Regulator board & ARF Board

[Richard]

Hi,  I'm currently working on an off the shelf case for my PAW which is much better than the one currently been used. If you can hang on a little longer until I have the prototype all sorted I will post pictures and Ideas for everyone. Just thinking forward on the case...... Can a 3D printer work to produce a case on a small scale. A large company would want a run on many thousands to even be interested.

[N6010Y]

Jeremy,

I ordered a couple of ARF boards a few ago (awaiting re-stock), but I've noticed that I requested the MCA connectors attached and soldered; what I meant to order was the ARF board soldered and the antenna pigtail as normal (allows for more flexibility when drilling the hole for the connector).

Any chance of changing the order?

Hugh

[rollingcircle]

Can a 3D printer work to produce a case on a small scale. A large company would want a run on many thousands to even be interested.

Absolutely - head over to Thingiverse http://www.thingiverse.com/ and search for 'Raspberry Pi' - loads of case designs of all types.

Designing one without access to a printer, or experience of using one, might be time consuming as there is a learning curve as to what structures are feasible to 3D print (you can't print on thin air using the widely used Fused Filament Fabrication style of printer...at least, not for very far...although more sophisticated printers can use support materials which can be dissolved) and then you get into what can often be a black art of finding a combination of materials and temperatures which will stick to the print bed when you want it to, not stick to the print bed when you don't want it to, and not warp as different parts of the print cool.  Finally, some materials don't react well to being placed in direct strong sunlight.

There are many tools you could use for the design - some folk use Google Sketchup - http://www.sketchup.com/ - but coming from a software development background I prefer OpenSCAD - http://www.openscad.org/ - which uses a declarative language with a syntax akin to C to define solids, and more lately Solid Python, a Python library which compiles designs into OpenSCAD. 

Regardless of what you use, if you can end up with an STL definition of your design send it over and I'll have a go at printing it for you.

[JCurtis]

Jeremy,

I ordered a couple of ARF boards a few ago (awaiting re-stock), but I've noticed that I requested the MCA connectors attached and soldered; what I meant to order was the ARF board soldered and the antenna pigtail as normal (allows for more flexibility when drilling the hole for the connector).

Any chance of changing the order?

Hugh

If you ordered the board, with ARF soldered on and the SMA connector that would normally be soldered on too.  The pig tail is still available for use, it doesn't get removed, you get that and the antenna as part of the ARF kit.  So you end up with both options available, downside is the SMA will stick out the end of the case even if you don't use it.

Happy to change it if you drop me an e-mail with the order number and what you would like.

[N6010Y]

Thanks Jeremy,

I'll probably change the order.

Can you PM me your email address please?

Hugh

[JCurtis]

Thanks Jeremy,

I'll probably change the order.

Can you PM me your email address please?

Hugh

jeremy.curtis at harkwood.co.uk

Or hit reply to the order acknowledgement.

[Richard]

Can a 3D printer work to produce a case on a small scale. A large company would want a run on many thousands to even be interested.

Absolutely - head over to Thingiverse http://www.thingiverse.com/ and search for 'Raspberry Pi' - loads of case designs of all types.

Designing one without access to a printer, or experience of using one, might be time consuming as there is a learning curve as to what structures are feasible to 3D print (you can't print on thin air using the widely used Fused Filament Fabrication style of printer...at least, not for very far...although more sophisticated printers can use support materials which can be dissolved) and then you get into what can often be a black art of finding a combination of materials and temperatures which will stick to the print bed when you want it to, not stick to the print bed when you don't want it to, and not warp as different parts of the print cool.  Finally, some materials don't react well to being placed in direct strong sunlight.

There are many tools you could use for the design - some folk use Google Sketchup - http://www.sketchup.com/ - but coming from a software development background I prefer OpenSCAD - http://www.openscad.org/ - which uses a declarative language with a syntax akin to C to define solids, and more lately Solid Python, a Python library which compiles designs into OpenSCAD. 

Regardless of what you use, if you can end up with an STL definition of your design send it over and I'll have a go at printing it for you.

Thank you for your reply.  I have no experience in this area at all. If I have a prototype can it be scanned into a CAD program for printing? This would make it easy to reproduce.

I'm getting out of my depth now

[rollingcircle]

Thank you for your reply.  I have no experience in this area at all. If I have a prototype can it be scanned into a CAD program for printing? This would make it easy to reproduce.

I'm getting out of my depth now

No problem - if you post up some pictures of the completed prototype case - sounds like you're building it by hand - I'll ask you for dimensions of specific features and see if I can recreate it in OpenSCAD.  There are 3D scanners which can digitise existing objects, but a) I don't think they work well with objects that have significant internal voids and b) I don't have one.

Probably scope for a thread on enclosures as I think we've hijacked the Regulator and ARF topic enough now!

[Paul_Sengupta]

I also think it would be a nice idea to have the GPS on the ARF shield board...all in one plug in unit, if the interfacing (I2C bus?) allows it. It would be neat to have it all inside the case. I mentioned modules to Lee at the LAA rally, but I was told the USB one would suffice for the moment.

Don't know if this sort of thing is any good?

http://uk.farnell.com/maestro-wireless-solutions/a2200a/gps-module-rom-based-mini-outline/dp/2281694

Or maybe this, which has the antenna built in - the equivalent of previous posted GPS modules?:

http://uk.farnell.com/maestro-wireless-solutions/a2235h/gps-module-mini-outline-w-ant/dp/2281695


Anyway, another thought I had was for the TV dongle. Most PCs these days have headers on the motherboard for plugging in case mounted USB ports. Perhaps we could persuade the Raspberry PI people to feature these on a future PI, which would make integration within one case easier.

[Pete]

Both  options of boards arrived today, thanks Jeremy. All fitted spot on.
 Just a tip for anyone putting their existing ARF board onto Jeremy's shield.

Take your time aligning the pins and hopefully if your are doing a retrospect fit from Lee's original setup, you soldered the pins in a straight line (didn't you?) in the first instance as per the manual, otherwise you may have to very gently persuade the pins to come into perfect alignment.Take your time and no shaky hands when soldering the pins in place .
Have fun.

[scsirob]

Don't know if this sort of thing is any good?

http://uk.farnell.com/maestro-wireless-solutions/a2200a/gps-module-rom-based-mini-outline/dp/2281694

Or maybe this, which has the antenna built in - the equivalent of previous posted GPS modules?:

http://uk.farnell.com/maestro-wireless-solutions/a2235h/gps-module-mini-outline-w-ant/dp/2281695

Neither of those support DGPS (WAAS/EGNOS), so they will always have less accuracy than DGPS-based modules. Especially altitude which is important for our purpose.

I would prefer something based on uBlox NEO 7- or 8-series. Very sensitive modules, small footprint and support for all GPS technologies.

[Richard]

Jerramy,
   Are you still awaiting parts to complete some orders? Did you get my email about soldering the board and launch?

[JCurtis]

Jerramy,
   Are you still awaiting parts to complete some orders? Did you get my email about soldering the board and launch?

I've just had the shipment notification for the PCB's, so should be with me tomorrow.  Depending on when they arrive I might get some out tomorrow, I hope to have all backorders shipped by Wednesday.

Now, remind me what needed to change.... if you can let me know which order it relates to and what need altering via e-mail.  There have been a number of tweaks to orders, and there is more than one Richard!

Note to others, if you have sent me an e-mail via the forum it *may* not have arrived, so if you did and I haven't replied please e-mail direct...

jeremy.curtis at harkwood.co.uk

Or reply to your order acknowledgement and I'll get it.

[The Westmorland Flyer]

My PCBs arrived this morning by 1st class post and very nicely made they look too. Nice one Jeremy!

As already noted, the base of the SMA socket needs to stand about 2mm proud of the ARF board edge in order to clear the edge of the regulator board. I'll have a go at the soldering work shortly and post some pics/words later.

[The Westmorland Flyer]

OK, I've got the first of these boards up and running. Anyone who happens to be committing aviation over sunny Cumbria is welcome to listen out for ident 406178 (on the ground)!

Here's how I put the AFF/regulator board together. There'll be other ways that may be just as good or even better but this worked for me.

1. Using the two small header strips, "dry" assemble the ARF and regulator boards. The ARF component side faces away from the regulator board.



2. Turn the assembly upside down and place it on a flat surface. The large IDC connector is taller than the boards, so I sat the board an the edge of my table with the IEC connector over the edge. The objective is to get the ARF board and regulator board tight up against one another with the header pins fully inserted in both boards.



Now solder the pins at the end of each header strip, four in total. Use the minimum amount of solder possible and beware short circuit bridges - the pins are rather close to one-another!



Now gently remove the ARF board and check that the header is fully seated. If not you can resolder the pins whilst pushing the header down.

Solder the remainder of the pins on the regulator board, again being careful to avoid solder bridges.



Put the ARF back in place and carefully align the SMA connector, noting that it won't slide fully home onto the ARF board because the regulator board is about 2mm longer. I used some electrician's tape to hold everything in place.



Gently solder tack the two earth pins on the SMA connector to the lands on either side of the pigtail connector. This will hold the SMA socket in place and you can now remove the ARF from the regulator board and solder the two earth pins and centre pin to their respective lands on the other side of the ARF board



Finally set the ARF fully home onto the header pins on the regulator board and carefully solder all pins on both headers. If necessary, tidy up the solder tacks on this side of the SMA socket.



That's it! Do one more check that you've not inadvertently bridged and connections and that all pins have been soldered properly, then plug into your RPi and apply power. Within a few seconds you should see the green "Heartbeat" light flashing every second on the regulator board, signalling that all is well.



Edit: Corrected first image