We finally have everything squared away for Maker Faire 2013 and we should be able to show off an open-source LED controller. That design is complete, however, I still wanted to be able to give something away. I settled on creating a PCB business card which doubled as an SMT prototyping board on the back. I did a few iterations and settled on something that was all surface mount. There are pads for an SMT mini-USB port, a 32qfp,80tqfp and 64 pin IDC side-connector. All of the quad footprints will accept smaller packages with the same pitch and the IDC pads are designed in such a way that the 0.8mm PCB can be soldered between the pins of a standard 2.54mm/0.1″ connector. There is also a grid of pads that have 1.27mm pitch in one direction and 0.65mm pitch in the other direction so they can accommodate a SOIC one way and TSSOP the other way. The finish is ENIG with a high performance white solder mask so it should stand up to soldering without discoloring.
Stop by the mobius.io table and just ask if you would like to get one of these. Gerbers for this card are here: mobius_io_card2013.
You’ll wanna pull up a really comfy chair before you dive into this one, but have you ever found yourself digging through Eagle’s 317,424 different canned footprints, hoping one is kinda, sorta, almost, maybe good enough for that new sensor you found on Digikey? Shamelessly dig and despair no more! … Our new mammoth guide on creating manufacturable footprints in Eagle is here to ween you off that nasty canned footprint habit, and get you firmly on the road to non-dependency!
NEW PRODUCT – Adafruit FPC Stick – 20 Pin 0.5mm/1.0mm Pitch Adapter – Connect to 0.5mm, 1.0mm and even some 2.0mm pitch connectors that you may run across with an FPC stick. We designed this for use in house, to quickly connect to FPCs we need to test. But we also thought it might be useful for our customers. On either side is a 20 pin 0.5 or 1.0mm pitch connector with long pads and one very long ‘mechanical’ pad. Each pad is broken out to a 20-pin long 0.1″ spaced header. It can accommodate most ZIF and snap connectors and will make prototyping much easier on you!
Each order comes with a single double-sided PCB stick (one side 0.5mm the other 1.0mm), no header or other connectors included.
NEW PRODUCT – Hook-up Wire Spool Set – 22AWG Solid Core – 6 x 25 ft. Perfect for bread-boarding, free wiring, etc. This box contains 6 spools of solid-core wire. The wire is easy to solder to and when bent it keeps its shape pretty well. We like to have a few spools of this stuff around which is why this set is quite nice! We suggest picking up wire strippers to match. Wire gauge is 22 AWG which we’ve found is the best all-around gauge, it works best with breadboards and perfboards but also fits in terminal blocks nicely.
This box has a wooden dowel rod to hold the spools in place and let them spin, and there are little punch-outs you can pass the wire through so its it’ll stay nice organized.
NEW PRODUCT – SMT Test Socket – SOIC-8 Narrow Breakout – You know those ZIF sockets we have for DIP chips? Well these are just like that but for SMT parts! Yeah, that’s right, now you can program and test out your favorite new parts in SOIC Narrow, SOIC Medium, SOIC Wide and, TSSOP packages.
This test socket is good for any SOIC/SOP “Narrow” 8 pin chip in a 150mil wide body. Simply press down on the top, place the chip in carefully and then release to latch the chip in. The chip is held securely against gold ‘fingers’ in the socket. 200mil or wider chips will not fit, but we do have other sockets for medium/wide SOIC chips.
The socket is soldered onto a pair of PCBs that turn it into, essentially, a 16 pin DIP with 0.6″ spacing that can be breadboarded fairly easily. Since the socket is a 16 pin socket that has been sectioned off to be only 8 pin, there are 16 pins in the breadboard, simply use 4 on each side and ignore the other 8 pins – they do provide mechanical stability when plugged into a breadboard.
Simply press down on the top, place the chip in carefully and then release to latch the chip in. The chip is held securely against gold ‘fingers’ in the socket. 200mil or wider chips will not fit, but we do have other sockets for medium/wide SOIC chips.
The socket is soldered onto a pair of PCBs that turn it into, essentially, a 16 pin DIP with 0.6″ spacing that can be breadboarded fairly easily.
Simply press down on the top, place the chip in carefully and then release to latch the chip in. The chip is held securely against gold ‘fingers’ in the socket. 150 or 300mil wide chips will not fit, but we do have other sockets for narrow/wide SOIC chips.
The socket is soldered onto a pair of PCBs that turn it into, essentially, a 20 pin DIP with 0.6″ spacing that can be breadboarded fairly easily.
Simply open the latch, place the chip in carefully and then close the top over it. The chip is held securely against gold ‘fingers’ in the socket.
The socket is soldered onto a pair of PCBs that turn it into, essentially, a 28 pin DIP with 0.6″ spacing that can be breadboarded fairly easily.
NEW PRODUCT – SMT Test Socket – TSSOP-28 Breakout – This test sockets is good for any 4.4mm / 0.147″ wide TSSOP/SSOP with up to 28 pins. Simply press down on the top, place the chip in carefully and then release to latch the chip in.
The chip is held securely against gold ‘fingers’ in the socket. Please note the body of the chip you’re trying to use, for example the FT232RL has a 5.3mm wide body, and will not fit!
The socket is soldered onto a pair of PCBs that turn it into, essentially, a 28 pin DIP with 0.6″ spacing that can be breadboarded fairly easily.
The test socket is a high quality, Japanese construction from Yamaichi.
Wearing the second FLORA prototype with three FLORA pixels (an early prototype of the Flora Pixel Brooch), programmed by Becky and making my face appear purple
Every Wednesday is Wearable Wednesday here at Adafruit! We’re bringing you the blinkiest, most fashionable, innovative, and useful wearables from around the web and in our own original projects featuring our wearable Arduino-compatible platform, FLORA. Be sure to post up your wearables projects in the forums or send us a link and you might be featured here on Wearable Wednesday!
You know those ZIF sockets we have for DIP chips? Well these are just like that but for SMT parts! Yeah, that’s right, now you can program and test out your favorite new parts in TQFP-44, TQFP-32 or TQFP-48 packages. Simply open the latch, place the chip in carefully and then close the top over it. The chip is held securely against gold ‘fingers’ in the socket.
The socket is soldered onto a pair of PCBs that turn it into, essentially, a DIP with 0.6″ spacing that can be breadboarded fairly easily.
The test socket is a high quality, Japanese construction from Yamaichi
NEW PRODUCT – Adafruit Perma-Proto Small Mint Tin Size Breadboard PCB – 3 pack – Making a project that will fit into a “Altoids Smalls” Mint Tin? Or maybe you just need a small amount of prototyping space and a larger breadboard size is too big? Put down that PCB shear and pick up a Perma-Proto in the new exciting shape!
Customers have asked us to carry basic perf-board, but we never liked the look of most basic perf: its always crummy quality, with pads that flake off and no labeling. Then we thought about how people actually prototype – usually starting with a solderless breadboard and then transferring the parts to a more permanent PCB. That’s when we realized what people would really like is a proto board that makes it easy!
This proto-board is the PCB you always wish you had, but never realized it! We took the basic layout of a half-sized breadboard, extended it to the size of a mint tin and turned that into a beautiful PCB. The top side has a white silkscreen, and the same markings you’re familiar with, to make transferring components easy. The bottom has 15 rows of 5-hole pad design that matches a classic breadboard, with 2 power bus lines in the middle, and no mask so you can easily cut traces when necessary. There are another 48 holes for general wiring on the edges. We used 1.2mm diameter drill holes so even parts with big leads will fit. All holes are thru-plated for strength – these wont peel off with rework. The finish is a gold plate – you won’t get oxidation like with bare copper perf! There are also four big mounting holes so you can attach the PCB to the tin. A perfect match for a Altoids “Smalls”-sized mint tin
Comes three per package. Mint tin is not included, you can get these at most grocery stores or candy stores. Once you use a Perma-Proto board, you’ll never go back!
Parallax Partners with the U.S. Army and Carnegie Mellon University to host the 2013 National microMedic Contest to Encourage Medical Innovation
Uncle Sam Wants You! Now’s your chance to change the way our country does medical simulation and battlefield care. The 2013 microMedic National Contest is calling the best and brightest, that’s you, to help invent new medical applications using microcontrollers. With over $25,000 in cash and prizes awarded to the winners, what are you waiting for? Contestants may use any microcontroller they desire in their application. Parallax is offering two flavors of the microMedic Application Idea Kit full of tons of sensors and cool parts; one kit has the multi-core Propeller chip, the other includes the Board of Education Shield (for Arduino).
In order to help you in your quest we’ve created a special discussion forum for the microMedic contest, provided a list of project ideas and created a bunch of mini-tutorials to help you get started with the kit sensors. We’re even giving away 100 free kits to the first qualified entries. This contest is open to participants of all ages with special prizes for educational and public division winners.
Hurry, contest ends July 31st, 2013! For all the info on the contest check out http://learn.parallax.com/micromedic. Be sure to visit the Official Rules page for all the details on contest entry, including how to apply for a free kit.
Good luck from Parallax, the U.S. Army and Carnegie Mellon University!
NEW PRODUCT! Adafruit Half-size Perma-Proto Raspberry Pi Breadboard PCB Kit - We put a PermaProto half sized proto board in a blender with a Pi Cobbler and out emerged this very tasty confection – the PermaProto for Pi! It has the Cobbler baked right in. Simply solder the 2×13 pin header in and you get all the labeled breakouts with tons of prototyping space, power rails, mounting holes and that gorgeous silk.
Customers have asked us to carry basic perf-board, but we never liked the look of most basic perf: its always crummy quality, with pads that flake off and no labeling. Then we thought about how people actually prototype – usually starting with a solderless breadboard and then transferring the parts to a more permanent PCB. That’s when we realized what people would really like is a proto board that makes it easy!
This proto-board is the PCB you always wish you had, but never realized it! We took the basic layout of a half-sized breadboard (the PCB has 30 rows) and turned that into a beautiful PCB. The top side has a white silkscreen, and the same markings you’re familiar with, to make transferring components easy. The bottom has the 5-hole pad design that matches a classic breadboard, with 4 power bus lines on the sides, and no mask so you can easily cut traces when necessary. We used 1.2mm diameter drill holes so even parts with big leads will fit. All holes are thru-plated for strength – these wont peel off with rework. The finish is a gold plate – you won’t get oxidation like with bare copper perf! There are also tons of mounting holes so you can attach the PCB to your project box.
Comes with one PCB and one box header, you’ll need to do a little light soldering to attach the box header to the PCB but its fast and easy to do. To connect it to a Pi, you’ll also need a 26-pin GPIO cable if you don’t already have one.
NEW PRODUCT! Adafruit Perma-Proto Raspberry Pi Breadboard PCB Kit – We put a PermaProto full sized proto board in a blender with a Pi Cobbler and out emerged this very tasty confection – the PermaProto for Pi! It has the Cobbler baked right in. Simply solder the 2×13 pin header in and you get all the labeled breakouts with tons of prototyping space, power rails, mounting holes and that gorgeous silk.
Customers have asked us to carry basic perf-board, but we never liked the look of most basic perf: its always crummy quality, with pads that flake off and no labeling. Then we thought about how people actually prototype – usually starting with a solderless breadboard and then transferring the parts to a more permanent PCB. That’s when we realized what people would really like is a proto board that makes it easy!
This proto-board is the PCB you always wish you had, but never realized it! We took the basic layout of a full-sized breadboard (the PCB has 60 rows instead of 63 rows) and turned that into a beautiful PCB. The top side has a white silkscreen, and the same markings you’re familiar with, to make transferring components easy. The bottom has the 5-hole pad design that matches a classic breadboard, with 4 power bus lines on the sides, and no mask so you can easily cut traces when necessary. We used 1.2mm diameter drill holes so even parts with big leads will fit. All holes are thru-plated for strength – these wont peel off with rework. The finish is a gold plate – you won’t get oxidation like with bare copper perf! There are also tons of mounting holes so you can attach the PCB to your project box.
Comes with one PCB and one box header, you’ll need to do a little light soldering to attach the box header to the PCB but its fast and easy to do. To connect it to a Pi, you’ll also need a 26-pin GPIO cable if you don’t already have one.
1. IF IT’S BROKEN, FIX IT! BECAUSE EVERYDAY PRACTICAL PROBLEM SOLVING IS THE MOST BEAUTIFUL FORM OF CREATIVITY THERE IS. 2. IF IT’S NOT BROKEN, IMPROVE IT. A SMALL, CLEVER TWEAK CAN IMPROVE HOW SOMETHING WORKS FOR YEARS TO COME. 3. GIVE YOUR PRODUCTS A LONGER LIFE. IF WE DOUBLE THE LIFE OF OUR STUFF, WE HALVE WHAT GOES TO LANDFILL. 4. FIXING MEANS FREEDOM AND INDEPENDENCE. AS A FIXER, YOU DON’T NEED TO WORRY ABOUT WEAR AND TEAR. NOTHING STAYS NEW, SO FORGET PERFECTION. 5. RESIST TRENDS AND NEEDLESS UPGRADES.THEY FUEL OUR THROWAWAY CULTURE. 6. DON’T LET COMPANIES TREAT YOU AS A PASSIVE CONSUMER. EVERY TIME WE SPEND MONEY, WE VOTE FOR THE KINDS OF PRODUCTS WE WANT TO SEE SUCCEED. BUY PRODUCTS THAT CAN BE REPAIRED. 7. A FIXED THING IS A BEAUTIFUL THING. EVERY FIX, WHETHER SKILLFUL OR IMPROVISED, HOLDS A STORY. 8. IF YOU HAVE AN IDEA, START SMALL AND MAKE IT GOOD. IF IT’S RIGHT, IT’LL GROW FROM THERE. 9. NURTURE YOUR CURIOSITY. KEEP TRYING THINGS YOU’VE NEVER TRIED BEFORE. IT’S GOOD FOR YOUR BRAIN AND YOUR SOUL. DON’T BE AFRAID TO FAIL — IT MAKES SUCCESS ALL THE SWEETER. 10. PEOPLE ARE INFINITELY DIVERSE. PRODUCTS SHOULD BE TOO. EVERYTHING CAN BE IMPROVED OR CUSTOMISED. 11. DISPOSABILITY IS A CHOICE, NOT A PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTIC. PLASTICS AREN’T EVIL, BUT WE’RE USING THEM WRONG. TREAT THEM WITH RESPECT. 12. SHARE YOUR IDEAS, YOUR ENTHUSIASM AND YOUR SKILLS. IF YOU’VE FOUND THE JOY OF FIXING, PASS IT ON. IT’S A GIFT FOR LIFE.
The always knowledgeable Chris Gammell (of The Amp Hour fame) pointed me to one of the best CNC and mold making resources I’ve ever seen online, and while this may be old news to some people there’s an incredible collection of advice holed up in this article book: The Guerilla Guide to CNC Machining, Mold Making and Resin Casting by Michal Zalewski. If you’ve ever wondered how you can use a CNC mill to make custom gears, or just what the limits of a CNC mill are, this is probably the best online resource you’re likely to come across (note: feel free to prove me wrong in the comments below!).
I’ve been on the fence for years between buying a mid-range 3D printer or a mid-range CNC mill. They’re different solutions to (in my case) similar problems, but their respective advantages and disadvantages come close to cancelling each other out, which is why I still haven’t taken the plunge on either. My only interest is create prototypes of enclosures, or small mechanical parts like gears, and molds for silicon keypads or resin prototype parts, etc. A CNC mill is more flexible since a mid-range mill can also cut soft metals, and has a better finish than many affordable 3D printers, but you’re also more limited with the shape of the interior area compared to 3D printing.
If anyone out there has anything to contribute on the debate (in my head) between 3D printers and CNC mills, my guess is I’m not the only ‘maker’ in this same boat … where finish quality and price are important and it’s probably not realistic to just ‘buy both’. Feel free to chime in below with your own thoughts and experience!
NEW PRODUCTS! Configurable Spring Terminal Blocks – 5 pack in “straight” or “right angle” style. Spring terminal blocks will simplify your wiring and make your project more rugged. Instead of soldering wires to your perf board, solder in these 0.1″ pitch terminal blocks. There’s a little spring contact so you can pull back on the plastic bit and slip in your 20 to 26 AWG solid or stranded-core wires. Each terminal block is electrically isolated from those next to it. Each block also has two solder pins per contact for strong mechanical strength when soldering in place.
What we like about these terminal blocks is that they are re-configurable! The pack comes in a set of 5 pieces of 3-pin blocks. However, by carefully removing the end cap on each one you can snap together any number and then reattach the end cap. So you could use this to have 5 x 3 pin contacts, or 1 x 15 pin contact, or 3 x 5 pin contacts, etc. Keep these around in your toolkit, and arrange them as needed!
Printable catalog (PDF)
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