Shallow As a test, I designed a nautilus-themed PCB in PCBmodE. PCBmodE is not your standard ECAD package. It’s a collection of JSON files that get converted into SVG or gerber files. There are some limited tools to convert SVG files back into JSON, too. It can be thought of as forward- and back-annotation.… Read More: PCBs of Unusual Style »
A lot of the switch-mode power supplies I’ve built have relied on Skyworks Technologies controllers. This is because they are very cheap, and seem to go obsolete almost immediately after purchase. This is a quick story of bringing up a new switch-mode circuit from a different manufacturer to test its viability in some battery-powered devices.… Read More: Storytime! A switch mode tale. »
This is a slightly different post than usual. Typically, I try to only post progress that has already been done, otherwise it ends up as so much vaporware. For an upcoming project, I wanted to order some parts, write some code, and then use the code to order more parts, but it’s taking a backseat… Read More: An Extra Special Parcel from China »
TLDR: I wrote an Inkscape extension to make my life a little bit easier when designing assemblies with laser cutters. For the most part, I avoid using 3D printers while rapidly prototyping. Until very recently, they have been little better than toys; unreliable, inaccurate, and high maintenance. The laser cutter, however, is a… Read More: Rapidly Building Software to Prototype Quickly »
I have access to a big box of Nokia phone batteries. This is a problem. It is very large. I do not have enough Nokia phones to use them all. There are three sizes: BP-6MT (1050mAh), BL-5J (1320mAh), and BP-4L (1500mAh). After some catalog-hunting (be vewwy vewwy quiet), I’ve found the connector they use, the… Read More: Sugar Glider Wifi Throwies »
Jumping off from my last post about getting images into Altium Designer, it was surprisingly difficult to do in CircuitMaker. After three days of attempting a few different approaches, I have one that I’m quite happy with. Conveniently, this is pretty good at getting images into EAGLE as well. At least as good as the built-in ULP. If… Read More: Getting Images into CircuitMaker »
I’ve been a really big fan of PCBModE for a long time. Designing beautiful PCBs is a seriously difficult skill, and a serious abuse of the PCB board houses. Saar Drimer of Boldport has done a great job, and anyone reading this should definitely check out his stuff. Where it falls down, though, is… Read More: Cosmetic Surgery on Altium Boards »
I’ve written recently about machining my own custom pen because, much like lamps, they are a “form over function” project where the end result can be gorgeous as well as useful. Aesthetically pleasing to everyone, not just techie people. And they don’t take up a lot of space! Initially, my design for the first… Read More: Anatomy of a Pen »
Sometimes I get a little bit inspired by things on the internet. The internet isn’t all bad. Here are some projects, pictures, or schematics that I like: http://old.bennahill.com/tsunami/ http://www.piclist.com/techref/io/usb/pcbmaleconn.htm http://vonkonow.com/wordpress/2012/03/usbserial-pcb/ http://dlnmh9ip6v2uc.cloudfront.net/datasheets/Prototyping/PowerCell-v13.pdf (That’s mostly a reference for me, for later) Pretty regularly, I have need of a cheap microcontroller that does one thing only,… Read More: USB Side-Project »
I’m still transferring my SolidWorks knowledge into Fusion 360, and definitely getting the hang of it. Previously, I was having troubles mating parts properly, which totally makes sense. The way Fusion 360 and SolidWorks handle these concepts are the largest difference in workflow so far. Where SolidWorks requires each “part” to be one object, and all parts… Read More: Laser Cut Spice Racks »