Circuit Break - A MacroFab Podcast

By MacroFab, Inc.

Dive into the electrifying world of electrical engineering with Circuit Break, a MacroFab podcast hosted by Parker Dillmann and Stephen Kraig. This dynamic duo, armed with practical experience and a p... more

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FAQs about Circuit Break - A MacroFab Podcast:

How many episodes does Circuit Break - A MacroFab Podcast have?

The podcast currently has 448 episodes available.

Circuit Break - A MacroFab Podcast episodes:

August 07, 2019MEP EP#184: Like a Satellite Out of Hell
The MacroFab Engineering Podcast Design Contest sponsored by Mouser Electronics currently going on! The topic is Useless Machines! We have cash prizes up to $1000 for the winners. The deadline is August 10th and it is closing fast! More information can be found on here!
Parker
Trophy Software?
WiFi connectivity - Comitup

Python GUI - guizero

PinoTaur
LED boards using the APA-102C-NEW-260
Make them low cost and easy to assemble

Build up 2 more REV1 for testing purposes

Next project Sponsored by Mouser
IoT Compressor revitalization

Started on MEP EP#68

Uses a Particle Photon

PX3AN2BS250PAAAX
HoneyWell Pressure Transducer

6225AXXSZS-DC3

Need a new enclosure that is industrial and ruggedized
Stephen
Linear power supply design
Roz transformer and the appropriate taps

How do you estimate the dc output voltage given a transformer spec?

Vdc = 2*Vmax/pi

Power supplies for valve amplifiers Page 38
Very cool chart for determining DC output voltage from rectifiers with series resistance

http://www.hammondmfg.com/pdf/5c007.pdf

Drilling and tapping the trophy
Just got the parts day of recording
R.F.O.
Glasgow tongue has a taste for whisky
Glasgow University researchers have made a bionic tongue which can tell the difference between Glenfiddich, Laphroaig, Glen Marnoch and between different vintages of each brand sampled at the ages 12, 15 and 18.

So, you want to build a CubeSat?
Al Williams covered this topic!

Lots of CubeSat data here

What kind of CubeSat would you design?

How to Master PCB Repairs and Why You Should
Hardest thing about repairing circuit boards is knowing what the part was before it let the smoke out!
Visit our Public Slack Channel and join the conversation in between episodes!
...more
1h 8min
July 31, 2019MEP EP#183: Feel the Hum
MEP EP#183: Feel the Hum
Zapp
Was on previous podcast episodes:
Incognito Mode which was episode number 69

Arduino, The Gateway Drug To #BadgeLife which was episode number 109

Badges?
AND!XOR Badge is going to be free to people at the conference thanks to sponsors and philanthropists

Design elements - dithered silk, exposed copper, light pipes

Major hardware elements
IQS333, BMD340, FT2232

FT2232 Hardware Hacking Swiss Army Knife

Release Trailer

Really cool Hackaday article covering the Badge and SAOs
CrabFoam
DOOM SAO is out in the wild
We managed to implement all the features!

Github is public. Open Sourced!

PinoTaur is flipping a pinball machine
Only one Hardware bug

Blitz
MacroAmp is complete
Bad datasheets - Dont trust footprints

Design Contest Enclosure for Trophy
Overly beefy

Made from a piece of 10” x 36” x 0.25”
R.F.O.
Honey, I Shrunk the Raspberry Pi!
ArduCam shrunk the Raspberry Pi to a small System-on-Module board with castellated edges

Broadcom SoC is not publically available so how did they do it?

USB Type-C Raspberry Pi 4 issues!
Recognized as an Audio device

Sony Crowdfunded personal A/C?
Reon Pocket wearable A/C and Heater

Uses a peltier cooler

Micro-Sized Flex For Commercial Quality Bodging
Could be a good fix for the Raspberry Pi Foundation ;)

Visit our Public Slack Channel and join the conversation in between episodes!
...more
1h 20min
July 24, 2019MEP EP#182: The Wireless Research Center
MEP EP#182: The Wireless Research Center
Gerard Hayes
Has nearly three decades of experience in government and commercial electromagnetic research and design

Prior to establishing the Wireless Research Center in 2010, Dr. Hayes worked for Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications and Lockheed Martin

At Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications (USA) Inc., Dr.Hayes provided global technical leadership in the Technology and Research organization with contributions to handset antenna design, technology, and radiated performance optimization

At Lockheed Martin (formerly Lockheed Missiles and Space Co.), Dr. Hayes supported research and development efforts for space-based, phased array application

Experience encompasses electromagnetic theory, bioelectromagnetics, antenna design, RF circuit analysis, and material engineering

Participated in the development of international standards for OTA, HAC, and SAR evaluation which includes IEEE, IEC, CTIA, and C63 standards
Shruthi Soora
Senior staff engineering consultant at the Wireless Research Center

Has over 15 years of experience in RF and antenna engineering in the commercial, defense and medical device markets and has developed products from early concept to production

Has held technical positions at RFMD, HTC, Sony Ericsson and Harris.
The Wireless Research Center
What is it?
501 C (3)

Accreditations
A2LA (American Association for Laboratory Accreditation)

CTIA (Cellular Telecommunications Industry Association)

Verizon Authorized Independent Test Lab for OTA radiated performance

OTA Testing
FCC Pre-certification
Lots of engineers looking for this

LTE (Long-Term Evolution)

WCDMA (Wide-Band Code-Division Multiple Access)

Total Radiated Power

Total Isotropic Sensitivity

Engineering Services
Antenna and RF design

Simulation and Analysis

Field Testing and Propagation Modeling

Engineering and Development

First time tips and tricks for engineers developing their first product.
What do they need to test for?

Estimated costs

What to bring

What is the result? What do you get?
Visit our Public Slack Channel and join the conversation in between episodes!
...more
52min
July 17, 2019MEP EP#181: Greg Paulsen: Pizza is the Way to an Engineer's Heart
MEP EP#181: Greg Paulsen: Pizza is the Way to an Engineer's Heart
Greg Paulsen
The leader of the Application Engineering team at Xometry

Xometry is an online instant quoting platform for custom manufacturing projects, which utilize a professional network of thousands of manufacturers

Greg’s team handles special case projects that require attention to material selection, design-for-manufacturing, and technical engineering resources

Plays a vital role in vetting new technologies and materials to add to Xometry's manufacturing portfolio

Background is in product development using rapid prototyping, focusing on the various applications of industrial 3D printing and advanced manufacturing
Digital Manufacturing
Uploading and interpreting customer’s files

Can uploading to the cloud replace drawings?

Drawings contain so much information that is necessary

Is it too easy to just dump in a 3d model and not worry about the rest?

Experienced vs Newbie customers - What kind of resources exist for both?

Assemblies

Tolerances and Stackup
Breaking tradition
How is “digital manufacturing” replacing the more traditional customer/manufacturer relationships?

Approvals and certifications?

Inspections and reports?

If a customer wishes to do a walk through or receive specific factory information is that available?
The Network of Partners
How to handle capability?

Quality?

Lead times?
Visit our Public Slack Channel and join the conversation in between episodes!
...more
1h 12min
July 10, 2019MEP EP#180: Chrissy Meyer and Personal Errata Datasheets
MEP EP#180: Chrissy Meyer and Personal Errata Datasheets
Chrissy Meyer
Has spent the past decade taking hardware products from early concept through high-volume production

Received a MS in Electrical Engineering from Stanford

Led several projects at Apple and Square

Founding team member at Pearl Automation, a vehicle technology startup

Developed products that have shipped tens of millions of units

Spent over a year on the ground in Asia working closely with manufacturers and suppliers

Recently joined Root Ventures, a seed-stage hard tech venture capital firm, as a partner

At Root, Chrissy invests in deeply technical teams that are solving problems in robotics, hardware, industrial automation, AI, and machine learning
Background/Career
Engineering - scripting for military applications

Project Management

Large Scale Manufacturing
Very High volume manufacturing
What do you need to consider?

Documentation?

The path from nothing to something
Reviews?

Test runs?

Scaling?

Testing and Validation
Every unit? Batch? First Article?

What do you do with failed units?
Working with Tier 1 Manufacturers
How do you get started and what do you need to know?

Pet peeves of Manufacturing
Visit our Public Slack Channel and join the conversation in between episodes!
...more
1h 12min
July 03, 2019MEP EP#179: Mach 3 Cheeseburgers
MEP EP#179: Mach 3 Cheeseburgers
The MacroFab Engineering Podcast Useless Machine Contest Sponsored by Mouser Electronics is in full swing! We have cash prizes up for grabs. Contest Ends August 10, 2019. Check out the Macrofab Blog and Podcast Episode 175 for more contest details.
Parker
PinoTaur Updates
Simulated Mosfet Driving
Limiting the 74hc595 driver to 10mA

Solenoid Mosfet Current Sensing
ACS711KEXLT-15AB-T
DOOM SAO
Hardware Repo is assembled

Software Next
Detailed instructions on building the environment

How the main code functions
Stephen
Fredman clip
Parker brought up the SM57 microphone holder he 3D printed to compare to the clip that was bought online

Text Based Adventure Update
Majority of the story, characters, and environment are designed
R.F.O.
Cheeseburger Wind Tunnel Tests
Could this be McDonald's wind tunnel tests so you can eat burgers faster?

Millennium Falcon wind tunnel tests at Mach 3!

Wire Bender Aims To Take Circuit Sculptures To The Next Level
Great example of 3d printing done right!

Apparatus For Facilitating The Birth of A Child by Centrifugal Force
Patent

If you could design something that would operate by using Centrifugal Force what would it be?
Visit our Public Slack Channel and join the conversation in between episodes!
...more
58min
June 26, 2019MEP EP#178: Little Shop of Transformer Horror
MEP EP#178: Little Shop of Transformer Horror
Josh Rozier
Transformer Shop Story

What is different between a power transformer and an output transformer?
Parker
DOOM SAO
EEPROM interface working for single read and write bytes

Functionality of the base firmware for the Screen functionality
Shows the normal Face.

GPIO 1 on the SAO connector toggles where the Face looks

EEPROM address locations for “damage” and “anger”

Github still needs to be cleaned up before public
Stephen
MacroAmp
Enclosure and other parts arrive tomorrow

Thank you to Mouser Electronics for sponsoring this project!

Kraig Brewing Controller
Creating a new controller for controlling my beer fridge

6 temperature probes
DS18B20

Averaging is useful

Wifi Connectivity
Silicon Labs solution

External Antenna

Processor
Silicon Labs

Screen and a few buttons

Takachi Enclosure
R.F.O.
Confirmed: NASA Has Been Hacked
An audit document from the U.S. Office of the Inspector General was published by NASA this week which revealed that an unauthorized Raspberry Pi computer connected to the Jet Propulsion Laboratory servers was a targeted vector by hackers, who used it to move further into the NASA network. Supposedly, the hackers got as far as the Deep Space Network array of radio telescopes and other JPL systems.

Research Platform FLIP (FLoating Instrument Platform)
355-foot-long research platform that can be deployed for oceanographic research

Automated Dice Tester Uses Machine Vision To Ensure A Fair Game
62-page report of results

Some dice are inherently not fair due to manufacturing process

Raspberry Pi 4 Released
Type-C for power

USB 3.0

MOAR RAM

Gigabit

2 HDMI ports and 4K resolution

GE Light Bulbs Reset Procedure
Taking the internet by storm

How would you implement a reset procedure with only a binary input?
Visit our Public Slack Channel and join the conversation in between episodes!
...more
1h 36min
June 19, 2019MEP EP#177: Leeroy Jenkins Transistor
MEP EP#177: Leeroy Jenkins Transistor
Check out our new MacroFab Design Contest: Useless Machine Sponsored by Mouser Electronics!
Parker
APA-102C-NEW-260 Tested

DOOM SAO in production
ST7789 LCD Works correctly

Type-C works well

Got the ATSAMD21 I2C EEPROM interface working

SOON to be public Github repo

Preorder on the AND!XOR website

Atmel SWD to Tag Connect adapter works!
ICE ICE BABY

SOICBITE
Stephen
MacroAmp Rev 2: Sponsored by Mouser Electronics
Schematic is complete

Only grounds left to run and to do a review

Completely rethought design
Simulated power supplies

uTracer data gathering for everything

Gain calcs - one or two nutube?

Coarse and fine volume controls

PCB mounted Tube sockets

Terminal blocks for easy assembly

Wants to do something not audio related for next project
R.F.O.
Non-destructive banana ripeness determination using a neural network-based electronic nose
Follow up from last weeks discussion with Nick Chelyapov

Accuracy of 90.3% was reached using an “electronic nose”

Sensors are sensitive to ethylene (the ripening hormone in climacteric fruit, such as apples, peaches, bananas, etc.)

Buzzfeed for Electronics?
Need More Energy Storage? Just Hit 'Print'

Lords call for evidence on impact of digital tech

Organic Semiconductors: One Transistor for All Purposes

Renewable Energy Won't Make Bitcoin 'Green,' but Tweaking Its Mining Mechanism Might

Powering Devices -- With a Desk Lamp?

Beyond 1 and 0: Engineers boost potential for creating successor to shrinking transistors
A multi-value logic transistor based on zinc oxide

Zinc oxide combined to form a composite nanolayer, which is then incorporated with layers of other materials in a superlattice
Visit our Public Slack Channel and join the conversation in between episodes!
...more
1h 9min
June 12, 2019MEP EP#176: Some Impedance or Whatever - Nick Chelyapov with Bitty
Some Impedance or Whatever - Nick Chelyapov with Bitty
Nick Chelyapov
A freelance Interactive Art Director and Graphic Designer

Born in Moscow, Russia and raised in Los Angeles, California

Nick has worked on a wide variety of art direction and graphic design projects

Nick started Bitty, a pocket drum machine, 3 and a half years ago

"I think the edge that I have to bring to a hardware product is graphic design"
What is the bitty?
Kickstarter project

A pocket drum machine

Specs on Bitty
Sine / square / saw / triangle waves (it's all there, noise too.)

Sample playback - 16khz samples

Polyphony - 4 voices is easy, depending on the complexity of the patch, 8-16 voices is possible

Filters - Low Pass, High Pass, Band Pass, Notch

Patterns / Arpeggiation
How did you get into hardware design from graphic design?
Product look and feel

Process of iterations? What do you look for in the design?
Links and Callouts
The mozzi library

Fab Academy

Teenage Engineering

Gavin Lund

Curious Sound Objects
Visit our Public Slack Channel and join the conversation in between episodes!
...more
1h 6min
June 05, 2019MEP EP#175: Are Projects Really Useless?
Are Projects Really Useless?
MacroFab Design Contest: Useless Machine Sponsored by Mouser Electronics
Four cash prizes!
First Place: $1000

Second Place: $500

Third Place: $250

MacroFab Podcast Favorite: $1000 and a Useless Trophy

Contest runs 8 AM CST June 1st, 2019 through 8 AM CST August 10, 2019

How to Enter your Useless Project
Build an electronic project that is useless

Document it as a new project on Hackaday.io
Tag it with “MacroFab Design Contest: Useless Machine”

More rules and information on the blog
R.F.O.
Arm gives up control of IP to China
Softbank, sold the 51% share of Arm China to the Chinese
Major Google Services Outage
Nest was down. No A/C and Doors couldn’t be unlocked

Services rendered YouTube, Gmail, and Snapchat

Google Cloud on the backend
Squirrels and Security — It’s a Thing!
They’re cute, they’re fuzzy, and they pose a major threat to our cyber-infrastructure.

“Frankly, the No. 1 threat experienced to date by the U.S. electrical grid is squirrels”

This map lists all unclassified Cyber Squirrel Operations that have been released to the public that we have been able to confirm.
Visit our Public Slack Channel and join the conversation in between episodes!
...more
36min

FAQs about Circuit Break - A MacroFab Podcast:

How many episodes does Circuit Break - A MacroFab Podcast have?

The podcast currently has 448 episodes available.

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