This is my make-through for the week's assignment. Grab a cup of coffee!
This week was the end of the first half of the diploma. And it was ended by introducing us to the most two interesting components till now. That by using them, we can increase the number of inputs and outputs of our microcontroller.
Step 1: We already had shots of schematics, so we just redrew it.
Step 2: the new foot prints for the trim-pot [CA6v] and the screw connectors [SCREWTERMINAL-5MM-2] and both are from spark fun libraries
Step 3: Routing process was relatively easy comparing to the past weeks, although one ground bridge was used in the input board and two in the output board
Problem:
Potential Solution:
Fab modules settings were all set to standard, except than some drills didn't appear we decreased the tool diameter from 0.8mm to 0.75mm
Mistake *** I forget to mirror my designs , but sadly I knew after fabricating my first pcb, so I re-fabricated it after mirroring
***I didn't forget to mirror, but I mirrored the image from view setting not image settings. Must take care next time.
Although I'm getting better at soldering, but this time my soldering iron let me down. For a reason I don't know, The iron's tip is not getting hot enough to melt the solder wire. So I used it's tip side, which of course wasn't the best soldering method.
And as you can see the result's weren't the best, but after fixing some solder bridges and DMM testing, I had two ready boards
Under standing the multiplexer operation was very confusing for me, I had to watch some YouTube videos, ask my instructors and some friends specially Abdullah Ghanim
For the input board the code is divided into 4 functions each one named with (Mux input number)_(Dip switch number).
Following the truth table in the datasheet to select my dip switch. So each function digital writes the mux selector pins to select the input from the 4 switches in the dip switch and saves into a variable the mux output through a digital read.
The multiplexer is conditioned out to true or false and depending on that, The state of the dip switch High or Low.
The code was a result of some research+ colleges' advice, I actually still have some problems in programming the multiplexer from scratch
** I couldn't use my Attiny board as I didn't have enough female pin headers required for the assignment.
I wired the same wirings as the above RGB-DIP assignment, edited the code as required after help of my colleagues and instructors, But I sill had the problem that
The result is that the thermistor doesn't work, only the trimpot turns on and off the LED
I revised my PCB for any short circuits using my AVO meter but I didn't have any useful results.
I looking forward to revise my code again
After a lot of debugging and rewiring, I had another problem but it's a better one. The tiny achievement is that the trim pot works at turning off the led
What I learned this week is...
What I Learned this week:
caring about having good equipment isn't luxury, as it can really affect your project results
Using both of multiplexer and shift register but I should study them more
Debug smarter.....