Electronics-Lab.com Blog

IPushKarov posted his DIY Nikon DSLR IR remote with MSP430:

Three years back in time, I bought Nikon D3000 DSLR. I started shooting, but the moment I needed remote, came one day (more over night), during on night photography session. I checked all local suppliers, but the prices were high. I ordered one from China. The problem with orders from China is that they take time. I started waiting and one day I made my IR remote, using the MSP430.

[via]

Nikon DSLR IR remote using an MSP430  - [Link]

Well-proven graphic displays Bolymin BG series represent a very suitable and cost-effective choice for applications, where we need not only character- but also graphic output. 

Series BG from company Bolymin belongs to a group of universal displays with an excellent price / performance ratio. Each type contains some of standard LCD controllers, that´s why it is relatively simple to control them.

Graphic displays naturally provide an advantage of possibility to display any characters and symbols. BG series displays are suitable mainly for applications, where a display serves as an informative interface for example with various values about the status of a measured parameter, including pictograms and other graphic symbols. As these displays don´t comprise powerful graphic processors, they feature a relatively very low power consumption. To a low power consumption also contributes the built-in LED backlight (white or color depending on a type).

Detailed information can be found in datasheets at particular types.  In case of interest in any Bolymin product, please contact us at info@soselectronic.com.

Spice it with graphics! – [Link]

This tool helps to determine exact hole dimensions for screws and other parts – [via]

This weeks PAW will be extremely simple – it’s not even a breakout board, but it might still come in handy for people making PCBs. The FitHole is a tool for testing what drill size that best fits a part that you’re making a library footprint for.

NU-FitHole hole size helper - [Link]

DIN rail terminal blocks using the CAGE CLAMP®S spring clamp bring a simpler installation even without tools and up to 30% saving of space. 

Since 1977, when company Wago launched screwless terminal blocks on the market, have the terminal blocks using this system earned a high popularity. During many years, the Cage Clamp® system proved its reliability even in most demanding environment like for example in chemical and gas industry.

In the year 2003, company Wago brought on the market an innovated version named as Cage Clamp® S, bringing up to 30% space saving and mainly enables even simpler installation of wire leads (solid wires, stranded wires, fine-stranded wires, ferruled wires). Solid wires but also ferruled stranded wires can be simply pushed-in into the terminal block without using any tools. It enables shortening of time for installation down to 50% in comparison to Cage Clamp system and down to approx. 25% in comparison to classic screw terminal blocks.
Screwless contacts Cage Clamp S can be found in a vast system of DIN-rail terminal blocks – TOPJOB S. Series TOPJOB S provides wide possibilities of usage and features many accessories like interconnecting jumpers, testing pins, fuse blocks and many other.

A comprendious overview of features and possibilities of the TOPJOB S system will provide you the TOPJOB S brochure. Directly from our stock, we´re able to provide you with selected types of TOPJOB S series. In case of interest in types, which we don´t stock, please contact us at info@soselectronic.com.

Wago TOPJOB ® S – nowadays standard in installations? - [Link]

bonybrown.blogspot.gr writes:

SMD solder paste stencils are used to accurately “print” a thin layer of solder paste onto a PCB on which the components are placed before reflow soldering. The “printing” is done in a method similar to screen printing, where the solder paste is squeegeed through a 4 mil thick, stainless steel stencil onto the PCB.

This is all well and good, but commercial stencils are expensive, and are massive overkill for prototype boards. Here is a method for producing a “good-enough” stencil using aluminium sheet via a method similar to PCB production via the UV photosensitive film method.

Home-made solder paste stencil - [Link]

This is a great App that allows you to view .brd and .sch Files from CADSOFT Eagle V6.x and up on your android device. The demo version allows you to view only the demo files and a paid version costs only 0.99 EUR. App works really smooth and it allows you to select your desired layers! A must have app for electronic engineers!

Eagle Viewer for Android! - [Link]

The LTC2945 is a rail-to-rail system monitor that measures current, voltage, and power. It features an operating range of 2.7V to 80V and includes a shunt regulator for supplies above 80V to allow flexibility in the selection of input supply. The current measurement range of 0V to 80V is independent of the input supply. An onboard 0.75% accurate 12-bit ADC measures load current, input voltage and an auxiliary external voltage. A 24-bit power value is generated by digitally multiplying the measured 12-bit load current and input voltage data.

LTC2945 – Wide Range I2C Power Monitor - [Link]

The 12F series of PIC microcontrollers are handy little 8-pin devices designed for small embedded applications that do not require too many I/O resources, and where small size is advantageous. These applications include a wide range of everyday products such as hair dryers, electric toothbrushes, rice cookers, vacuum cleaners, coffee makers, and blenders. Despite their small size, the PIC12F series microcontrollers offer interesting features including wide operating voltage, internal programmable oscillator, 4 channels of 10-bit ADC, on-board EEPROM memory, on-chip voltage reference, multiple communication peripherals (UART, SPI, and I2C), PWM, and more. The following project board is designed for fast and easy development of standalone applications using PIC12F microcontrollers. It features an on-board regulated +5V power supply, header connectors to access I/O pins, an ICSP header for programming, a reset circuit, and a small prototyping area for placing additional components.

Mini project board for PIC12F series microcontrollers - [Link]

Introduction to Octopart – [via]

Here at Octopart, we put lots of effort into building new features to help you find electronic parts fast. Now we’re going to show you how to use those features. Below is our first Octopart tutorial video: an introduction of the site’s basic features. Let us know what you think in the comments!

Introduction to Octopart (video) - [Link]

Researchers at TU Vienna have developed a special ‘photografting’ technique that allows molecules to be positioned in a 3D substrate to produce more versatile and accurate sensors for ‘lab on a chip’ devices. The researchers had previously explored new kinds of 3D printers, but 3D printing is not suitable for the envisaged applications because putting together materials from tiny components with different chemical properties is very complicated. Instead, they took the approach of starting with a three dimensional scaffold and attaching the desired molecules at exactly the right positions.

The process begins with a hydrogel with large pores through which molecules or even cells can migrate. Specifically selected molecules are introduced into the hydrogel mesh, and then certain points are blasted with a laser beam. This causes photochemical bonds to be broken where the focused laser beam is most intense, creating highly reactive intermediates that bond to the hydrogel in their vicinity very quickly. The precision depends on the laser’s lens system; the researchers were able to obtain a resolution of 4 µm.

Various molecules can be used, depending on the application. 3D photografting is useful not only for bio-engineering, but also for other fields, such as photovoltaics or sensor technology. It allows precise positioning, in very small spaces, of molecules that bond to specific chemical substances and allow them to be detected in a ‘lab on a chip’. [via]

Photografting: 3D Printing with Molecules - [Link]