Circuit Break - A MacroFab Podcast

MEP EP#300: Tradition is Peer Pressure From the DeadAnnouncements If you are currently enrolled in college we would love to chat with you. We have some ideas for future podcast content that you could perhaps help us with. Also, we would love to get to know our listeners more. If you have not already, please send a hello email to podcast@macrofab.com. Thanks to everyone who has reached out already. On Nov 6th, Parker is doing a 24 hour video game stream for the Extra Life Charity which benefits the Texas Children Hospital network. Last year our listeners helped him raise $2600 and he is hoping to double that this year! You can donate through the Extra Life page here. Or just come hang out his personal twitch channel and chat. Will be playing from 8AM on Nov 6th till 8AM on Nov 7th. Chris Gammell Was last on the podcast MEP EP#33: The Macro Hour Mashup MEP EP#90: Development Board Guilt Is DIY Dead? Maker Faire seems to be dead DIY projects and YouTube channels seem to be doing better then ever Are electronic DIY companies doing well? $1 Microcontroller by Jay Are Engineers “Pavlovian Cheapskates”?

27 Loka 20211h 8min

MEP EP#299: Operation Scope Creep8 Layer Design Stephen is working on a 12 pcb design 11 pcbs done 1 left 6 nets left to go out of 963 How to attack an 8 layer design? Part placement Stackup prep Multi Gauge Progress / Prop_Fan Screen and navigation CFA635-TFK-KL Temperature LTC2983 Thermistors 5V analog active sensors Level shifter TXB0104DR Shift between the 3.3V MCU and the 5V LTC2986 Power filtering Comprehensive Power Supply System Designs for Harsh Automotive Environments LT8672 LT8614 Air Quality HPMA115C0-003 PM2.5 Particle Sensor Sensirion SGP40 VOC Sensor Sensirion SHTC3 Temp and Humidity Last thing to finish on the design is to choose how to protect the inputs on the LTC2983 Demo boards only use in series 100 ohm resistors Adventures in Plastic Injection Molding Stephen got the mold state side Second round of payment due Remember Duty/tax Did the first round of prototyping - looking to validate the mold with more precise control Material story Polyethylene Polypropylene Heat/Temperature/Pressure

20 Loka 202157min

MEP EP#298: Has Open Source Hardware Run Its Course? Benjamin Heckendorn An electronics hacking entertainment guru Former host of Element 14’s “ The Ben Heck Show” Chris Kraft A tinkerer currently working as a software engineer in the financial services industry Extensive background in 3d printing and building anything that seems interesting Previous Podcasts with Ben and Chris MEP EP#23: Interview with Ben Heck of The Ben Heck Show MEP EP#75: Does the Simulation Match the Reality? MEP EP #153: Discrete Atomic Luffa Control MEP EP #167: BenHeck and the PinoTaur Has Open Source Hardware Run It's Course? A google search of “open hardware” or “open source hardware” yields one of two results A definition of OSHW A lot of requests for is there an open source XYZ? 10 commercially successful open source hardware projects in 2013 Top Open-Source Hardware Websites and Community in 2019 E3D’s no-nonsense approach to intellectual property

13 Loka 20211h 4min

MEP EP#297: Modern College Education with Derek FronekBefore we begin this episode I have a quick announcement. If you are currently enrolled in college we would love to chat with you. We have some ideas for future podcast content that you could perhaps help us with. Also, we would love to get to know our listeners more. Please send a hello email to podcast@macrofab.com. Derek Fronek Third year EE Co-op student at Purdue University Last on the podcast episode #146 where he spoke about his time with TechHOUNDS Modern EE Education Stephen - Graduated from Texas A&M with a EE degree in 2009 128 hours required Parker - Graduated from University of Texas with a ECE degree in 2011 Derek - Will graduate in 2024 Derek's Current class load Freshman High school credits that transfer help a lot First year Engineering Purdue's way of saying “you need to do basic math and science first” General Chemistry EPICS (project based design class) Calc 1-2 Physics Mechanics/E&M CS-159 Intro to C Covid Happens and we go remote right after spring break Summer Online summer classes can be nice but its a 16 weeks class in 8 weeks ECE 20001 Fundamentals 1 (Basic Circuit Theory/ Mosfets) ECE 20007 Fundementals 1 Lab Analog Discovery 2 is the main test and measurement tool now Calc 3 Sophomore First Co-op term at Rheem Visiting campus when you have no class responsibilities is fun First real “Covid Classes” Purdue managed to stay “in person” for the whole time Classes were still mostly online but students could be on campus and some labs were still in person Exams were mostly online as well ANTH 21000 Technology and Culture More interesting than i thought it would be, gave some perspective on how design choices have social and societal implications ECE 20002 Fundementals 2 (Amplifiers, Op Amps, AC Circuit Analysis) ECE 20008 Fundementals 2 Lab ECE 264 Advanced C MA 266 Diff eq Junior Back to in person classes this fall ECE 20875 Python for Data Science ECE 270 Digital System Design Auto lab system is really cool HIST 351 MA 265 Linear Algebra

6 Loka 20211h 10min

MEP EP#296: IdeaFab - Does This Podcast Change The World?The IdeaTank Podcast Scott Hansen and Eric Benzenhoefer are idea men who, not humbly, seek to change the world through sharing their million dollar ideas, and humbly, seek to make a podcast talking about their ideas. Previous Episodes With the IdeaTank Podcast MEP EP#77: The IdeaFab Podcast MEP EP#223: The Inverted Success Funnel – IdeaFab The Ideas Eric Benzenhoefer 5 Stars to a better tomorrow… Going to perfect feedback! Scott Hansen I am going to send you, yes you, to space Stephen Kraig The college of Above Average Joes Parker Dillmann The Otter-Matic 2000 Friendcoin

29 Syys 20211h 24min

MEP EP#295: Design For EverythingThe DFs DFA - Design for Assembly DFC - Design for Conservation DFD - Design for Documentation DFM - Design for Manufacturing DFP - Design for Production DFR - Design for Repair / Recycle DFT - Design for Test DFS - Design for Safety How to DFX Identify what you are Designing For Perhaps list them based on priority Make a list of all of the items Make a timeline for which DF applies when in the product life Create a list of key design criteria This will vary based on where the product is in the design cycle Schedule specific focused time to have a team review the DF Have the main designer present, but it is best to have other perform the DF checks Have a sign off and circle back process If it passes then have the team sign off and move to the next stage If it fails, have a process of fixing and asses if another full DF meeting is needed Perhaps just a small DF meeting to address one thing At then end of the product design cycle you will have a folder of completed design checks that help validate the release of the product DFA vs DFM vs DFP Techniques for making revisions easier Put circuits that you know need adjustment where you can reach them with a soldering iron or a probe 0 ohm resistors Make for very easy configuration changes DNI/DNP - lots of people don't know this is a thing Multiple footprints Parallel components Room for soldering! Test points - different from component terminations Keep lists of things to remove for production

22 Syys 202156min

MEP EP#294: Twisted PairsUSB vs Ethernet for Test Equipment? Ethernet comes with free isolation No drivers required to get Ethernet working USB is faster to get working depending on your network hacking skills USB software stacks in test equipment are kinda hit or miss How to make hardware work with Ethernet? Still learning about this Trying out Arduino -> Ethernet shields that use the Wiznet W5100 Managed to get a demo working with SCPI and the shield Tag Connect : Edge-Connect https://www.tag-connect.com/product-category/products/edge-connect Spring loaded leaf springs in a connector that slides onto the side of a PCB Looks like a great alternative to normal tag connect Bias test connector - OTC (one time connect) PEM smtsss-4mm-6et solderable spring standoffs Use in conjunction with through hole pogo pins Just add holes and target points on main pcb and plug the connector in for access to the nets

15 Syys 202146min

MEP EP#293: Tom Anderson, the Gold Ear SympatheticTom Anderson An old-timer engineer working from HP/Agilent/Keysight Currently still employed at Keysight Volunteering at Alembic, where he designs electronics for bass guitars Career includes: Design of firmware Digital Analog Microwave Optical Power supplies Software Information systems Metrology and You Do I need to worry about all of this? (as a hobbyist, is accuracy important?)- Measure with micrometer... Taking Measurements voltage, current, resistance, inductance, capacitance, Q, frequency, time, noise, RF/microwave Measurement Uncertainty +/- 0.1dB specification - what can go wrong? How do you make things more accurate? System engineering - when the boards are put together, does the system work? Testing the idea that multiple resistors are tighter tolerance than single Are the values random? Sources of errors - narrow things down to the path between a sensor and an ADC Temperature Noise, thermal Noise, switching power supply, rectifier diodes Noise, clock, data, address DC shift - where does the ground current flow? Screws, contact resistance, and X-Acto blades. Offset voltage and current Connector Repeatability Temperature Repeatability/Skid Controlling temperature (room air, coffee cup, fingers, oven proportional control)

9 Syys 20211h 22min