Monday:
Having discovered Benjamin Vedder’s open source ESC ( http://vedder.se/2015/01/vesc-open-source-esc/ ), I’ve decided to build a couple over the summer. I ordered parts a while back, and after exams I finally have enough time to build it. So I wandered into the TAFE side of school to borrow a reflow oven from the techs. I’ve done a number of fiddly things in my time, but this was by far the fiddliest. Tiny things everywhere. This was my first time with reflow, and first time with stencils for the paste. Again, fiddly, but once the stencil is centred, so much less fiddly than other methods. I will get metal stencils next time, I think, but the mylar was ok for this job.
All present and correct on side 1. Didn’t get around to side 2 on Monday, but I did arrange a lot of tiny resistors.
Tuesday:
Tinkerers Tuesday. Didn’t actually get much done for myself, but a few of us were inducted into the workshop in the EN building. That opens up a couple of new tools – mostly the brobo saw, bandsaw, and arbor press. Lots of bearings to be pressed for the scooter. Also finished up the plans for the tinkerer’s arcade game. I’m now far better versed in Inventor templates and dxf drawings.
Wednesday:
Finished up the ESC. Monday had been the fiddliest thing I’d ever done, but that record didn’t last long. QFP FTW! To be honest, I let Dave the tech place the ICs. They’re easy when there’s no paste down….
But there it is. Of course, I neglected to order the programming dongle. But we powered it up, and nothing caught fire and a little blue light came on. Win! Dongle should arrive soon, and then I can see what I’ve broken.
Thursday:
Cleaned up the basement in preparation for delivery of the machine shop in a couple of weeks. I have way too much crap. But in the afternoon, work on an EMG sensor. One of the Tinkerers Lachlan is building a robot arm, and I’m helping out with the electronics. Helpfully, Advancer , in addition to their “low cost” EMG sensors, provide schematics and instructables for those of us handicapped by a terrible exchange rate. So…
The routing is, of course, terrible. I did catch the dead short across the terminals of R10 before it went to the fab house, and in theory the rest of it works, and the parts are ordered…. And it’s handy practice. Speaking of the fab house, DirtyPCBs do black for no extra cost. Therefore…
Because the proper color for PCBs is black. We’ll see if it works. I have another revision ready to go, although DirtyPCBs do 10 boards for $20 AU, so I may be using those for a while. Hopefully, everything will arrive by mid January, and we’ll be sensing muscles by February.
On the calendar for this coming week: Designs for the scooter, a 3D printing and laser cutting day, more basement cleaning.