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MEP EP#222: Turning It On - New Design Checklists with James LewisJames Lewis
His passion for teaching non-engineers has led him to create the Baldengineer Blog and the AddOhms video tutorial series
With 20 years of experience in electronics, marketing, sales, and teaching, James boils seemingly difficult concepts down to the core, so that anyone can learn what they need to finish that next great project
James was on the previous MEP EP#141: It Depends – An In Depth Look at MLCCs with James Lewis
How to test and validate if your new PCB Assembly is working properly
What do you do before power on?
Component checks?
Current limiting?
Voltage limiting?
The Smoke Test
What do you do if it all goes up in smoke?
Validating power systems or supplies
Equipment for testing
IR cameras for looking for hot spots
Minimal viable electronic lab equipment
Digital Multimeter
auto ranging
true RMS
measure/verify caps (but gotta take it out of circuit)
Consider bench style
Power Supply
Power output, watch the power ratings
Current limiting (critical)
Output control
Avoid the cheap ATX route
Oscilloscope bandwidth vs sample rate
channel count
built-in AWG
serial decodes
Probes
Function Generator
Great for filters and to replace a clock, but how useful are they?
All-In One devices
Analog Discovery 2
Great for turning-on boards from home
Compromised specs, but could be "good enough."
Soldering Station
Think about rework
Can you remove SMT?
Hot air, etc.
Will you need to add debug headers?
Show Notes
MEP EP#222: Turning It On - New Design Checklists with James Lewis
James Lewis
- His passion for teaching non-engineers has led him to create the Baldengineer Blog and the AddOhms video tutorial series
- With 20 years of experience in electronics, marketing, sales, and teaching, James boils seemingly difficult concepts down to the core, so that anyone can learn what they need to finish that next great project
- James was on the previous MEP EP#141: It Depends – An In Depth Look at MLCCs with James Lewis
How to test and validate if your new PCB Assembly is working properly
- What do you do before power on?
- Component checks?
- Current limiting?
- Voltage limiting?
- The Smoke Test
- What do you do if it all goes up in smoke?
- Validating power systems or supplies
- Equipment for testing
- IR cameras for looking for hot spots
- Minimal viable electronic lab equipment
- Digital Multimeter
- auto ranging
- true RMS
- measure/verify caps (but gotta take it out of circuit)
- Consider bench style
- Power Supply
- Power output, watch the power ratings
- Current limiting (critical)
- Output control
- Avoid the cheap ATX route
- Oscilloscope bandwidth vs sample rate
- channel count
- built-in AWG
- serial decodes
- Probes
- Function Generator
- Great for filters and to replace a clock, but how useful are they?
- All-In One devices
- Analog Discovery 2
- Great for turning-on boards from home
- Compromised specs, but could be "good enough."
- Soldering Station
- Think about rework
- Can you remove SMT?
- Hot air, etc.
- Will you need to add debug headers?
- Digital Multimeter
Creators & Guests
What is Circuit Break - A MacroFab Podcast?
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 palpable passion for tech, explores the latest innovations, industry news, and practical challenges in the field. From DIY project hurdles to deep dives with industry experts, Parker and Stephen's real-world insights provide an engaging learning experience that bridges theory and practice for engineers at any stage of their career.
Whether you're a student eager to grasp what the job market seeks, or an engineer keen to stay ahead in the fast-paced tech world, Circuit Break is your go-to. The hosts, alongside a vibrant community of engineers, makers, and leaders, dissect product evolutions, demystify the journey of tech from lab to market, and reverse engineer the processes behind groundbreaking advancements. Their candid discussions not only enlighten but also inspire listeners to explore the limitless possibilities within electrical engineering.
Presented by MacroFab, a leader in electronics manufacturing services, Circuit Break connects listeners directly to the forefront of PCB design, assembly, and innovation. MacroFab's platform exemplifies the seamless integration of design and manufacturing, catering to a broad audience from hobbyists to professionals.
About the hosts: Parker, an expert in Embedded System Design and DSP, and Stephen, an aficionado of audio electronics and brewing tech, bring a wealth of knowledge and a unique perspective to the show. Their backgrounds in engineering and hands-on projects make each episode a blend of expertise, enthusiasm, and practical advice.
Join the conversation and community at our online engineering forum, where we delve deeper into each episode's content, gather your feedback, and explore the topics you're curious about. Subscribe to Circuit Break on your favorite podcast platform and become part of our journey through the fascinating world of electrical engineering.