iCube Spinning LED - Soldering Lab:
Introduction To Soldering

Learning How To Solder Wires Together, Solder Components On A PCB Board,
And Other Basic Soldering Skills. Learn Through Hole (TH) Soldering

This is a Solder Lab using the iCube Spinning LED Solder kit.

I'm a huge supporter of Open Source and Creative Commons resources. This is another way of saying Free, Equitable and Accessible resources... As an example, here is a accounting of the time I have spend on this module: Link to time sheet <-- This is my Mythical rate, so, really if I don't have a sponsor, all this open source material got developed for free. Do you want to Sponsor Some Curriculum Development?🛠️

Unit: AC/DC - Soldering Introduction
Module: AC/DC Fundamentals
This is a LEARNING Activity : Lesson / Lab

Last Revised: Jan 24, 2025 - Authored: Jan 23, 2025
Original Author: Jim Burnham - TopClown@STEAMClown.org
Content License: Distributed as Open Source. See Rights & Usage

Overview, Introduction & Prerequisites:

"Introduction to Soldering" is an educational project to teach Soldering Skills, focused on Soldering wires, simple PCB kits and projects. This module will teach you how to Solder wires together. What a good solder joint looks like and how to see if you need more practice. You will learn to solder Through Hole (TH) components and Surface Mount (SMT) components on a PCB.

No explicit prerequisite course work or coding knowledge is required, but students are expected to have a some understanding of the safety procedures to use a Soldering Iron safely.

Sid Bar for Teachers: This Module or lesson is how I teach in my class. Many of the lessons might be specific to my class, but you could probably adjust them for your class. I'll try to make them a neutral as I can, so they can be used in any Mathematics, Physics, Computer Science, or any other Engineering / Technology class. Let me know how I can make that better. I'll try to keep this unit current and relevant. Please let me know if any resource links are broken or not accessible. Use this email link to let me know what is broken @ TopClown@STEAMClown.org

Sponsor Shout Out

I would like to thank <Your Company or Organization Here> for their generous support of my classroom and curriculum development. <Your Company or Organization Here> has <Your value proposition, call to action, & related content and message>

If you would like to Sponsor This Open Source Curriculum Module, please see my Sponsor Page for more information on how to "donate. " to "Sponsor Curriculum Development Projects"

If you are Sponsoring the "Curriculum Development Projects", this is a bit different, because you are actually paying me personally to develop the Open Source Curriculum material. More like a stipend. You can pay me through the following ways:

How to Provide a Stipend: You can send something to my personal PayPal.Me Account, Venmo Account, or my Patrion Account, even Buy Stuff On My Amazon Classroom Wishlist, donate to my DonorsChoose projects, or contact me at TopClown@STEAMClown.org, if you want to pay by check.

Learning Objective:

Module Scope:

Introduction to Soldering

Learning Targets:

Able to safely use a soldering iron
Able to solder 2 wires together
Able to describe the PCB soldering process, bother for through hole

Prior Knowledge:

No prior knowledge expected - You be you!!!

Resources & Materials Needed:

PC, Laptop or Other device to access the PCB tools and Web application
Each lesson will have specific items needed to complete the labs and tasks

Caution & Safety Considerations:

Primer: "Aaron, I can imagine no way in which this thing could be considered anywhere remotely close to safe. All I know is I spent six hours in there and I'm still alive... You still want to do it?"

As with any activity, please make sure you are using appropriate safety equipment. If you are coding, writing, reading, or working a lab, make sure you stand up and stretch every hour or so, Please consider any safety issues connecting to a Raspberry Pi, Arduino, computers and other electronic equipment.

iCube Printed Circuit Boards (PCB) - Let's Build A Board:

iCube Spinning LED Solder Lab - Setup

These are the components you should have in your kit.

Lesson Resources:

iCube Spinning LED Solder Lab - Step 1

Organize and bend the resistors legs so they are ready to insert into the PCB

iCube Spinning LED Solder Lab - Step 2

Install the Resistors on the board.
Remember, Resistors don't have a "polarity", but part of STEAM is "ART", so it's always cool to orient all the resistors in the same orientation

iCube Spinning LED Solder Lab - Step 3

Install the Electrolytic Capacitor as shown. Note that the long leg corresponds to the + polarity hole.
Typically the electrolytic capacitors have a polarity mark in them, and this typically is a gray stripe with a "-" shown

iCube Spinning LED Solder Lab - Step 4

Install the chip holder/carrier as shown. Solder these . Note that the orientation mark at the top of the chip carrier. See that the PCB silkscreen and the little "divot" mark of the chip carrier match

iCube Spinning LED Solder Lab - Step 5

Install the Potentiometer (Adjustable Resistor) into the PCB and solder it

iCube Spinning LED Solder Lab - Step 6

Install the LEDs. Note that each of the LED locations on the PCB has a "polarity" mark. Make sure you insert the LED correctly.
Before you solder them, check with a partner... and verify that you are doing it correctly
Remember, the long leg of the LED is the + polarity

iCube Spinning LED Solder Lab - Step 7

Install the power connector wires.

iCube Spinning LED Solder Lab - Step 8

Install the Chips

iCube Spinning LED Solder Lab - Step 9

Yay... you should have a LED chasing Lab working

Reference, Attribution & Resources:

License - "Be A Hero"... Distribute Your Content As Open Source... That Is What I'm Doing...

The content on this site may have been pulled from other open source sites, but typically the interpretation and presentation is primarily the Intellectual Property of Jim Burnham, - TopClown@STEAMClown.org at www.steamclown.org and the Student curriculum can be found under the specific Mechatronics Engineering Units section of this web site.
If you do use my material, and make changes, I would appreciate getting a copy... because if you are making changes, it means that you think there is a better way to teach this… and I would really appreciate understanding that. Please send me feedback on my Questions or Feedback form. Please don’t hesitate to ask questions or comment.
You also should keep and include my STEAM Clown Logo and Copyright in any derivative works you create. I would appreciate if you would include one of these images found on my Steam Clown License page and link it to www.steamclown.org

Teachers - Unit, Module and Lesson Plans

If you are a teacher and want to connect and teach this Lesson or Module, discuss how I teach it, give me feedback, please contact me at TopClown@STEAMClown.org

To access this Lesson Plan and the Teacher collaboration area, you will have needed to connect with me so I can Share the content with you. Please go to the Teachers & Partner Page, check out my Licensing and fill out my Collaboration and Curriculum Request Form. I'll review and then grant you access to the requested areas and lesson plans if they exist.

If you have questions or feedback on how I can make a presentation, lesson, lab better please give use my Feedback Form.

Standards Alignments & Objectives:

I’ll work on getting these in, but it’s the last thing I want to work on :-) When I have them updated, I’ll move to the top of the Lesson Plan.

NGSS: <list standard numbers>
- HS-PS2-5: Plan and conduct an investigation to provide evidence that an electric current can produce a magnetic field and that a changing magnetic field can produce an electric current. Connection to PCB Class Outline: This standard aligns with the class topics on signal integrity, EMI considerations, and understanding how electric currents interact with magnetic fields in electronic circuits.
- HS-PS3-3: Design, build, and refine a device that works within given constraints to convert one form of energy into another form of energy. Connection to PCB Class Outline: Students in the PCB class will design and build electronic circuits that convert electrical energy into various forms, such as light, sound, or mechanical motion.
- HS-ETS1-2: Design a solution to a complex real-world problem by breaking it down into smaller, more manageable problems that can be solved through engineering. Connection to PCB Class Outline: Throughout the class, students will work on designing and solving complex real-world problems related to PCB layout, signal integrity, and manufacturing constraints.
- HS-ETS1-3: Evaluate a solution to a complex real-world problem based on prioritized criteria and trade-offs that account for a range of constraints, including cost, safety, reliability, and aesthetics, as well as possible social, cultural, and environmental impacts. Connection to PCB Class Outline: This standard is relevant as students will be required to evaluate their PCB design solutions based on various criteria, including functionality, manufacturability, and cost-effectiveness.
- HS-ETS1-4: Use a computer simulation to model the impact of proposed solutions to a complex real-world problem. Connection to PCB Class Outline: The class covers the use of simulation tools for signal integrity analysis, which aligns with this standard as students will use computer simulations to model and evaluate their PCB designs.
California CTE Standards: <list standard numbers>
Related Instructional Objectives (SWBAT): <list standard numbers>
CCSS: nnn, RSIT: nnn, RLST: nnn, WS: nnn, WHSST: nnn, A-CED: nnn, ETS: nnn <list standard numbers>
Main Standard:
Priority standards:
National Standards:

Resource Attribution:
Sites Referenced or Summarized:

Reference Text Books (Free or Open Source):
- nn
Online Course (Free or Open Source):
- nn
Additional Sites Referenced:
- nn

Images:

https://imgbin.com/png/ZJtzkYZZ/under-construction-png
By © Raimond Spekking / CC BY-SA 4.0 (via Wikimedia Commons), CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=52852112
Bill Bertram, CC BY-SA 3.0 <http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/>, via Wikimedia Commons
Reworked from Image:ZXspectrum mb.jpg by Audrius Meskauskas, Audriusa 18:26, 10 February 2006 (UTC).
https://science.xyz/news/launching-science-foundry - work on getting high school flow.

Random Stuff To Sort

Op Amp Experimenter - YouTube - Great example of a OpAmp circuit, how it was designed (PCB and Circuit Discussion), issues to be aware of and how works

iCube Spinning LED - Soldering Lab:Introduction To Soldering

Learning How To Solder Wires Together, Solder Components On A PCB Board, And Other Basic Soldering Skills. Learn Through Hole (TH) Soldering