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GMU:Printed Circuit Board Art/mxkllmnn (view source)
Revision as of 18:48, 7 March 2022
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Within tech culture, learning new skills usually starts with a so-called "hello world!" example. By accident there has been a sketch of a unicorn on my desktop when we started working on our very first PCB. So that unicorn happened to be the artwork template. | Within tech culture, learning new skills usually starts with a so-called "hello world!" example. By accident there has been a sketch of a unicorn on my desktop when we started working on our very first PCB. So that unicorn happened to be the artwork template. | ||
[[File:unicorn_original_new.jpg| | [[File:unicorn_original_new.jpg|800px]] | ||
It turned out to be a sophisticated application that was ideal for finding out how to create edge cuts, screen printing and mask layers in KiCAD. The initial circuit diagram was a luminous LED. | It turned out to be a sophisticated application that was ideal for finding out how to create edge cuts, screen printing and mask layers in KiCAD. The initial circuit diagram was a luminous LED. | ||
I can hardly imagine a better „hello world of PCB design/art“. | I can hardly imagine a better „hello world of PCB design/art“. | ||
[[File:unicorn_render.png|800px]] | |||
'''Theme to be found:''' | '''Theme to be found:''' | ||
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The design was very much influenced by the early thoughts on the topic of "capacitive touch". I would have installed all the technical components in a [https://www.instructables.com/Dead-Bug-Prototyping-and-Freeform-Electronics/ dead bug] fashion, disappearing into the flush socket of the wall, if it hadn't been for the idea of realising the entire backend as a PCB in the front, with touchpads on its rear. However, when the idea of touch input gestures was dropped (because this contrasted with highlighting mechanical devices), all that was left were components that logically belong to the backend. Yet, having everything fit tightly into the cover of the switch makes debugging very easy. By removing it, all the connections are accessible. So the transfer from breadboard to a PCB was the only logical consequence. | The design was very much influenced by the early thoughts on the topic of "capacitive touch". I would have installed all the technical components in a [https://www.instructables.com/Dead-Bug-Prototyping-and-Freeform-Electronics/ dead bug] fashion, disappearing into the flush socket of the wall, if it hadn't been for the idea of realising the entire backend as a PCB in the front, with touchpads on its rear. However, when the idea of touch input gestures was dropped (because this contrasted with highlighting mechanical devices), all that was left were components that logically belong to the backend. Yet, having everything fit tightly into the cover of the switch makes debugging very easy. By removing it, all the connections are accessible. So the transfer from breadboard to a PCB was the only logical consequence. | ||
[[File:BackAsFront.jpg| | [[File:BackAsFront.jpg|800px]] | ||
Before going into detail about the actual layout or so-called floorplanning, I would like to add a few sentences about the look. The new subject shifted the focus slightly to more technical/constructional aspects, which is why I felt the need to add a graphical element. However, I found a way to combine artistic and technical peculiarities, as the graphics are not on the silkscreen layer, but the areas have been exposed on the soldermask layer, which makes these excellent for connecting GND. | Before going into detail about the actual layout or so-called floorplanning, I would like to add a few sentences about the look. The new subject shifted the focus slightly to more technical/constructional aspects, which is why I felt the need to add a graphical element. However, I found a way to combine artistic and technical peculiarities, as the graphics are not on the silkscreen layer, but the areas have been exposed on the soldermask layer, which makes these excellent for connecting GND. | ||
A milestone on the way to a PCB is a hand-soldered prototype. As common switches come with a cover, the base plate already existed. But I did not start soldering right away. The first thing I did was a rough sketch of all components and their respective connections on a piece of paper. Only then I made my first attempts at this design in KiCAD. Since I did not want to spoil my option of revisiting capacitive touch gestures at a later stage, it was my personal challenge to realise everything on just one side of a PCB with no viases or through-hole components. Of course, this also meant that all elements had to be placed so that there is no intersection of a single trace, which has been hard before I got to know the practice of ground areas (across the entire PCB). Before the final layout was finished, it was an eternal back and forth between different media (KiCAD | A milestone on the way to a PCB is a hand-soldered prototype. As common switches come with a cover, the base plate already existed. But I did not start soldering right away. The first thing I did was a rough sketch of all components and their respective connections on a piece of paper. Only then I made my first attempts at this design in KiCAD. Since I did not want to spoil my option of revisiting capacitive touch gestures at a later stage, it was my personal challenge to realise everything on just one side of a PCB with no viases or through-hole components. Of course, this also meant that all elements had to be placed so that there is no intersection of a single trace, which has been hard before I got to know the practice of ground areas (across the entire PCB). Before the final layout was finished, it was an eternal back and forth between different media (Paper, KiCAD, Fusion, soldering iron, and back again). | ||
[[File:circuitSketch01.png|800px]] | |||
[[File:firstLastPCB.png|800px]] | [[File:firstLastPCB.png|800px]] | ||
[[File:switchCover3D.png|800px]] | [[File:switchCover3D.png|800px]] | ||