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Member's Forum PCB-RULER Project --- a ruler to rule them all
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  • pcb-ruler
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Related

PCB-RULER Project --- a ruler to rule them all

mayermakes
mayermakes over 7 years ago

EDIT: added more photos of other rulers!

So as dissused in the latest call, we want to do b project that revolves around designing and manufacturing a handy PCB-Ruler. like the one I showed on stream.

 

Here are some pictures and some ideas for it:

this specimen has a header for RPI with pinout on it, every usable GPIO leads to a pad where you can solder smd resistors and leds onto it to have indication of pin state

image

Also some general cheatsheets for raspbian and desing references are marked, the holes act as drill guides if you want to mount your rpi inside something

image

I'd find it handy  to add a function like this header extender, but solid and tidier to attach a breadboard directly to the pi, or beaglebone or arduino..

image

A debug board of some sorts would be handy, imagine pluging an arduino (like on the pic) into it and having a breadboard interface and leds to indicate pinstates on it

image

this one shows footprints for pcb designs

image

references for mechanical and pcb design as well a schematic cheatsheet

image

image

image

Because we talked about doing this as a community project I'd have the following suggestion:

 

Everybody and his grandma has done a ruler to rule them all (AvE has the best one/ and most offensive one without a doubt) we need enough space to do something cool on it (thus creating an interesting video(series?)).and doing multiple sections would make it very long and inconvenient(+expensive)
So I'd opt for a PCB-triangle-ruler,  that means more space for everybody. for example 3 VCPs everybody gets one corner, the middle is e14 presents branded. metric and freedom units + funny made up ones. (for example a dot as reference of a plank-lenght)

If we have more than 3 willing VCPs we could let the community vote on which corners should be present on the final production unit. a BOM (one click cart) should be provided so users can populate it themselves if they get one as a giveaway.
I'd prefer to focus on the abuility to plug in an sbc or MCU + provdide code that uses the functionality of the design.

 

I'll also add a poll on which software you people use for pcbs, because it would be much easier to combine everything when we usd the same software suite.

please add your ideas to the comments.

Some guidelines I made up:

Function should be there even if no parts are soldered onto it.
MCUS etc should be for plug in

everything should be hand solderable (except if you want to do an smd challenge corner)

keep parts on one side only to ensure the ruler still lays flat when populated.

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  • airbornesurfer
    airbornesurfer over 7 years ago in reply to 14rhb

    I love the idea of putting an eink module on here as a programmable cheat sheet. Could even have a section of the community to download different ones

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  • 14rhb
    14rhb over 7 years ago

    This is so cool, I've seem a basic ruler design before but from what I gather you want to make an even better one.

    • The ability to mount an optional e-ink module would be great for those who want to max out their ruler as you could use it to display customised formulae, values, diagram or even some passords?
    • A simple DVM (for low voltage applications) ?
    • A simple logic analyser?
    • Bluetooth Connectivity?
    • USB port - either to read data off via a terminal app, to connect USB devices (mice/keyboard), add extra storage ?

     

    Rod

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  • davedarko
    davedarko over 7 years ago in reply to cstanton

    yes

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  • dougw
    dougw over 7 years ago in reply to cstanton

    Sure, that is perfectly fine with me.

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  • mayermakes
    mayermakes over 7 years ago in reply to cstanton

    sure , move all the things!

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  • cstanton
    cstanton over 7 years ago

    Hey dougw , mayermakes , davedarko

     

    You okay with me moving this thread of conversation to the Members group to get more ideas on this? I think it'd work well over there with more suggestions from the rest of the Community image

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  • dougw
    dougw over 7 years ago

    Designing by committee is fraught with problems - usually ending up with something that nobody really likes.

    Perhaps it could start out as a contest where anyone interested submits a design image and the regular membership votes on which design they like the best. This way the members start out with a stake in the game and the project gets maximum exposure.

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  • mayermakes
    mayermakes over 7 years ago in reply to davedarko

    yes we have to go big smd, but soldering on a mcu directly misses the point in my opinion, better have it ready to plug in devboards (arduino/RPI etc...)

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  • davedarko
    davedarko over 7 years ago

    I like the triangular approach - put two together and you get a rectangle again!

    We could put an MCU like a SAMD21 / Atmega328 on it, some LEDs and pads to solder something onto it.

    Then write "Arduino / Python rules" on it, for the representative bad pun that stands for regrettable acting image

    I would argue that SMD is hand solderable and helps keeping the backside flat.

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  • cstanton
    cstanton over 7 years ago

    Perhaps it could include the smd solder challenge https://www.tindie.com/products/MakersBox/smd-challenge/

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