Author Topic: The USB AVR project  (Read 12708 times)

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Offline TrickyNekroTopic starter

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The USB AVR project
« on: April 20, 2009, 09:06:30 AM »
Hello guys,
This time I'll be dealing with a AVR that has an embedded USB peripheral.
I'm still designing the board and the schematics.
I'll be using the ATMEGA32U4. Unfortunately it's not included in Eagle libraries, and noone has released
a library including it. So I had to design it from the very beginning.
The whole project will be a PID controller motor, and there will be a PC terminal that sets the wanted RPM.
I'm studying control theory for my university so this will act as a side project for it.
I'll be posting anything I find and know here...

I'm almost finished with the board, I just need to materialize it.
This is how it will look like:



And this is how it's gonna be like in reality!


As soon as I get access to a photo copier (toner transfer method) I'll be trying to make the board.
The board itself, may not have a power bus but the main purpose was to keep everything on one layer, and
a power bus made things a like bit more difficult both to design and materialize, so I stayed there....

I think that the whole project will lead to a USB controlled motor controller... we'll see... we'll see....
« Last Edit: April 20, 2009, 09:17:23 AM by TrickyNekro »
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Offline SmAsH

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Re: The USB AVR project
« Reply #1 on: April 20, 2009, 09:14:12 AM »
wow, looks like a great project! just one question, will you have a program that runs on your pc that you can set the rpm with?
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Offline TrickyNekroTopic starter

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Re: The USB AVR project
« Reply #2 on: April 20, 2009, 09:18:33 AM »
Quote from: SmAsH on April 20, 2009, 09:14:12 AM
wow, looks like a great project! just one question, will you have a program that runs on your pc that you can set the rpm with?

Yup... that's the idea
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Offline SmAsH

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Re: The USB AVR project
« Reply #3 on: April 20, 2009, 09:20:26 AM »
i like it! this kind of thing will help a lot of people who just want to control things from their pc. and did you take that last picture? and will you be doing manufacturing or is it just for you?
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Offline TrickyNekroTopic starter

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Re: The USB AVR project
« Reply #4 on: April 20, 2009, 09:35:21 AM »
As a hippie by nature, I'm doing this cause I don't like the 100$+ every usb motor controller that
is being sold out there... I don't think I'll be able to manufacture, except from working with an other guy
around here that manufactures himself like admin or airman and get some percentage...
Still, project must be successful and so on...
I'm making it more for myself, still it's open source and open hardware, and I'll help anyone with it....
And still there is so work involved with it, I better not think about it...
So... I'll just say, I'll see and act alike ::)
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Offline TrickyNekroTopic starter

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Re: The USB AVR project
« Reply #5 on: April 22, 2009, 04:59:38 PM »
Ok!!!
I gotta say I'm made a point today!!!
I finished the PCB and I'm soldering the ICs!!!
So here are some photos from the manufacturing and the unfinished PCB (still need some parts and some solder wick to finish it....)

Here is a quick was to make a PCB!!!
You firstly get a laminator...
Then you print with your laser printer you board on a magazine paper!!! If you don't have a laser printer then
you can use a friend's photocopier as me.... ;D
Remember!!! Top layer is mirrored!!! Bottom is normal!!!Then cut the PCB so that it fits the printer drawing....
Then cut the magazine paper that way you can stick the paper on the copper layer....
REMEMBER!!! IF YOU ARE GOING TO USE tape to stick the paper on the PCB... THEN DO NOT COVER
THE AREAS WITH TONER UNDERNEATH CAUSE HEAT WON'T TRANSFER CORRECTLY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Then laminate this for about 15 - 20 min... I know this maybe too much... It's the first time I make boards this way so
I just tell you a fail safe point... This board was laminated for almost 30 min.... Don't say that this is good cause magazine
colorings started to transfer... But it depends on many many factors so you better test yourself about the time...

Here are the pictures!!!

The naked laminator:



The board into the "chemical" water after lamination and magazine paper removal:



The board drilled and semi finished, still in need of components and extra solder removal:
(for anyone who noticed.... CHEATER!!!!)



I'll be downtown tomorrow by the components and the solder wick... So expect that I'll be testing the board tomorrow...
And expect new photos etc etc etc etc.....
« Last Edit: April 22, 2009, 05:05:06 PM by TrickyNekro »
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Offline TrickyNekroTopic starter

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Re: The USB AVR project
« Reply #6 on: April 22, 2009, 05:14:42 PM »
Easter Egg!!!
Another photo from the other side!!! :P :P :P ;D ;D ;D ;D
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Offline SmAsH

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Re: The USB AVR project
« Reply #7 on: April 22, 2009, 05:34:01 PM »
wow, nice lefteris! never seen that method for home etching tho ;D are you having thru hole components on one side and SMD on the other?
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Offline TrickyNekroTopic starter

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Re: The USB AVR project
« Reply #8 on: April 22, 2009, 05:47:01 PM »
Well...
The best paper for toner transfer so far... glossy magazine paper...
The best tool so far... laminator... iron is not an option... I'm laze!!!
Rest... pretty much the same...
Expect from the fact that I'm using a 500W impact drill to make the holes... ;D ;D ;D
No money, no honey... unfortunately.... >:(

For the components it's fifty fifty....
Some thru hole are mounted on the top...
Components are mounded were it fits the most top layer or bottom layer... Basically I'm lacking room here.... :P


BTW... with this laminator thing... 2 sided PCB are made possible... VERY POSSIBLE!!!
So I guess I'll start designing such boards and test out...

This is Lefteris, stay tuned and stay affected!!!  ;D
« Last Edit: April 22, 2009, 05:56:54 PM by TrickyNekro »
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Offline SmAsH

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Re: The USB AVR project
« Reply #9 on: April 22, 2009, 05:50:45 PM »
im surprised the board didn't wiggle smudging the traces while it was going through the laminator!
and lol to the drill! what size bits are you using?
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Offline TrickyNekroTopic starter

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Re: The USB AVR project
« Reply #10 on: April 22, 2009, 06:00:14 PM »
Quote from: SmAsH on April 22, 2009, 05:50:45 PM
im surprised the board didn't wiggle smudging the traces while it was going through the laminator!

Not a chance... It's 100% more possible to happen with the iron method!!!


And the drill hopefully accepts 1mil bits.... even 0.8 with some luck!!! But these are too sensitive after all :P

I just place the drill horizontally to my desk spin it up and move the board with my hand.... :P

I should get tools... god dammit it....
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Offline SmAsH

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Re: The USB AVR project
« Reply #11 on: April 22, 2009, 06:38:44 PM »
i use a 5yr old drill that weighs a tonne with 1mm bits, damn they like snapping easily! well good luck with the testing tomorrow, hope all goes well.
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Offline TrickyNekroTopic starter

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Re: The USB AVR project
« Reply #12 on: April 24, 2009, 10:26:02 AM »
OKIES!!!!!! BOARD TESTED and working!!!!!!
I actually, feel very very happy about it!!!! ;D
I had some problems and the beginning with bad traces (bad etching) the decoupling capacitors at the crystal
After removing the capacitors and digging the traces a little it finally worked!!!
Both ISP and JTAG!!!

So here are some photos from the finished board:




I think there are many guys here that really have felt like me when they show this at their screens!!!
« Last Edit: April 24, 2009, 10:53:12 AM by TrickyNekro »
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Offline TrickyNekroTopic starter

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Re: The USB AVR project
« Reply #13 on: April 24, 2009, 10:28:57 AM »
EASTER EGG!!!!!
The drill I use for PCBs... >:( >:( >:( >:( >:( >:(


And lol..... Victory over board debugging... Some time off......
« Last Edit: April 24, 2009, 10:32:29 AM by TrickyNekro »
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Offline superchiku

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Re: The USB AVR project
« Reply #14 on: April 24, 2009, 11:00:56 AM »
lol my how to make a pcb tutorial will be a good reference for this project...
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