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  • Author Author: djfraz
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Homemade Arduino Programmer

djfraz

I've been looking into designing my own Arduino programming and development board after seeing Ben Heck's episode. Apologies if this is in the wrong area.

 

So I made a quick Schematic in Eagle using the arduino schematic from the website, I've included support for the ATTiny85. I know this isn't the first time someone has done something like this, or with home pcb manufacture, just wanted to share some of the problems I've had with this design.

 

So here is the final result, I don't have any form during as I wasn't expecting it to work out. I haven't tested this board as there are a number of shorts, and I don't have a reset from the FTDI header.

image

image

 

I Tried to keep the layout simple as my original plan was to build this on proto-board, but I only had multi core wire and trying to wire that up was a nightmare in itself. So I took the plunge and etched my own board.

I have read of three (at least most mentioned) way of etching a PCB using a laser printer 1) Photo Paper 2) Magazine Newspaper 3) Print n' Peel. So i tried all of them, one of the reasons why i think that the copper on my board appears slightly pitted, removing the toner with fine grit sandpaper. By far the worst method, Print n' Peel, with kept jamming in my printer. Photo Paper worked well, but not all of the traces transferred. Possibly my traces and fills are too close for home manufacture, I plan to have a DRC for eagle best suited for home manufacture. The method I finally used was the Magazine paper, this gave me the best results.

 

I used Ferric Chloride, the only enchant I can easily find in the UK without online ordering. This worked a lot quicker than I thought it would.

 

Thing I want to change for next time;

  • Better Design board, mainly clearances with the copper fill ground. This made it almost impossible with my equipment to solder without shorting to ground.
  • Maybe using Photoresist, I've heard a lot of good reviews of this method
  • Solder Mask - I think this is a must, I am no expert at soldering, and it will help to make my boards look more professional.
  • Drill Press - I too late found out that I don't own a dremel chuck small enough to fit my drill bits, so all of the hole on this board where done using a old school archimedean drill (not fun image)
  • Two sided board.

 

I would encourage anyone who has been tempted to design their own boards, just do it. It can be stressful but worth it.

 

Ultimately I want to have a process with I well works best and have a small movable workbench to make custom PCB's and solder station. As my flat is fairly small and i don't have room for a full workbench. If manage to do this I will keep the community informed image

I will develop these more when i find time. I've also got a plan for this basic idea including a Raspberry pi, but too early to announce that.

  • in reply to teprojects1

    If you need lots of Inputs and Outputs or have a large program your best with the mega, it also has multiple serial connections which is useful if you want it communicating with something like a Raspberry pi whilst also relaying debugging information back to the computer.

    Personally i have never found a use for the mega and have always used the uno, even for relatively large programs, if you begin to run out of I/O you can always use an expander or a shift register. Plus you can make use of software serial pins if you need that feature. If you need a good reference for learning i would recommend Simon Monks book https://www.amazon.co.uk/Programming-Arduino-Getting-Started-Sketches/dp/1259641635/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1484306090&sr… It is relatively cheap and provides good understanding of beginning with arduino.

  • Oh, It's really amazing engineering project. You are really good arduino programmer I like to do some arduino projects but I am confused with the concept of auduino that which one is better for my projects " Ultrasonic Sensor with Arduino "I mean by simple arduino or mega ?

  • Photoresist is definitely a good way to go. I used to use it in one of my jobs for short runs and prototypes, with ferric chloride etchant. You can just use the sun to expose it, though UV sources are much easier to arrange now than they were 30 years ago. Fine feature definition is good. You need to make sure your printer scale is correct first, for the transparencies. I used 1:1 tape, transfers and donuts back then. A glass sheet and plywood backing with some bulldog clips makes a usable exposure frame, though fancier setups exist. Go for it!

  • in reply to andycrofts

    Ive been wanting to try etching my own boards since I first started designing electronics when I was about 13. As much as the failures i had with this method, it hasn't put me off, I want to find a way to perfect this with my equipment. I did think about ordering a couple of the boards from a manufacturer. yet since it was an experiment to see what it is like to make my own, if i was needing a number of boards i would send out for them.

    I am thinking of buying a small cheap cnc machine, and making an arduino driver for it specific for machining pcbs. although at the moment this is on the back burner due to university. along with the fact that i don't have much room in my flat to allow for a separate electronics workspace/ bench, so i am having to look at ways to find room for everything. Mainly because I've had enough of having to clear my desk of study paperwork to put in my electronics equipment, and vice versa. I will probably put up something when i have accomplished this