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Forum Index : Microcontroller and PC projects : MX170 PCB Layout single sided
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bigmik Guru  Joined: 20/06/2011 Location: AustraliaPosts: 2870 |
Hi Cliff, A good effort there and very quick.. Just a suggestion, the screw jacks `usually/always" have Vee grooves so they can snap together BEFORE you solder them in.. This creates a neat row of strips and also makes the solder joints stronger as the entire strip assembly tends to share the load when they are screwed in or out.. Regards, Mick PS. If you want a cap I can send you a SMD version. Mick Mick's uMite Stuff can be found >>> HERE (Kindly hosted by Dontronics) <<< |
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centrex Guru Joined: 13/11/2011 Location: AustraliaPosts: 320 |
Hi Mick That would be terrific if you can send the chip. Yes I know they can clip together usually, the ones I have dont want to play the game. Regards Cliff Cliff |
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| bigmik Guru Joined: 20/06/2011 Location: AustraliaPosts: 2870 |
Hi Cliff, They usually are `difficult' you slide them in VERTICALLY and they are often tight, you need some force.. Anyway I have your address so I will pop a couple of caps in the post for you.. These are 47uF 6v3 Low ESR 3228 or maybe 1216 packages I have both types I will see what I dig up, I think the 1216 might be easier to fit under the PCB without fouling the adjacent pins as it is skinnier. Mick Mick's uMite Stuff can be found >>> HERE (Kindly hosted by Dontronics) <<< |
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Grogster Admin Group  Joined: 31/12/2012 Location: New ZealandPosts: 9066 |
Wow, that was fast. Can't wait, eh?  Smoke makes things work. When the smoke gets out, it stops! |
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| Grogster Admin Group Joined: 31/12/2012 Location: New ZealandPosts: 9066 |
Hi Mick and others. I have just ordered 10 panels of the board, which will give me 4 boards per panel, thus 40 boards. I figured I should give these guys a go, so we'll see how they get on and how long it takes to get here. I chose DHL shipping, which was US$38, but being that I run my own small business, I just can't be bothered waiting forever on standard post. 99% of everything I get in Internationally, is via DHL or FedEx, so the timer starts today, and we'll see when they get here!  Smoke makes things work. When the smoke gets out, it stops! |
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| centrex Guru Joined: 13/11/2011 Location: AustraliaPosts: 320 |
Hi Bigmick and Grogster. Bigmick the caps arrived, thanks. Grogster the board is working just flashing a led, the 5 volt reg gets fairly warm @ 12V with no heatsink @ 9 volts barely warm. All good Thanks to you both. Regards Cliff Cliff |
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| bigmik Guru Joined: 20/06/2011 Location: AustraliaPosts: 2870 |
My Pleasure Cliff  Mick's uMite Stuff can be found >>> HERE (Kindly hosted by Dontronics) <<< |
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| robert.rozee Guru Joined: 31/12/2012 Location: New ZealandPosts: 2290 |
wow, you guys have been busy while i was on holiday! all very impressive. my one suggestion (given that PCBs are already being made) is that for the next lot consider replacing the 3v3 track that runs the full length under the MX170 with a wire link, so that all the ground pins can link together closely. centrex: it could be your terminals are 5mm pin pitch, not 5.08mm (0.2"), which would make it hard to lock a whole row together if fitting on a 0.2" pitch. i believe that both variety are commonly available, though don't know which are more common. cheers, rob :-) |
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| Grogster Admin Group Joined: 31/12/2012 Location: New ZealandPosts: 9066 |
Bollocks - I just KNEW I would miss something. You did say about that too, but it went in one ear and out the other. 
Let's assume and hope that there won't be any ground-loops of any significance. This kind of thing is not so much of an issue, if you are using double-sided. Smoke makes things work. When the smoke gets out, it stops! |
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| Grogster Admin Group Joined: 31/12/2012 Location: New ZealandPosts: 9066 |
Got email from Shenzhen with photos - boards have been sent via DHL. 8 Days production time, now we'll see how long it takes for them to get here. Smoke makes things work. When the smoke gets out, it stops! |
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| bigmik Guru Joined: 20/06/2011 Location: AustraliaPosts: 2870 |
Grogs, It will be interesting to see how much quicker the extra cost Of DHL is over `slow boat from China Post' is. My 3rd order is now 15days since shipping.. (first order was 14days, the second 16days) Mick EDIT** Can you share the link for the Photo? Mik Mick's uMite Stuff can be found >>> HERE (Kindly hosted by Dontronics) <<< |
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| Grogster Admin Group Joined: 31/12/2012 Location: New ZealandPosts: 9066 |
Hi Mick. Yeah, I always prefer DHL/FedEx etc. MUCH more expensive, yes, but fully tracked and gets to you very quickly. A case of you get what you pay for, I guess. Here is the link to the photos. I DO like the Shenzhen photos of the boards, and automated email of the DHL tracking number. Smoke makes things work. When the smoke gets out, it stops! |
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| bigmik Guru Joined: 20/06/2011 Location: AustraliaPosts: 2870 |
Thanks Grogs, The boards look great although they need to be cut to separate them. I think next time you do them let me do a GERBER print like the last one and they should vee groove it for you. Yes Agree with DHL, my older PCB Fab house used DHL/EMS/FEDEX and they were cheap at $15 but still could take 6 or 7 days before they arrived in my hands and if no-one was home when they were delivered I was a merry dance organising a pickup/re-deliver. With the Snail mail (from Shenzhen) it seems to be a bit over 2 weeks but if you are not home they are left on the door step. $9.30 cost.. I am `so far' very pleased with Shenzhen Price wise they cannot be beaten and quality has been as good or better than other companies. Plus they dont baulk at multi boards per panel.. (dont pay to separate them, just let them vee groove).. They have strange pricing though, 20 PCBs are $36 compared to $12 for 10 PCBs.. SO buy in lots of 10, could probably do 2 lots of 10 and have similar postage costs. Mick Mick's uMite Stuff can be found >>> HERE (Kindly hosted by Dontronics) <<< |
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| Grogster Admin Group Joined: 31/12/2012 Location: New ZealandPosts: 9066 |
Re: V-grooving - yes, you did offer to do that, but I forgot. I will remember for next time and PM you. As for this batch, cutting them up is no problem - I have a PCB saw I built years ago, and a disc sander. Cut and sand back to the line - done.
Anyone who wants any can PM me, and I can supply either cut up or as a small panel of four you have to cut up yourself. US$5 per board + shipping. Includes the three SMD parts pre-fitted, so it's all thru-hole construction.(builder must source all the parts - this is just the blank PCB) I used to avoid SMD(any SMD) like the plague for years, but once I started doing it, it was not that much of a problem. I wish those of us who do SMD, could encourage those who have not done any, to try it, cos once you get the hang of it, it allows so much more felxibility in layout design and compactness....
Yo do need very fine solder, SMD flux and a magnifying loupe as a minimum, but many already have those. I prefer that gel flux, as it helps hold the part in place while you solder it. But I digress - again... Smoke makes things work. When the smoke gets out, it stops! |
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palcal Guru Joined: 12/10/2011 Location: AustraliaPosts: 1804 |
@ Grogster I fully agree re SMD, I thought my hobby electronics days would come to an end, but I gave it a go and really its no worse than through hole. I try to stick with 8503 and 1206. I do need help with my ageing eyes, I have a binocular microscope, but usually get away with my magnifier. Paul. "It is better to be ignorant and ask a stupid question than to be plain Stupid and not ask at all" |
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| isochronic Guru Joined: 21/01/2012 Location: AustraliaPosts: 689 |
I know what you mean !re eyesight !!I found that looking through a pinhole helps , a bit awkward though...Now I have some foil on my glasses with a horizontal slit to look through - it gives a line of readable text - otherwise ithas to be xhite text on a black background and dim light..soldering will have to wait until it is fixed though. |
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| Grogster Admin Group Joined: 31/12/2012 Location: New ZealandPosts: 9066 |
Expandamite SS boards are here. That was 2 weeks and 2 days to my door, from ordering. Not bad.
Silkscreen is inferior to that of Itead, but it is OK, and at the price you pay at Shenzhen, this is not a criticism of mine, more of just an observation. Etch and soldermask are fine though. Like I said - for the price......... Smoke makes things work. When the smoke gets out, it stops! |
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| bigmik Guru Joined: 20/06/2011 Location: AustraliaPosts: 2870 |
Grogs, All, So that really means delivery took about 8 days to get the boards in your hands via EMS/DHL couriers? The 3 lots of boards I have bought so far from Shenzhen have been 14, 16 and 19 days for the delivery ON TOP of 5-7days for the `standard' manufacture.. Seeing the freight is roughly 1 week quicker and the cost $9.30US compared to about $38US for DHL/EMS I think I would generally pick the Standard post.. unless I was desperate. I will check my boards more closely when I get home but I dont think there was any problem with silk screen registration. Also I am more than happy with the quality of the silk screen overlay. The text on my MuP-Mini gets down to 1mm in size and its still quite legible. Regards, Mick Mick's uMite Stuff can be found >>> HERE (Kindly hosted by Dontronics) <<< |
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| Grogster Admin Group Joined: 31/12/2012 Location: New ZealandPosts: 9066 |
Hi Mick.
Next boards I oder will be after Christmas(to avoid the global Christmas postage delays), and I will try standard airmail and compare the two. It's a law of averages though, as one time standard airmail might be quite fast, and another time, quite slow, so I suppose it is actually pretty hard to accurately compare things like this! 
As to the silkscreen, that might have been the camera image - we'll wait and see what the VideoMite boards look like when they get here, as that was the image that looked like it was not right registration wise. These Expandamite boards' silkscreen registration is fine. Smoke makes things work. When the smoke gets out, it stops! |
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