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  • Author Author: dougw
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Wish List Preferences

I am curious if other makers have similar views to me...

What instrument is highest on your wish list?

What prize would you find most motivating in a design challenge?

Which instrument would you most like to road test?

If you comment, perhaps you could list your top 3 wish list instruments.

  • in reply to rachaelp

    In order of fascination in your list I see CNC, 3D printer, Spectrum analyzer, microscope..

     

    IN order of usefulness I guess you need Spectrum analyzer, microscope, 3D printer, CNC, funciton generator

     

    Enrico

  • I voted other because there is actually a number of things I would put on my wish list so didn't want to choose just the one option.... In no particular order, Trinocular microscope, 3D printer, CNC machine, spectrum analyzer, arbitrary function generator, it's a very long list! image

     

    Best Regards,

     

    Rachael

  • The car picture did it for me ...

    I happy to test out a Dodge Challenger ... it must be the 392 SRT though. image

     

    While I'm happy to test out many other instruments, I'd struggle to think of something that I really need, and could therefore make a decent RoadTest review on.

     

    I used to be into RF many years ago, but that went with a career change.

    My power supply requirements are limited to somethign that provides voltage and current, and thanks to power supply series, has resolved the current limit problem.

     

    The magnifying devices are of interest, and it was interesting that the guys in the workshop recently changed theirs.

    They had old (really old) large heavy units that had weren't very adjustable, so they brought newer ones and then swapped the lens, as the new one had very limited depth of field.

     

    Mark

  • in reply to ntewinkel

    That particular PCB printer can print the the solder paste as well as the traces and it can reflow as well - taking all the work out of soldering SMD parts. It also cures the traces, so they don't rub off, and can be hand soldered if that is what you prefer. It can do double sided cards with conductive vias, although the drill attachment is not quite available yet. However, if you manually drill, it will make the vias conductive.

  • in reply to balearicdynamics

    PCB from outsource has always the problem of time. And cost increase if you should correct them.

    I agree, maybe in the US it's easy and quick (and cheap shipping), but in Canada it gets fairly costly partly because of the shipping involved.

     

    The least expensive I've found is from China at about $10 a batch, with $30 shipping. So that gets close to $60 Canadian. The shipping only takes a few days in that case though.

     

    I see the printer being a great hobbyist option for sure - all those little one-off circuits that really aren't worth the $60 for a PCB, but would sure be nice as a PCB.

     

    For professional purposes it's probably worth it to go with professional PCBs though.

  • For me it's a toss-up between 3D printer and PCB printer (and CNC is huge on my list too!)

    That PCB printer won by a tiny margin because it would be excellent for all those little one-off circuits that are not worth the $$ for professional PCB manufacturing, and the PCB would be a great improvement over my usual dead-bug or cheap proto-board+lots-of-wires-everywhere methods.

  • in reply to dougw

    Certainly, something like the Wazer would do the trick image

  • I already have most of the tools listed in the poll, except for a 3D printer and a PCB printer.

    All of the tools listed are very helpful when designing and making anything involving embedded electronics.

    Actually, the list kind of looks like the beginnings of a dream bench...now wouldn't that make for a really cool E14 contest!

     

    I'm also looking for a good thermal imaging camera, and I'd like an environmental chamber and a vibration/mechanical shock test bed.

  • in reply to fvan

    Another great idea.

    Would you take a water jet machine instead?