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March 18, 2020, Episode #216
Parker
- Python PDF
- Looked at peoples suggestions and none really did what I needed
- FPDF will do for now since I have made a template already
- Most suggestions are building HTML then converting to PDF which is fine but not really a good solution
- Zebra Printers
- ZPL or Zebra Programming Language
- ZT230
- ZD420
- My process so far for making a ZPL webapp thingy
- Zebra Designer 3 for Developers
- Makes the Template
- Push Template over to printer
- Use Variables for fields you want to “input”
- Zebra Setup Utilities
- Allows talking to the printer easily
- Zebra Browser Print SDK
- Makes a USB bridge to a local web server
- Web Server for Chrome
- Used to point to where your application is at
- Application is written in Javascript
- Zebra Designer 3 for Developers
- ZPL or Zebra Programming Language
Stephen
CNC is fully functional!
- Calibrated the three axis
- Ran cable “tubes”
- Set up spindle control
- Table surfacing
- 4 flute
- 2&1/32 in diameter surfacing bit
- 12,000 RPM
- 100ipm
- 0.005-0.01 DOC
- Calibrated the three axis
- VFD EMC
- Pages 10-12
- VFD cables are to have the shield (screen) connected at both ends
- This is an impedance thing
- Shield should be at least 80% coverage
- Foil and braid is best but most expensive typically
Rapid Fire Opinion
- Is a $1 Power Supply Any Good?
- A pretty good overview of power supply tests
About the Hosts

Parker Dillmann
Parker is an Electrical Engineer with backgrounds in Embedded System Design and Digital Signal Processing. He got his start in 2005 by hacking Nintendo consoles into portable gaming units. The following year he designed and produced an Atari 2600 video mod to allow the Atari to display a crisp, RF fuzz free picture on newer TVs. Over a thousand Atari video mods where produced by Parker from 2006 to 2011 and the mod is still made by other enthusiasts in the Atari community.
In 2006, Parker enrolled at The University of Texas at Austin as a Petroleum Engineer. After realizing electronics was his passion he switched majors in 2007 to Electrical and Computer Engineering. Following his previous background in making the Atari 2600 video mod, Parker decided to take more board layout classes and circuit design classes. Other areas of study include robotics, microcontroller theory and design, FPGA development with VHDL and Verilog, and image and signal processing with DSPs. In 2010, Parker won a Ti sponsored Launchpad programming and design contest that was held by the IEEE CS chapter at the University. Parker graduated with a BS in Electrical and Computer Engineering in the Spring of 2012.
In the Summer of 2012, Parker was hired on as an Electrical Engineer at Dynamic Perception to design and prototype new electronic products. Here, Parker learned about full product development cycles and honed his board layout skills. Seeing the difficulties in managing operations and FCC/CE compliance testing, Parker thought there had to be a better way for small electronic companies to get their product out in customer's hands.
Parker also runs the blog, longhornengineer.com, where he posts his personal projects, technical guides, and appnotes about board layout design and components.

Stephen Kraig
Stephen Kraig began his electronics career by building musical oriented circuits in 2003. Stephen is an avid guitar player and, in his down time, manufactures audio electronics including guitar amplifiers, pedals, and pro audio gear. Stephen graduated with a BS in Electrical Engineering from Texas A&M University.
Special thanks to whixr over at Tymkrs for the intro and outro!
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