Model Railroad System  2.2.2
Model RR signals with an Arduino
Assemblingsignaltargets.h
1 // -!- c++ -!- //////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
2 //
3 // System :
4 // Module :
5 // Object Name : $RCSfile$
6 // Revision : $Revision$
7 // Date : $Date$
8 // Author : $Author$
9 // Created By : Robert Heller
10 // Created : Sun Jul 26 21:20:26 2015
11 // Last Modified : <150727.2121>
12 //
13 // Description
14 //
15 // Notes
16 //
17 // History
18 //
19 /////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
20 //
21 // Copyright (C) 2015 Robert Heller D/B/A Deepwoods Software
22 // 51 Locke Hill Road
23 // Wendell, MA 01379-9728
24 //
25 // This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify
26 // it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
27 // the Free Software Foundation; either version 2 of the License, or
28 // (at your option) any later version.
29 //
30 // This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
31 // but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
32 // MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. See the
33 // GNU General Public License for more details.
34 //
35 // You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
36 // along with this program; if not, write to the Free Software
37 // Foundation, Inc., 675 Mass Ave, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA.
38 //
39 //
40 //
41 //////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
42 
43 #ifndef __ASSEMBLINGSIGNALTARGETS_H
44 #define __ASSEMBLINGSIGNALTARGETS_H
45 /** @page Assemblingsignaltargets Assembling signal targets
46  * The next step is to assemble the signal targets. @e I used 2mm x 1.25mm
47  * chip LEDs, made by Osram and sold by
48  * <a href="http://www.mouser.com" target="_blank">Mouser</a> (part numbers
49  * Green: <a href="https://www.mouser.com/Search/ProductDetail.aspx?R=LG_R971-KN-1virtualkey62510000virtualkey720-LGR971-KN-1" target="_blank">720-LGR971-KN-1</a>,
50  * Yellow: <a href="https://www.mouser.com/Search/ProductDetail.aspx?R=LY_R976-PS-36virtualkey62510000virtualkey720-LYR976-PS-36" target="_blank">720-LYR976-PS-36</a>,
51  * and Super Red: <a href="https://www.mouser.com/Search/ProductDetail.aspx?R=LS_R976-NR-1virtualkey62510000virtualkey720-LSR976-NR-1" target="_blank">720-LSR976-NR-1</a>).
52  * These are $.10 each in single quantities and the price goes down to about
53  * five and a half cents each in quantities of 100. If you decide to use chip
54  * LEDs instead of regular 3mm LEDs with leads, be sure to get some extras,
55  * because you will likely loose one or two.
56  *
57  * @image latex ChipPhoto.jpg "Photo of a typical chip LED" width=3in
58  * @image html ChipPhoto.jpg "Photo of a typical chip LED"
59  * @image latex ChipPackageOutline.png "Outline drawing of a typical chip LED" width=4.5in
60  * @image html ChipPackageOutline-thumb.png "Outline drawing of a typical chip LED"
61  *
62  * These devices come on a tape carrier. This is something normally meant to
63  * go in a robot feeding device that places the chips on circuit boards in
64  * robotic factory. To handle these devices by hand you will need to make a
65  * tool to hold them. I made a tool from a standard round toothpick. I used
66  * a razor saw to cut one of the end points off, sanded cut flat and applied a
67  * dab of <a href="http://www.micromark.com/detail-tack-2-oz-applicator-bottle,9712.html" target="_blank">Detail Tack</a>
68  * (available from <a href="http://www.micromark.com" target="_blank">Micro-Mark</a> for $7.95).
69  * This stuff dries clear and remains tacky (sticky). This lets you pick up
70  * the chips from their tape carrier and hold them in place as you re-flow the
71  * solder to secure them to the circuit board.
72  *
73  * @image latex SignalChipLEDInCarrier.jpg "Signal Chip LED In Carrier" width=3in
74  * @image html SignalChipLEDInCarrier-thumb.jpg "Signal Chip LED In Carrier"
75  * @image latex ChipTape.png "Chip Tape specs (page 13 of the data sheet)" width=4.5in
76  * @image html ChipTape-thumb.png "Chip Tape specs (page 13 of the data sheet)"
77  *
78  * You will also need a supply of wire wrap wire in a number of colors (this
79  * is available from <a href="http://www.digikey.com/product-search/en?pv77=223&FV=fff40019%2Cfff8006f%2Cfffc0028%2C1c001d&k=wire+wrap+wire&mnonly=0&newproducts=0&ColumnSort=0&page=1&stock=1&quantity=0&ptm=0&fid=0&pageSize=25" target="_blank">DigiKey</a>),
80  * a supply of cut off resistor leads (or really any small solid bare wired
81  * cut into pieces about 1/2 to 3/4 inches long), and a piece of Strip-board
82  * two foil strips wide (.2 inches / 5mm) that is long enough to make little
83  * circuit boards for your targets -- you will need 6 holes for 3 color
84  * targets, 4 holes for 2 color targets, and 2 holes for single color targets.
85  * I also used a block of foam as a work surface, since it let me push the
86  * resistor leads into it.
87  *
88  * The first step is to remove some of the foil. One side is the common side
89  * (cathode end) and the other is for one-of connections (anode). The common
90  * / cathode is connected with a resistor lead that will be soldered to the
91  * brass tube the signal targets will be mounted to. The anode side will be
92  * connected with wire wrap wire, one per chip and color coded (I used green,
93  * yellow, and red for the upper head and blue, white, and black for the lower
94  * head). Once the foil bits have been removed, strip and feed the wire wrap
95  * wire on one side and push the resistor lead through a hole on the other
96  * side and then solder the wires. Be sure to spread a thin layer of solder
97  * down the length of the common side.
98  *
99  * @image latex SignalTargetAndStripBoard.jpg "Signal Target And Strip Board" width=4in
100  * @image html SignalTargetAndStripBoard-thumb.jpg "Signal Target And Strip Board"
101  * @image latex SignalCircuitBoard_WiresSoldered.jpg "Signal Circuit Board, Wires Soldered" width=4in
102  * @image html SignalCircuitBoard_WiresSoldered.jpg "Signal Circuit Board, Wires Soldered"
103  *
104  * Now we can solder on the LED chips. The carrier tape has a clear cover
105  * strip over the top. @e Carefully peel this back (a hobby knife can help
106  * with this). Only peel back @e one chip at a time. Once the cover strip
107  * has been peeled back the chips can very easily bounce out and promptly
108  * vanish! Or at least become disorientated... It is important to remember
109  * that the side of the tape with the holes is the cathode end, so you should
110  * keep the hole side oriented to the same side as the common side of the
111  * circuit board. Once you have peeled the cover off one chip, use your
112  * pickup tool (toothpick with flattened end with detail tack on it) to pick
113  * up the chip and being careful not to twist the toothpick position the chip
114  * on the circuit board. Using a small electronics soldering iron briefly
115  * reheat the solder on each side to secure the chip. You will want to wait
116  * for the solder to cool on the first side before reheating the second side.
117  * Be sure to inspect your work and test the chip before continuing on to the
118  * next chip. You will probably want to do all of chips of each color before
119  * moving on to the next color, since there is no obvious way to tell which
120  * color a chip is.
121  *
122  * @image latex SignalChipLEDSoldered.jpg "Signal Chip LED Soldered" width=4in
123  * @image html SignalChipLEDSoldered.jpg "Signal Chip LED Soldered"
124  *
125  * Once the chips have been soldered to the circuit board, each target's
126  * circuit board can be cut off the strip and that target's circuit board can
127  * be glued to the back of the target with a CA (superglue) adhesive. Finally,
128  * the circuit board can be covered with opaque black paint or
129  * <a href="http://www.micromark.com/liquid-electrical-tape,9836.html" target="_blank">LIQUID ELECTRICAL TAPE (available from Micro-Mark)</a>.
130  * The targets can now be assembled with their brackets to the signal masts
131  * (3/32 inch brass tubing). Route the wire wrap wires inside the brass
132  * tubing (use a 1mm drill to drill holes near where the wires come off the
133  * circuit boards). The common lead (the resistor lead wire) can be soldered
134  * to the brass tubing and an additional wire wrap wire soldered to the end of
135  * the tube.
136  * @htmlonly
137  * <div class="contents"><a class="el" href="ProgrammingtheArduino.html">Continuing with the Programming the Arduino</a></div>
138  * @endhtmlonly
139  */
140 
141 #endif // __ASSEMBLINGSIGNALTARGETS_H
142