Online GDS File Viewer

In this post, I’ll talk about the online GDS File Viewer/Editor I made(or I’m making as it’s still a work in progress). For now, I will make the development version of the app available online so people can find it and test it. Eventually, I will post the code on Github but first I want to add some more features, refactor the code and maybe write some unit tests.

iCE40 FPGA iCE aStick with IceStorm Tutorial

Lattice iCE40 FPGA IceStorm Tutorial

This tutorial will cover the hardware and software setup for the icestick development board that uses an iCE40 FPGA. The IceStorm open source toolchain will be used for programming the board instead of the vendor tools. For the demonstration, we’ll make a simple binary counter that will display its value with the onboard LEDs. The logic design will be defined/coded with Verilog.

Raspberry Pi Microscope

DIY Raspberry Pi Microscope

In this post, I’ll show you a Raspberry Pi microscope I made for soldering and inspecting PCBs. The great thing about it is that it has a long working distance. This enables the microscope to be mounted on the shelf above my workbench so it doesn’t get in the way. An additional benefit is that the image doesn’t shake if you bump the table when working.

DIY Arduino SD Card Reader

Arduino SD Card Reader

In this post, we’ll see how to make an SD card reader shield for the Arduino. It’s pretty simple as it’s just a matter of connecting the proper Arduino pins to the correct pads on the SD card adapter. Additionally, resistors need to be added for certain pins. These will form voltage dividers that will drop down the signal voltage for the SD card from 5V to around 3.3V.

DIY SMD Vacuum Pickup Tool 2

DIY SMD Vacuum Pickup Tool

In this post, I’ll show my DIY SMD vacuum pickup tool. I bought this vacuum pump SMD pickup but it had no way to be turned on/off. There is only a hole on the vacuum “pen” that you can cover with your finger to make or release the vacuum. I decided I would mod it and make it operable with a footswitch. When pressed the vacuum pump is turned on and when you let go the vacuum pump is turned off while the valve is opened at the same time to release the vacuum and instantly drop the SMD part from the nozzle.

diy solder paste dispenser

DIY Solder Paste Dispenser

In this post, I’ll show my DIY solder paste dispenser. It’s powered by a 12V adapter and can be operated by a footswitch(connected via banana connectors). It uses a small membrane air pump/compressor to dispense the solder paste/flux. Additionally, there is a solenoid air valve connected to the airline so the pressure can be released after you let go of the footswitch which prevents the solder paste or flux from oozing out. The pump and valve timing is controlled through a relay module by an attiny45 microcontroller.

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