Great looking work John, have you had a chance to test drive it? Any thought on a cost per unit?
Yep, I tested the first batch, but I need to build myself a slightly faster method of testing. I have special spring pins that I use to test stuff like the lighting modules while still in the full panels, and I need to build a similar test rig for these so I can test these track sensors much faster.
They do what was intended, it's a pretty simple function. I also have to write up instructions to go with them.
If you are now taking orders, I am ready to order 4 of them!!
I will be soon. Still some prep work to do, but there's light at the end of the tunnel. Of course, since these are thru-hole designs and my assembly house does SMT, I also have to assemble them, that will keep me busy for a spell... 
You certainly don't seem to have any problems keeping busy!! I will await further instructions.
Do those panels easily split apart after the components are installed?
Yes, it's a very common method of making PC boards, it's called VSCORE. Most production is done with panalized boards so that the pick-n-place machines can operate on a bigger panel, much more efficient. My Super-Chuffer comes in a 3 x 4 panel, the Chuff-Generator comes in a 2 x 8 panel, and the lighting controllers come in a 4 x 5 panel.
It's way more efficient for me to assemble these thru-hole components in a larger panel as well, so they get build together and then snapped apart after they're completed and washed.
Man John, you are one of the smartest people I have ever fallowed on any forum. Between you, Stan, GGG, and I know there are others. You all could open a model train university !
gunrunnerjohn posted:.. I also have to write up instructions to go with them.
Looking good!
One thing that I find a nice touch with instructions is to provide a 1:1 drilling template for mounting the board. I recall Tortoise does this. Also, does everyone have 1/4" thick nylon washers (or whatever) for mounting? I realize that's another 10 cents in cost but always impresses me when you get everything needed to hit the ground running. 
gunrunnerjohn posted:I will be soon. Still some prep work to do, but there's light at the end of the tunnel. Of course, since these are thru-hole designs and my assembly house does SMT, I also have to assemble them, that will keep me busy for a spell...
SMT =
- Sucking My Teeth?
- Surface-Mount Technology?
- Senior Management Team?
- Spinal Manipulative Therapy?
- Shiver Me Timbers?
Sorry to be dense. Looking forward to the finished product.
Steven J. Serenska
Stan, that's an interesting thought, the spacers and a couple of screws would be a nice touch. I'll have to look around for a deal on them. 
Surface Mount Technology
Great job John, I'm looking forward to installing a few on my layout . Please let us know when they might be available .
Paul
Another home run John. You have a knack of finding simple solutions for everyday problems. Definitely an engineering talent. 
Great job John. Your abilities never cease to amaze me. I look forward to ordering a few of these for my layout.
Very soon now guys. Got the background stuff to do before I can turn them loose.
I sure hope you ordered plenty of PCBs, it sounds like they will be going very fast. You're gonna have to hire a shipping clerk!
I first need an assembly clerk! If these are too popular, I'll have to do a re-spin using surface mount and let the assembly house build them.
I will be offering kits of some sort, spread the work around...
Left boards?
Left over* auto correction on the phone fail!
John, what is the manufacturer (you) retail price for one of these boards?
Ah, you need a two hatted clerk!! Arrive in the AM with assembly hat, make boards in the morning, switch hats at lunch, ship out in the afternoon!
The kits sound like a good idea as well, I would be in for them either way. Whichever is easier on you is fine with me.
Looks good. I'm interested.
I hope you sell a million of them. I'm ready for few myself. It takes a serious O Gauger to serve the O Gauge market. John, you are among the best.
Thanks guys. This is like all of my products, I first see a need in my own environment and then decide that there's probably a wider need for similar capability.
Had some time to assemble the first "Relay board" and works without a hitch. About 20 minutes to solder and clean the PCB.
Not as many bells and whistles as GRJ version but it will get the job done.
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Looks good, it'll get the job done.
Some tweaks are needed but for now it will do. Definitely a lot easier to assemble than the passenger car boards I have! That smd is fun but time consuming.
christhetrainguy09 posted:That smd is fun but time consuming.
Why do you think I have my lighting controllers manufactured?
gunrunnerjohn posted:christhetrainguy09 posted:That smd is fun but time consuming.
Why do you think I have my lighting controllers manufactured?
The little potentiometer is fun...
Yep, that takes a bit to get that little pot hand soldered, by far the worst component to do on the lighting board! For my RailSounds battery, the ugly component is the little switching regulator chip, it's tiny and a PITA to solder.
When I design SMT based stuff, I try to make it fairly easy to hand assemble, at least as much as possible. I avoid really fine pitch parts, and I don't use anything smaller than a 0603 footprint resistor or cap, and I generally try to live with the 0805 size as the minimum. The .095mm parts are typically the smallest pitch I use, and I prefer the 1.27mm lead spacing if possible. Occasionally, I can't avoid a fine pitch part, then I just have to live with it. I used a .050mm part on a sound board prototype, that was a GIANT PITA to get it on there right!
christhetrainguy09 posted:Had some time to assemble the first "Relay board" and works without a hitch. About 20 minutes to solder and clean the PCB.
Given any more thought about making the bare-boards orderable? And a parts list?
Previously you mentioned $17 for 3 boards whereas GRJ showed about half that for his version. Not sure what you finally ended up with?
Stan, mine will be offered in kit form at $8/ea in lots of eight, $10 for smaller quantities. If you buy less than eight, you'll get either a partial panel or individual boards, that will be my choice.
Kits will include everything you need to build the boards as shown here. This is obviously an example for a panel of eight, if you get fewer kits, you get fewer parts.
The panels come from the PCB manufacturer like this, and it's WAY easier to assemble multiple units in panelized form all at once than do them one at a time, you can populate them all with a class of components and then solder them all in one step.
Here's my assembly technique.
I start with the shortest components, that would be the resistor, diode, and choke. I populate them and then using a flat piece of plastic or metal, lay it on top and flip the board upside down. Then I can solder those components while they're held in place by the board under them. Then I populate the next tallest component, that's the bridge rectifier, using the same technique. Keep working your way through the parts groups one at a time. The terminal strip, then the 3-pin jumper array, then the relay, then the capacitor, and finally the 12V regulator, the tallest part on the board.
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John, I haven't beem closely following the tech discussions. I thought you would be offering finished products, not kits.
RJR posted:John, I haven't beem closely following the tech discussions. I thought you would be offering finished products, not kits.
Me also.
There will be both, the finished products will be up on the Henning's site in a few days.
stan2004 posted:christhetrainguy09 posted:Had some time to assemble the first "Relay board" and works without a hitch. About 20 minutes to solder and clean the PCB.
Given any more thought about making the bare-boards orderable? And a parts list?
Previously you mentioned $17 for 3 boards whereas GRJ showed about half that for his version. Not sure what you finally ended up with?
Stan,
I was able to get it down to just under $13 for 3 boards. Parts cost per board is about $4.
If i have some free time I might play around and change it feature more smd parts to cut down on board size.
Please let us know when they do, John. Don't tell your pals
, but i don't check their website often.
Ok, you talked me into it, I'll take 8 of the kits. Sure can't beat a deal like that!!
Send me an email and I'll set you up.
