My Notes: Electronic Prod. Design

Discussion with Alexandros he suggested I research Eduaro Miranda based in Plymouth he has been designing musical instruments that are triggered via data and also Ben Knapp, or other sources than the user. Other useful and related work, projects related to bio signals, interactive textiles, an annual event NIME

Recommended book: Digital Musical Instruments beyond the Keyboard.

We discussed in further detail how to Fritz our own boards, using various CAD software. Sites that are useful are fritzing.org and autodesk 123d circuits.

You are able to create the  PCB board virtually in Fritzing.org which is a great help when designing.

Then view on PCB

Once you have checked dimensions and sizes save and export as a SVG or PNG file.

When they are exported transfer into Illustrator or Inkscape and convert both top and bottom files into black and white images. You may need to invert the image to confirm that the black lines are the lines which are etched.

Upload to fabmodules.org to use machine Roland Mill, PCB traces, 1/64 for engraving , MDX-20 for etching.

To cut use 0.8mm drill piece. To engrave 0.5mm.

For drilling holes the image does not to be inverted: Machine is Roland Mill MDX-20, PCB changes to outline 1/32 drill piece is 0.1mm.

We have discussed with the print department that we are going to design some PCB boards and personalise them with printing designs.

We are required to make a shield for our own made Arduino. I have found really useful guide in Instructables, also my fist PCB.

Update from Fablab:

I’ve managed to try the through hole component thing on the Modela, Roland mdx-20

See attached files

It comes straight from Fritzing. The only thing I changed in illustrator is black holes, from the Fritzing file (no size change), as in one of the png’s (holes.png)

I’ve used a .7 bit, and told the http://fabmodules.org the following:

input – > png

output -> RML

process -> pcb outline

Changed the DPI to the right scale (504, because I scaled by 700%)

machine MDX20

Tool diameter changed to 0.7 

And go. 

Worked like a dream

Bit of a tight fit on the screw header, but well. 

Quick solder, used a blue 3mm LED with a 10ohm resistor and a 3v AAA battery pack

 

A good resource I found for helping further understand PCB is here Sparkfun.