?? Open the PCB Layout of the project
2?? Choose File - Export - Footprints to New Library...
3?? I prefer to export into a new Project library
4?? Do not link the project footprints to the new library unless you know what are you doing by the linking.
The rather complicated is the Schematic symbols export:
1?? Open the .kicad_sch file in a text editor
2?? Find the line with leading (lib_symbols
3?? Change this entire line into, for example: (kicad_symbol_lib (version 20211014) (generator kicad_symbol_editor)
4?? Delete all lines above the new (kicad_symbol_lib (version 20211014) (generator kicad_symbol_editor) line
5?? Find the closing bracket at the same line indent column - it is the line where (junction or (wire section starts
6?? Delete all lines below, including the first (junction or (wire occurrence
7?? Save the file as .kicad_sym and you can use it as a Project specific library file
Do you like my work or this newsletter? You can buy me a virtual coffee or just send me a direct message here on LinkedIn.
For any questions regarding the HARTING 3D-MID component, feel free to contact Tim Sandberg. He would be happy to take time for you and provide you with more information or even samples.