Hiyah, I'm Andy

@sciretech

Welcome to the forum.

I have largely just learned what I needed for each specific project,

That is how to learn. One project at a time in simple steps making sure you fully understand each project.

Electronics isn't my main job, I'm a project manager. But that is a good transferable skill when making things, as it usually provides a path to actually finishing things off!

Great skill,  finishing a project. Something I lack but I admire those with the stamina to see something through to the end.  A finished project is always better than ending up with no project at all to show.

A finished project is always better than ending up with no project at all to show.

Sometimes a finished project is one which could realise isn't going to work so you stop, salvage what you can and move on 🙂  Not every one is a success, but most present some sort of learning experience.

Cheers for the warm welcome

@sciretech

Hi Andy,

I’ve been thinking about designing a PCB myself and I was wondering if you plan to outsource the fabrication of your board or do your own etching?  What software are you using to design the board?

Thanks a ton    Tom

@thrandell I would definately recommend it. Moving from making circuits on veroboard to using customer PCBs is an absolute game changer!

I have been ordering them through JLCPCB, who also provide a fairly robust and easy to get into free software application called EasyEDA.  There are a load of tutorials on that to get going, and you can ewven use there SMT order and assembly process directly from the software.

The price of the board manufacture is crazy cheap. You can order as little as 5 boards for a couple of dollars (though the shipping can get pricey depending on how fast you want it delivered)

Lately, I have been using Arduinos with these custom boards, also mounting regulators and other connecting board on them too for a really reboust and permenant connection. 

What were you thinking of using the PCBs for?

Hi Andy,

I'm interested in exploring some of the swarm robotics algorithms that are floating around on the Internet and to that end I'm exploring very small, very inexpensive robots that use IR to communicate with each other and determine their range and bearing.  So I'm considering an array of 4 to 6 IR LEDs and detectors mounted on a circular PCB.  With the LEDs mounted on the  bottom and the detecters mounted on the top...Might use 555 timers...Might use MCU IDK yet.  I'm still learning what it's going to take. 🙂

Tom

@thrandell That sounds an interesting project. Via Easy EDA you can design multi-layer PCBs as well, which might help reduce the size of your boards, as with those LEDs, resistors and LDRs that is gonna be some serious track wrangling, and you might be able to put some of the common wiring on seperate planes. Just need to be careful with the through hole points

@sciretech  Thanks for the tip!  I'm going to have to upgrade my soldering iron and I was wondering what you use in your work with SMD?

Thanks  Tom

Welcome! Your projects sound cool, and good on ya for the side gig. I am just finishing up my first physical project (software jockey by trade) and I'm realizing that working small requires a whole heap of industrial design skills, lol. 

Sharing is what we do, so glad to have ya.