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  3. Yet Another RGB driver (activeRGB)

Yet Another RGB driver (activeRGB)

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  • A Offline
    A Offline
    activemind
    wrote on last edited by
    #55

    @Samuel235 Thank you once again for all your help and feedback.

    Here is what it looks like after a GND pour on the back.

    I really want to add a OSH and Mysensors silkscreen on the front or back but I will have to learn how to do that. Am I getting too ambitious here :-)

    -AM

    0_1466458431219_RGB-PCB.jpg

    1 Reply Last reply
    0
    • scalzS scalz

      yes.
      as you can see, it greatly simplify your old gnd routing. guess if you had started by doing this ;)
      and then, in future design, it would be possible to use vias if you need to fill some area where you can't have gnd because of other routing. same plane things for power etc... be careful, never put a gnd pour for AC lines, avoid when you can under antenna etc... there are some basics & advanced rules. but you will learn :)

      A Offline
      A Offline
      activemind
      wrote on last edited by
      #56

      @scalz said:

      yes.
      as you can see, it greatly simplify your old gnd routing. guess if you had started by doing this ;)
      and then, in future design, it would be possible to use vias if you need to fill some area where you can't have gnd because of other routing. same plane things for power etc... be careful, never put a gnd pour for AC lines, avoid when you can under antenna etc... there are some basics & advanced rules. but you will learn :)

      I will have to read the above comment multiple times for it to sink through :-)

      I tried to place NRF sticking out of the board so that there is no GND plane below the antenna. Do you see an issue in the PCB pic above with respect to antenna?

      -AM

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      • A Offline
        A Offline
        activemind
        wrote on last edited by
        #57

        Here is what the gerber view looks like -

        Front Gerber:
        0_1466459462138_RGB-front-gerber.jpg

        Back Gerber:

        0_1466459474210_RGB-back-gerber.jpg

        Front Silkscreen:

        0_1466459509734_RGB-front-silkscreen.jpg

        Comments?

        -AM

        S 1 Reply Last reply
        0
        • A activemind

          Here is what the gerber view looks like -

          Front Gerber:
          0_1466459462138_RGB-front-gerber.jpg

          Back Gerber:

          0_1466459474210_RGB-back-gerber.jpg

          Front Silkscreen:

          0_1466459509734_RGB-front-silkscreen.jpg

          Comments?

          -AM

          S Offline
          S Offline
          Samuel235
          Hardware Contributor
          wrote on last edited by
          #58

          @activemind, never too ambitious. Don't ever let anything stop you achieving what you want.

          The gerber files, i'm sure the front silkscreen shouldn't have any signs of the copper traces on. It should only be what you intend to see written/drawn on the surface of your board.

          MySensors 2.1.1
          Controller - OpenHAB (Virtual Machine)
          Gateway - Arduino Mega MQTT Gateway W5100

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          • A Offline
            A Offline
            activemind
            wrote on last edited by
            #59

            @Samuel235 Hmmmm, let me go back and see what went wrong with my silkscreen. My impression too was that it would show only the txt but when I file showed something different I put it up for review :-) Glad I did.

            Also, looking into OSH silkscreen!

            -AM

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            • A Offline
              A Offline
              activemind
              wrote on last edited by
              #60

              Looked at the silkscreen file and I had pulled up the wrong file in gerber view. Here is what the correct silkscreen looks like:
              0_1466462299596_RGB-front-silkscreen.jpg

              -AM

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              • A Offline
                A Offline
                activemind
                wrote on last edited by
                #61

                Done! Sent the files to Itead for processing :-)

                Lets see if the boards work when they come back!

                Thanks for all your help @Samuel235 and @scalz

                -AM

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                • A Offline
                  A Offline
                  activemind
                  wrote on last edited by
                  #62

                  managed to add the OSH and mysensors silkscreen I was thinking. Here is the final silkscreen...

                  0_1466475559476_RGB-front-silkscreen.jpg

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                  • A Offline
                    A Offline
                    activemind
                    wrote on last edited by
                    #63

                    Received an update from Itead. Everything looks good in gerber files. They have sent it to fab.

                    Now the wait starts...

                    -AM

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                    • A Offline
                      A Offline
                      activemind
                      wrote on last edited by
                      #64

                      Another update from Itead...PCBs complete and shipped!

                      Cant wait to get my hands on my first PCB :-)

                      -AM

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                      • A Offline
                        A Offline
                        activemind
                        wrote on last edited by
                        #65

                        PCBs are in.... :-)

                        0_1467929726347_20160707_151923_resized.jpg
                        0_1467929747083_20160707_151946_resized.jpg
                        0_1467929773943_20160707_151958_resized.jpg

                        Time to populate them now and see if they work :-)

                        -AM

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                        2
                        • A Offline
                          A Offline
                          activemind
                          wrote on last edited by
                          #66

                          Damn! Just realized some of my parts are still not in....

                          Anyways, looking at the PCB,

                          1. I think some of the text is just too small, like the cap values and OSH silkscreen. I need to make them bigger if I do a next rev.
                          2. The mounting holes are a little too big. This is lightweight PCB and should not need heavyduty M3 screw. I could probably go with smaller mounting holes.
                          3. Some silkscreen on the back would be nice...else it just looks naked :-)

                          -AM

                          1 Reply Last reply
                          0
                          • J Offline
                            J Offline
                            jeti
                            wrote on last edited by
                            #67

                            i just found you project, looks pretty cool!
                            did you manege to get it running?

                            A 1 Reply Last reply
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                            • J jeti

                              i just found you project, looks pretty cool!
                              did you manege to get it running?

                              A Offline
                              A Offline
                              activemind
                              wrote on last edited by
                              #68

                              @jeti Thank you. Unfortunately havent had a chance to assemble the boards yet. Have all the parts in but life gets in the way :-)

                              -AM

                              J 1 Reply Last reply
                              0
                              • A activemind

                                @jeti Thank you. Unfortunately havent had a chance to assemble the boards yet. Have all the parts in but life gets in the way :-)

                                -AM

                                J Offline
                                J Offline
                                jeti
                                wrote on last edited by jeti
                                #69

                                @activemind
                                do you already have a BOM? and is there chance to help you out? I would be willing to assemble one or two of the boards :bowtie:

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