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Breadboard prototype seems to be functioning

A project log for Linear Position Sensor for Actuators OpSo

Trying to make an easy to use but low cost linear position sensor without optical sensors. OpSo = Open Source

devizaDeviza 05/11/2017 at 00:200 Comments

I forgot to mention that the hall effect sensor under test is the Allegro A1318.

Link to buy the part: https://www.digikey.com/short/3nf1m2

So I first finished the pre-logic stage of the circuit and tested the output values. This was done so that I know exactly what the logic will see. Leds were used to visualize this, also I don't have six volt-meters but an 8-channel logic probe would have worked also.

Video featuring pre-logic stage


The next step involved testing with some AND logic chips. In the final version we will be using NAND chips because of the ability to sink more current than source. But since the NAND chips are a very small footprint VSSOP-8 and I don't currently have a breakout board for them, I used AND in DIP footprint. One change, not depicted in the following video, was to move the sensors closer and eliminate dead-space in the transition.

Video featuring full prototype on breadboard:

Now it's time to get all this back into EagleCad and hopefully etch a full working prototype strip. Maybe in time for Maker Faire, hopefully. Not really sure how these very small traces are going to fight me quite yet.

Stay tuned: More to follow!

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