Soldering Tutorial

This is a short tutorial on how to solder – with an example of BAD soldering.

Colour Changing Fibre Optic Scarfs – With wireless Colour Control

 

Need to use wireless communication to transfer or control arduino or any other micro-controller (With a UART). Then use the WIXEL Wireless controller. This is an example of a project to communicate via colour scarfs.

12v Vacuum Pump

Need to create a vacuum, then use this easy to use pump :

http://proto-pic.co.uk/12v-vacuum-pump/

Needing a very modest 12V at 1 Amp Supply this pump can be included in many projects,

with a small 40mm x 65mm x 90mm footprint, it can fit easily into small enclosures if required.

VIDEO :

RFID based Bird Logger

A customer asked for help on designing an RFID based Logger to log bird visits to various locations, in the log he required the date, time and serial number of the RFID attached to the birds. We started with an Arduino UNO, a Real Time Clock module and a RFID reader.  We added a SD Shield to log the data to & built the prototype. Have a look at the video :

 

Ethernet Shield and Projects – What can Basically Be Done Online

If you are looking around for answers on whether you can do anything with electronics project online? The answer is yes, absolutely as the real time limiters can use you current skill as well as available resources along with your imagination. With the help of an Ethernet Shield you can create micro controller board that is used to serve files for the website or to turn to a web client.  In a different case you will find that the final application you put into the place is basically dictated by the design.

Though we all know that the Ethernet Shield is quite a fun to play with to check out what you basically get to do. But, when you came down to designing your final projects as well as applications the basic that lies to your success is to find out something that interests individuals as well as people are quite fascinated in using that.

There are basically several number of hand held applications that are available in the moment and many that are generated on a regular basis. The tablet as well as smart phones is being used by the owners on a regular basis to determine any nearby restaurant, anything related to movies or evening out plans. Therefore, getting hold of a hand held mapping device is something that is much more than just your love for electronics that is quite useful and therefore, it could be a start of a prototype business.  

The whole idea of the web is that it allows you to go free. The same can also be assumed for home electronics design. Undoubtedly the two that are combined are a counterpart that could easily be made.

Stepper-Motor – One of the most Unheard Devices

Stepper motors are devices that are not usually heard of yet, they play a vital role in almost each and every aspect of our everyday lives. Starting from digital cameras on the way to aircraft instrumentation, these kind of magnet powered Stepper-motor are usually made use of to a number of applications in an apparently list of devices which is endless. Whereas, the computer that you are making use of contains many stepper motors.

But, its utilization is not only restricted to the manufacturing industry whereas, the stepper motor have a greater role to play. Steppers are widely popular in the field of amateur electronics because of the high level of control that they offer at an exceptionally low cost. Therefore, now you can opt for a stepper motor online for around ten pounds. You can get hold of this at www.proto-pic.co.uk/ which is considered to be one of the best places to get started with your search.

As it is known that the stepper motors are quite user-friendly with the help of micro-controller chips and digital circuitry, electronics enthusiasts have started taking up stepper motor to provide a whole range of movement in an entire range of different applications from robotics to display of lighting. 

Are you an electronic hobbyist who is looking for a stepper motor for your project? If yes, you need to consider two main things.

• Among the other, the first is the “step angle” of your motor which will make your movements more accurate
• The second is to consider about the holding torque of your motor because for smaller projects you need not have much torque for your motor.

But, in case you want your motor to control large loads of movement then you require a motor that has got high level of holding torque.

DMX Lighting Networks – How the DMX Universe Works in Practice

The DMX lighting network is normally installed as part of a “DMX universe”. DMX512 standardises communications networks for the control of lighting, audio cues and some stage effects. In modern usage, DMX512 has applications in non-theatrical environments, for example to create mood lighting in restaurants or art galleries, and to control Christmas light displays in large installations.

DMX512 doesn’t work well with potentially hazardous effects such as pyrotechnics, because the system doesn’t incorporate its own automated error checking routines. An error in a DMX lighting system may falsely trigger a lighting event – which is annoying but harmless. However, were pyrotechnics involved, a false trigger could cause serious damage to persons or property.

The DMX network is strung together in a daisy chain, with a single master controller taking charge of the “Universe” (a DMX network is normally referred to as a DMX universe). In cases where extremely large numbers of slave devices are required, a master controller unit may control multiple DMX universes.

In general DMX lighting is controlled using data sent over EIA-485 levels of volts. This is not always the case however. In order to determine the correct voltage levels for sending DMX data throughout the universe, it is necessary to refer to the standard DMX document, which sets out the proper parameters for every stage of the networking process.

The DMX lighting and other effects network is a bus string with a maximum length of 1.2 kilometres. There should never be more than 32 devices connected over a single bus. Where more than this number of devices are required, the network engineer may either use a DMX splitter, or create a pair of networks to be controlled by the single master controller.
DMX lighting networks may thus be controlled with ease even where lighting effects are physically spaced out over a wide area (like a stage).