Introduction to Headers. What headers are and how they are used and how to solder them onto a perfboard.
Using a Panavice (extra pair of hands) to hold PCB boards and or perf board for soldering components.
Soldering headers onto perf board using the unique way of soldering form the long pin side (using modified headers). The first soldered pin is poor, but the rest are good. The first pad was not heated enough because the solder tip was not positionedat the correct angle.
Bad example of soldering technique. The soldering iron tip was not touching both the pad and the pin or lead.
Part 1 of Soldering Technique to get headers to line up or seat straight using a female connector plugged into the two row header strip so the headers are aligned while soldering.
Part 2 of Soldering Technique to get headers to line up or seat straight using a female connector plugged into the two row header strip so the headers are aligned while soldering.
Poor soldering technique where a solder ball forms on the end of the soldering iron tip. The flux is not able to get to the surface of the metal to clean these surfaces and allow the solder to bond to the metal. A Panavice or helping hand is used to assist with olding the perf board.
How to fix a solder bridge. A solder bridge is where solder connects two different pads, pins, or leads. This is a technique only by drawing the solder to one side using surface tension. A Panavice or helping hand is used to assist with olding the perf board.
SPI diagram (pinout) and soldering wires MISO (Master in Slave out), MOSI (Master out Slave in), SCK (Clock), Reset, VCC and GND from a 6 pin 2x3 configuration to the SPI pins of the microcontroller.
Soldering a wire from one location on a perf board to another location on a perf board using a wire stripper, soldering iron, perf board and solder. Specifically for the MISO (Master In slave Out).
Intentionally solder a solder bridge to connect a solid core wire to a header pin. Specifically for the MISO (Master In slave Out).
Testing soldered connections to make sure the solder is placed on the pads and pins properly between the two points of a wire and the pins that this wire is connected to and to make sure that the contextual pins (pins next to the soldered pins) and not connected or that no bridges were formed to these pins.. Meter is set to the ohms or continuity setting. Testing the MISO (Master In Slave Out) conections.
SPI diagram (pinout) and soldering wires MOSI (Master out Slave in) from a 6 pin 2x3 configuration to the SPI pins of the microcontroller.
Soldering a wire from one location on a perf board and to a header pin to another location on a perf board and to a header pin using a wire stripper, soldering iron, perf board and solder. Specifically for the MOSI (Master Out Slave In).
Intentionally solder a solder bridge to connect a solid core wire to a header pin. Specifically for the MOSI (Master Out Slave In).
Testing soldered connections to make sure the solder is placed on the pads and pins properly between the two points of a wire and the pins that this wire is connected to and to make sure that the contextual pins (pins next to the soldered pins) and not connected or that no bridges were formed to these pins.. Meter is set to the ohms or continuity setting. Specifically for the MOSI (Master Out Slave In).
SPI diagram (pinout) and soldering wires SCK (Clock Line) from a 6 pin 2x3 configuration to the SPI pins of the microcontroller.
Soldering a wire from one location on a perf board and to a header pin to another location on a perf board and to a header pin using a wire stripper, soldering iron, perf board and solder. Specifically for the SCK (Clock Line).
Intentionally solder a solder bridge to connect a solid core wire to a header pin. Specifically for the SCK (Clock Line).
Testing soldered connections to make sure the solder is placed on the pads and pins properly between the two points of a wire and the pins that this wire is connected to and to make sure that the contextual pins (pins next to the soldered pins) and not connected or that no bridges were formed to these pins.. Meter is set to the ohms or continuity setting. Specifically for the SCK (Clock Line).
SPI diagram (pinout) and soldering wires Reset from a 6 pin 2x3 configuration to the SPI pins of the microcontroller.
Soldering a wire from one location on a perf board and to a header pin to another location on a perf board and to a header pin using a wire stripper, soldering iron, perf board and solder. Specifically for the Reset.
Intentionally solder a solder bridge to connect a solid core wire to a header pin. Specifically for the Reset.
Testing soldered connections to make sure the solder is placed on the pads and pins properly between the two points of a wire and the pins that this wire is connected to and to make sure that the contextual pins (pins next to the soldered pins) and not connected or that no bridges were formed to these pins.. Meter is set to the ohms or continuity setting. Specifically for the Reset.
SPI diagram (pinout) and soldering wires VCC power from a 6 pin 2x3 configuration to the SPI pins of the microcontroller.
Soldering a wire from one location on a perf board and to a header pin to another location on a perf board and to a header pin using a wire stripper, soldering iron, perf board and solder. Specifically for the VCC power.
Intentionally solder a solder bridge to connect a solid core wire to a header pin. Specifically for the VCC power.
Testing soldered connections to make sure the solder is placed on the pads and pins properly between the two points of a wire and the pins that this wire is connected to and to make sure that the contextual pins (pins next to the soldered pins) and not connected or that no bridges were formed to these pins.. Meter is set to the ohms or continuity setting. Specifically for the VCC power.
SPI diagram (pinout) and soldering wires GND (ground or 0 volts) from a 6 pin 2x3 configuration to the SPI pins of the microcontroller.
Soldering a wire from one location on a perf board and to a header pin to another location on a perf board and to a header pin using a wire stripper, soldering iron, perf board and solder. Specifically for the GND (ground or 0 volts).
Intentionally solder a solder bridge to connect a solid core wire to a header pin. Specifically for the GND (ground or 0 volts).
Testing soldered connections to make sure the solder is placed on the pads and pins properly between the two points of a wire and the pins that this wire is connected to and to make sure that the contextual pins (pins next to the soldered pins) and not connected or that no bridges were formed to these pins.. Meter is set to the ohms or continuity setting. Specifically for the GND (ground or 0 volts).
Soldering a wire to a metal pin of a header is tricky. The problem with simply soldering a wire to a metal pin is that the wire can easily break off of the pin. The solution is to create a mechanical connection with the wire to the pin and then soldering the wire. A mechanical connection in this case is simply taking the wire and looping it once around the pin.
Extra hands are used to assist in the holding of the headers while soldering
Extra hands is a device that has two alligator clips to hold components to be soldered.
This is a breakout for the pressure sensor since the sensor is it is an SMD (a Surface Mount Device). Fortunately, the pressure sensor has a lead pitch that matches the perf board pad spacing of .1" (2.54 mm).
This allows the prototyping to go much faster as the sensor can be plugged into the breadboard very easily. The leads are simply soldered onto the pads and a header that shares these pads.
An interface (breakout) was created to make the connection from the LCD to the microcontroller easier. The DIY interface contains a trimmer potentiometer to adjust the contrast of the LCD. The interface has ribbon cable soldered and connected to the data lines of the LCD. The power, RS, R/W and Enable share another cable assembly that go to another part of the microcontroller.
This reduces the amount of space that the LCD uses on the breadboard.
In this case, the LCD data lines are connected to the PORT B of the AVR microcontroller. The E (enable), RW (Read Write) and RS (Register Select) are all plugged into PORT D. The power is plugged into the power rail.
The application of solder paste using a stainless steel stencil. The stencil is aligned with the pads on the PCB and taped down. The use of perfboards allowed a level surface.
QFN (Quad Flat No-lead) is a device with the pads on the bottom of the chip and contains no leads that can be used for conventional soldering.