Wow, there was a lot of crap treasure in there! Next a few new tables for the tools and oscope. Going to anchor a table to the wall for the pick and place, as suggested in the comments. There’s also a new big box of roving parts from the clean out.
Category Archives: #liveupdates
Loading TM220A pick and place part stacks
Loading up the pick and place with part reels. We decided to put the most common, cheap stuff in the back of the ‘stack’ of reels. After all, it won’t need to be swapped. Less used stuff is going towards the front, that way it is easier to swap out. We’re leaving free 8mm reel […]
TM220A pick and place
Experimenting will probably continue all day. A sturdier table is going to be a must.
TM220A pick and place first test
Managed to get the language to English by setting the language configuration to ‘0’, then loading a pick and place instruction file. After loading a file everything is magically English. Settings won’t save without a special warranty voiding password from the manufacturer though. Exported placement data from a DP LED matrix badge to test it […]
TM220A pick and place unboxing
After dragging this crate up two flights of stairs it’s time to unbox the pick and place.
TM220A pick and place arrives
Currently made it half way up the stairs.
Dangerous Prototypes stickers
Three times a week we give away free PCBs, and on some weeks other random giveaways as well. When they’re around, we also toss in a few stickers. Systemstech shared his restyling of a Hakko 951 soldering station with a free PCB sticker. Feel free to share yours as well. Via the forum.
Free PCB coupon via Facebook to 2 random commenters
Every Friday we give away some extra PCBs via Facebook. This post was announced on Facebook, and on Monday we’ll send coupon codes to two random commenters. More PCBs via Twitter on Tuesday and the blog every Sunday. Don’t forget there’s free PCBs three times every week: Free PCB Sunday. The classic. Every week, get […]
App Note: Single phase energy meter using XMEGA A
Here is a reference design from Atmel describing how to build a single phase energy meter using a XMEGA A microcontroller. The circuit is attached to a mains line, and moniters the energy consumption of it, as well as being powered by it. Each part of the circuit and the firmware is carefully analyzed. The […]
Dual headed component pickup vacuum pen
Last goodie for today is a dual headed vacuum pickup pen. A pump creates a vacuum to the pin. Set it down on a part and cover the small hole in the side of the pen to suck up the part. Position and then release by removing a finger from the vent hole. This was […]
853 PCB preheating station
A PCB preheater warms boards before removing parts for repair. This makes it easier and less traumatic to remove big parts like smd voltage regulators, TQFP and BGA chips. The hot plate can serve dual use as a preheater, but as the preheater manual explains this won’t work for PCBs with placement on both ends. […]
PE 968A solder paste dispenser
This is a air driven solder paste dispenser with suck back for precise solder droplets. Size of droplets and repeat interval are set on the front panel. Dip switches on the back control 16 different modes. Seems to be exactly the same at similar 983a dispensers on aliexpress but a whole lot cheaper in Shenzhen. […]
Next tool shipment arrives on schedule
Should have board preheater, paste dispenser and part suction pickup things. Ordered the air compressor for the dispenser 5 minutes past deadline for delivery today so this will get tested tomorrow.
Hot plate reflow test 1 and 2
Reflowed two 0805 caps on two qfp protoboards. One at 250 and one at 240c.p Both took about 30 seconds to reflow. Anyone know the optimal temp for crappy old lead solder paste? Board at 250 looks scorched but that could be from the reflow oven instead. Will do a second test to find out.
Biggest tool shipment received
This is the second and biggest batch of stuff we sent from Shenzhen.
Getting back to you today!
Sorry for the delay, there are 300 read-but-not-replied emails that came in during the Shenzhen trip last. Today is all about getting that backlog cleared, at least until FedEx drops off the next batch of toys – then it’s video time!
Things in Shenzhen: Tailors in Louhu
Besides hunting electronics, we always have clothes tailored in Shenzhen. The Louhu Commercial City is a mall right outside the boarder crossing. Its mostly knock off crap, but at the top there’s a huge fabric market and dozens of tailors. They do suits, but also anything you can imagine, and its way cheaper than the […]
Shopping with students from Penang
Met up with a group of grad students from Penang Malaysia and took them to my favorite shops to buy tools. Here they are wheeling a cart full over to Susi at shippers row. Also met up with TJ from Indonesia. Thanks guys! It was a ton of fun and we built better relations with […]
Bus Pirate v4 should be available again soon
Spotted it on the PnP at Seeed.
Out of Shenzhen: Sea of people at Louhu/Lo Wu
Guide books warn that the boarder crossing from Hong Kong to Shenzhen at Louhu can be extremely busy. We’ve always sailed through in a couple minutes. Today, after leaving China immigration, we encountered this sea of people in the no mans land bridge to Hong Kong. Still only took about an hour to get through, […]