Pcb Manufacture in the Lab
Our inhouse PCB manufacture is improving, with 100% yield of a prototype non polar data and power connector. Results below. Had to print exposure mask at 110% so that the printer printed at the right size.
non polar 4 * data and power connector
Eyeborg goes mainstream
One of the cooler projects undertaken at the Hacklab has just come to fruition. Martin was working under the microscope for some time to create a masterpiece of minaturization: a wireless camera for insertion into a prosthetic eye (look Mom, no PCB!).
The project seems to have caught the eye of the media, starting with Sky news this morning, then the Metro in London and Edinburgh. and now even TechCrunch!
Videos from Sunday 17th July Talks
Videos from presentations that took place on Sunday 17th July 2011 are now available.
Spectral Robotics
Part 1
Part 2
Robomotic
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
See the Original Post for more information.
Apologies for the sound and picture quality, the lab was a little small for everyone so we used the space downstairs that had some challenging lighting and acoustic conditions.
Stay tuned for further presentations at the lab.
CNC Milling ABS plastic (and outstanding issues)
Sacrificial wood clamps the piece so the cutter doesn't hit the steel vice. We have a new cutting lubricant in the bottom of the photo. A bottle of red helps the time pass.
Maria and I were working last week fabricating four identical complex pieces out of ABS plastic. Initially we though a lowish feed rate combined with a fast cutting speed would give the best results but actually that’s not true. ABS suffers from the material melting and reattaching tangental to the circular cutter, so the effect is that when you cut, you end up drawing frayed lines over the surface. This is particularly noticeable on 90 degree corners and in deep pockets (concave regions). The first fix we tried was running the same program a second time. This did improve the situation but not enough to give it a finished look.
Pastures new?
As we approach the first birthday of Edinburgh Hacklab, it’s becoming clear that we’ve reached the limits of the space we’re currently occupying in Out Of The Blue.
So it’s time for the Hacklab to take the next step – we’re looking for a new space. Broadly speaking, we’re looking for a minimum of 500 sq ft, 24 hour access, able to be secured by us and well served by public transport.
Keep watching for updates on how we are getting on with our search, and if you have any tips on spaces that might be appropriate for us, please email, Facebook or tweet us up.
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Hacklab status: OPEN!
