Rachele Didero's site Welcome to Rocky 96's HTMAA world

Welcome to Rocky96's
HTMAA world

A free, fully responsive (?) font of inspiration (?) designed by Rachele Didero for How to Make (Almost) Anything Course @ MIT Media Lab
and released for free .

October 18, 2023

Week 5

Electronics Production

- PCB (Printed Circuit Board) fabrication and assembly -

JuliaPad

make and test the development board designed to interact and communicate with an embedded microcontroller

1. Export the GERBER FILE FROM PCB (file, fabrication outputs, gerber (.gbr)) 2. Go to GERBER2img 3. I now drag and drop the multiple Gerber files I generated from PCB. 4. Select "fill edge cut" option in SETTING (on Gerber2img) 5. Select Black and White option 6. We lock all the files of the different layers of our board with the padlock (this means that every time it aligns them perfectly, and takes the size of the file with the largest surface) (in ORIGIN and DIMENSION) 7. Put the MARGIN (3y and 3x) 8. 1000 DPI


9. With the saved PNG FILE that I got on GERBER2IMG, I go to MODSPROJECT and upload it where it says "select PNG file" on the right and upload my PNG. on MODSPROJECT, g-code Mill 2d


10. Select PNG file 11. These are the selections for our machine (inside design):


12. These are the selections for our machine (perimeters and holes):


13. The Red ones are rapid moves.


14. I take the file that is produced (NC) and put it via USB on the computer connected to the machine. 15. Align the machine arm with the arrows to optimize the space on the copper board. 16. I define the 0x-0y point on the computer 17. I select MACROS RAISE Z TO INSERT THE VARIOUS drills FOR CUTTING, we must use 2: - The first is 1.64" to engrave parts inside - The second is 1.32" to cut the outer perimeter and holes. NB always use the blue cylinder to take measurements. 21. Then REPLACE the brush


18. To set the height of the machine arm we use "Probe and series Z" in MACROS. NB: WE MUST always connect the cable, otherwise we will break the machine.


19. Then we remove the cable when we come back up with the other MACROS. 20. Then we can start our work. 21. When the machine operates, we must always activate the VACUUM.


22. Load the file, select the NC. 23. To start it, click PLAY.


24. When I finish I go back up with my arm and vacuum up all the dust that has been created. 25. Then we go back up with the arm with the macro on the left, remove the brush, change the awl with the largest size for the edge, put the brush back, then reconnect the PROBING cable (MACROS, PROBE, on the right), and Let's do the PROBING test again. Let's remove the cable. 26. In my case of the Lilypad, I have to make the holes before the perimeter. (with the same awl as the perimeter, which is the thicker of the two). 27. To make the perimeter and the holes, we must load two new NC files, one specifically for the holes and one specifically for the perimeter (the last file that will be read in the machine). 28. When I've finished cutting everything, I take out my board with pliers.


29. Brush the board a little to make it shinier 30. We must then SOLDERING as fast as possible (max one week). 31. Before soldering I apply IPA (Isopropyl alcohol) on the board and the I wash the IPA away with water.


32. SOLDERING

32. I Apply flux on my board, where I want to solder.


33. To solder I use: Solder Wire and the Solder Gun. To remove parts of my solder, I use Rosin


34. I solder starting from the inside, first the button and then the XIAO-RP2040.


35. When I'm done soldering everything I clean the board with IPA. 36. I then sew my JuliaPad with a connective wire throught the holes, to a wholegarment dress I previously designed and knitted. I pass the thread throught the tubular all around the dress to calculate pressure. I then attach my board to Arduino and I then see my board is working. I will calculate the pressure on the knit with it.