I'm a fan of rectangular test points that fit a Keystone 5015 SMD test point. On initial prototypes, you can solder these on for easier test hook clipping, then leave them off in production. Still works for factory bed-of-nails testing too. KiCad has nice footprints for this.
Amazing! I love it when it can work for both small-scale prototypes as well as large-scale factory-level manufacturing. There are lesser changes in components as we progress from version to version. Thanks for sharing this :) I had to search and see it visually. I found this datasheet and saw the image of the surface mount test point with test-clips: datasheet.ciiva.com/16884/70182998-16884102.pdf I had a look at the KiCad footprint too! I also like that we can still use it without any test clips as well for prototypes: gitlab.com/kicad/libraries/kicad-footprints/-/blob/master/TestPoint.pretty/TestPoint_Keystone_5015_Micro-Minature.kicad_mod
If you go this way, shop around for what kind of SMD test points you can get. There are not a lot of manufacturers making these, and as a result they are extortionately priced. I paid something like US $0.25 *each* for these tiny bits of stamped and formed metal in quantity 100. If anyone wants to see the board design, I documented it here ua-cam.com/video/HvkYDyGICJo/v-deo.html
@@sayanee I haven't used these much lately, but there was a time (especially when I was doing more experimental analog stuff, where more things could go wrong that would need probing) when I really loved using these. They're especially useful in dense analog layouts, because a lot of them roughly fit in the space of chip passives. It ends up being just a question of slotting them into the right spot in a grid of passives-no weird shapes to worry about.
Sayanee Basu, thank you for sharing your PCB evaluation tips. I have learned so much about modular test & evaluation of a PCB from your video. Now I know how to plan footprints and artwork for test & evaluation. This will make PCB evaluation a breeze.I have subscribed to your youtube channel.
Great tips! Im a big fan of including a zero ohm resistor between a voltage regulator output and the rest of the supply rail, that way you can depopulate it to make current measurements or disconnect the regulator and wire up an external supply
Watching this video did make me wonder if it was very hard to create an edge connector like a PCI slot. The reason for doing so could be for quick testing as well as connecting to other peripherals. This can be very useful if you create designs for mass production. It does imply creating an automated test bed, but then you can get not only full tests every time. You can also run endurance tests and get automated reports, all possible of being performed by a non-technical person, or simply just have a station that requires attention to switch the boards. Obviously, we cannot fall into the trap of having a test bed for the test bed. That would create an infinite loop, and we would get nowhere. At some point, we have to go to the nitty-gritty with our instruments and make sense of what's happening. This approach I find to be justifiable only for large productions, otherwise it won't be neither cost nor time effective. For small batches, the solution you use is perfectly fine, and it makes more sense.
I'm a fan of rectangular test points that fit a Keystone 5015 SMD test point. On initial prototypes, you can solder these on for easier test hook clipping, then leave them off in production. Still works for factory bed-of-nails testing too. KiCad has nice footprints for this.
Amazing! I love it when it can work for both small-scale prototypes as well as large-scale factory-level manufacturing. There are lesser changes in components as we progress from version to version. Thanks for sharing this :)
I had to search and see it visually. I found this datasheet and saw the image of the surface mount test point with test-clips: datasheet.ciiva.com/16884/70182998-16884102.pdf
I had a look at the KiCad footprint too! I also like that we can still use it without any test clips as well for prototypes: gitlab.com/kicad/libraries/kicad-footprints/-/blob/master/TestPoint.pretty/TestPoint_Keystone_5015_Micro-Minature.kicad_mod
If you go this way, shop around for what kind of SMD test points you can get. There are not a lot of manufacturers making these, and as a result they are extortionately priced. I paid something like US $0.25 *each* for these tiny bits of stamped and formed metal in quantity 100. If anyone wants to see the board design, I documented it here ua-cam.com/video/HvkYDyGICJo/v-deo.html
@@sayanee I haven't used these much lately, but there was a time (especially when I was doing more experimental analog stuff, where more things could go wrong that would need probing) when I really loved using these.
They're especially useful in dense analog layouts, because a lot of them roughly fit in the space of chip passives. It ends up being just a question of slotting them into the right spot in a grid of passives-no weird shapes to worry about.
@@Laogeodritt Nice!! Thanks for sharing a practical use case.
@@sayanee what is your job and qualification? electrical or computer science?
Is this the only person discussing topics of such practical nature?
This might be the best channel on youtube for helping learn best practices to actually ship embedded products
Thank you so much! Now I know how to keep my mounting holes from disappearing.
Sayanee Basu, thank you for sharing your PCB evaluation tips. I have learned so much about modular test & evaluation of a PCB from your video. Now I know how to plan footprints and artwork for test & evaluation. This will make PCB evaluation a breeze.I have subscribed to your youtube channel.
Great tips! Im a big fan of including a zero ohm resistor between a voltage regulator output and the rest of the supply rail, that way you can depopulate it to make current measurements or disconnect the regulator and wire up an external supply
Great video! I think a 2 pin header makes a good current measurement point. Put a jumper on it when you want normal operation.
I find your tips tricks really awesome!
Really helpful tips. I have learnt many new things. Thank you so much for uploading this useful video.
I learnt lot of things from your channel 😍
Well done. Great info and tips
Love this! Hope you'll do more PCB videos, especially with tips 😊
Watching this video did make me wonder if it was very hard to create an edge connector like a PCI slot. The reason for doing so could be for quick testing as well as connecting to other peripherals. This can be very useful if you create designs for mass production. It does imply creating an automated test bed, but then you can get not only full tests every time. You can also run endurance tests and get automated reports, all possible of being performed by a non-technical person, or simply just have a station that requires attention to switch the boards.
Obviously, we cannot fall into the trap of having a test bed for the test bed. That would create an infinite loop, and we would get nowhere. At some point, we have to go to the nitty-gritty with our instruments and make sense of what's happening.
This approach I find to be justifiable only for large productions, otherwise it won't be neither cost nor time effective. For small batches, the solution you use is perfectly fine, and it makes more sense.
Awesome video!
09:21 Well, you're wrong. They are part of the schematic too. At least in KiCad 6!
I gotta dig into KiCad 6 now :)
I am a bit confused about using a 0ohm resistor as fuse, how long will it take for it to burn out?
2:00 I did not use it as a fuse.
@@sayanee didn't you see somewhere that it could be used as fuse?
What do you prefer- easy EDA or kicad?
Sorry, I have never used easy EDA.