Where do the PCB Design errors grow? A lot has to happen before a PC board gets into an end user's hands - many different processes and people are involved in getting a device designed and built. The more people... Read more
The term "via" probably comes from the Latin word meaning "road." Therefore, open via would essentially mean "open road." Open roads, here in Oregon sometimes run through open range ranch land. That means that cows have as much right to... Read more
Earlier this year we built the electronic badges for the Open Source Hardware Summit. The badge was very nice as is, but I extended it with a LiPoly battery pack of my own design. The badges were assembled in our... Read more
The name stands for "Extra Small Outline No-lead." It's a newish package from Texas Instruments. In my experience, Ti is one of the better companies where testing and documenting manufactureability is concerned. The datasheet for this device [www.ti.com/lit/an/scea055/scea055.pdf] is no... Read more
I recently participated in the Altium pod cast where I discussed the origins of Screaming Circuits, some DFM hints and a few other topics. I was discussing some of the challenges everyone is having these days in procuring components and... Read more
Have you purchased any electronics components lately? Have you tried and failed to do so lately? Allocation is the word of the day and substitutions are your friend. Many, many parts are in short supply, or unavailable with extraordinarily long... Read more
Just a quick question here... I'm placing the components for my TinyFPGA based stepper motor controller board (see the prior articles here first, here next, and here last). Specifically, I'm finding places for all of the capacitors. That's where the... Read more
If you've been following this series, you've likely come to the determination that I've fallen behind, or forgotten about the project. I haven't forgotten, but I have fallen behind. When I last wrote about the project (here), I had examined... Read more
It's a new weekend, and I'm back to my obsession with stepper motors. If you haven't read part one of this series yet, go back and read it here. That's not an order; more of a plea. In any case,... Read more
It's about time for another project. I normally design half a dozen or so small boards per year. It's not my profession. It's just something I do. But I haven't designed or built anything since the "incident" with the photo... Read more
