RT Soldering pen

Description

Every hardware hacker need good soldering tool. My idea was to build own but with very specific qualities. On one side not so expensive, on second side high quality and also small with precise control and features.

I found some projects where is used Weller soldering tips designed for WMRP soldering iron with standard 3.5mm jack and inside the tip is also thermocouple for sensing temperature. These tips are not so cheap but the quality is really great, especially for fine soldering.

Hardware design is based on similar projects but with some modifications and improvements. Also my request was to make the hardware small as possible to fit into handle and capable to supply from hobbyist LiPO battery.

Details

Features:

very compact - will fit into handle
display show status, preset and tip temperature, power, supply voltage, drop, ...
two buttons
automatic standby
sensing supply voltage and tip current
precise regulation with PID (PSD controller with some modifications)
supply voltage is from 5V to 15V (best is above 10V)
designed to supply from LIPO battery 2S (7.4V max is about 18W) or 3S (11.1V max is more than 40W)
calculating consumed Wh
heat-up in 5sec from 25 to 400°C (with 40W limit)
Idle current about 8mA

What is planed:

case
accelerometer and/or magnetometer (for wakeup)
battery monitor (warn when battery need charge)
configuration editor for some constants from PSD controller, power limit, ....
open-source everything

Videos:

Files

rt_soldering_pen_sch.png

Schematic

Portable Network Graphics (PNG) - 64.37 kB - 03/30/2017 at 19:45

Preview

Download

Components

1 × STM32F031 Microprocessors, Microcontrollers, DSPs / ARM, RISC-Based Microcontrollers

1 × AD8551 Precise operational amplifier

1 × ACS711 Hall effect current sensor

1 × LMR14203 Power Management ICs / Switching Regulators and Controllers

1 × OLED display 0.91" 128x32

Discussions

Jez wrote 07/10/2017 at 20:28

vlk... Any updates to this???

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Paulo Bruckmann wrote 06/01/2017 at 20:32

Thank you for your inspiration, I am working in something similar with gyroscope, buzzer and usb port http://imgur.com/a/mpkse

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Paulo Bruckmann wrote 05/23/2017 at 22:02

Any update? What about a buzzer?

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Kees Hessels wrote 05/19/2017 at 19:12

Great idea, might be a good project to use Pyralux, so you can curve it to the casing. Cool project, well done.

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Muphins wrote 05/18/2017 at 11:49

This is AWESOME !

On the finished product you could even put a magnet to have a MagSafe-type power connection. Not sure if it would be really useful but at least it would be cool.

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Chrischi wrote 05/18/2017 at 02:53

Isn't the Mini TS100 nearly the same? (https://www.banggood.com/MINI-TS100-Digital-OLED-Programable-Interface-DC-5525-Soldering-Iron-Station-Built-in-STM32-Chip-p-984214.html)

What differences to the TS100 are you want to archive?

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B4Me wrote 05/18/2017 at 06:56

More watts

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Chrischi wrote 05/18/2017 at 13:32

I like this Soldering Pen but the TS100 has 65W and i think this one 40W.

maybe Otto can clarify this.

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René Arts wrote 05/18/2017 at 13:26

Being able to use high quality Weller RT tips, which are easy to change without the nasty burnt chicken smell ;-)

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Chrischi wrote 05/18/2017 at 13:33

word!

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jaromir.sukuba wrote 05/19/2017 at 14:26

Well, sometimes people like to build something for for the sake of creative process, not to outperform somebody else. It's called hobby and I'm kind of glad nobody questions value of raw paper in my stamps collection.

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Chrischi wrote 05/19/2017 at 14:28

full ack.

by the way if anyone misunderstand me, i LOVE this project.

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Aisha Farsi wrote 05/17/2017 at 23:22

I would definitely pay for one, or two, I really would.

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Otto Winter wrote 05/01/2017 at 10:32

The 0.84 Inch Display has a resolution of 96x16 pixel (your Schematics specifikation)!
OLED Display with a resolution of 128x32 pixel is 0.91 Inch...
Witch is implemented?

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vlk wrote 05/01/2017 at 15:14

Hello Otto, thanks for info, It is mistake caused by that I have one sample with 0.84" display 96x16 pixels and on pictures is version with bigger display 0.91"

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Otto Winter wrote 04/30/2017 at 20:03

Hello Leuven,
can i bay the finished unit?
Best Regards owsuisse

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vlk wrote 05/01/2017 at 15:22

Thanks for interest, I have some plans with selling this and I hope it will be soon.

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Otto Winter wrote 05/20/2017 at 00:31

If you can give me the PCB dimensions. i would design a case for 3D printing or other manufacturing formats like molding or milling etc.
For prototyping is the best way 3D printing with Laser sintering technology.
You can see a preliminary picture here:

This is the Display area with two buttons to configuration.

With right click on the Pictures, "View graphic" you can see it in a full resolution!

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René Arts wrote 04/19/2017 at 12:57

This looks great, I'd love to see more of it!

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Petr Kounovsky wrote 04/05/2017 at 07:50

Great job, very sophisticated device. What about cover box ? Will you do it soon ? I'm curious.

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sogseal wrote 03/30/2017 at 22:58

Epic! want one. Great job man, made my day!

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jaromir.sukuba wrote 03/26/2017 at 19:49

Do you have some more details available? Like, PCB design, firmware.I have some RT tips and I'm interested in building controller for it - this one seems to be perfect fit.

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electrobob wrote 03/26/2017 at 15:41

Really nice work. I think this is how the future of soldering irons should be, just get rid of the classical station box.

Why the accelerometer?

Are you sure? yes | no

vlk wrote 03/26/2017 at 16:37

Thanks,

Accelerometer will be to wake up from stand-by

Are you sure? yes | no

RT Soldering pen

Description

Details

Files

rt_soldering_pen_sch.png

Components

Discussions

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rt_soldering_pen_sch.png Schematic Portable Network Graphics (PNG) - 64.37 kB - 03/30/2017 at 19:45	Preview	Download

RT Soldering pen

Description

Details

Files

rt_soldering_pen_sch.png

Components

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Discussions

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