Circuit Break Podcast #393

Recyclable PCBs, EOL Design, Cold Cuts

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September 1, 2023, Episode #393

Parker and Stephen discuss Infineon’s use of recyclable PCBs from Jiva Materials to create a soluboard, a recyclable and biodegradable PCB substrate and its ecological and efficiency implications, an examination of the new Arduino Uno, which replaces the ATMEGA328P with two new models, Minima and Wifi, plus a CNC update and an extended meditation on saw blades and what they can and cannot actually cut.

Infineon uses recyclable PCBs from Jiva Materials

  • The fibers are natural and have a lower impact than traditional glass based fibers.
    • 7.1kg and the carbon footprint of one square meter of standard FR-4 PCB is estimated to be 17.7kg.
    • Does anyone really know what “carbon footprint” means?
  • The non-toxic polymer that binds the fibers dissolves when immersed in hot water, leaving only compostable organic material. The polymer in the water can be disposed of in normal waste water.
    • 7.1kg and the carbon footprint of one square meter of standard FR-4 PCB is estimated to be 17.7kg.
    • A 60% waste reduction
    • Electronic devices can last FOREVER
    • Bad reviews vs. pollution vs. boiling the boards vs. useless promo items

Jiva Materials

  • Compatibility with current PCB Assembly processes
  • Repair, don’t replace!
  • Hoping for some Jiva experimentation
  • Board Mould
  • Mmmm, PCB soup…
  • Making puzzle badges but also, BOIL YOUR BADGE
  • But is the PCB Spaceworthy?

New Arduino Uno:

  • The ATMEGA328P is no more! Replaced with a 32-bit ARM Cortex M4.
  • Comes in two flavors:
    • Minima which looks to just be the MCU and supporting hardware.
    • WiFi which has 2.4Ghz capabilities and a LED Matrix?
  • The Minima has a proper SWD debug connector where the WiFi version does not?
  • Gripes with Arduino
  • Super crisp silkscreening
  • USB and HID Support
  • Raspberry Pie has bit the bullet

Once Year Since the CNC Project Began: An Update

  • We are cutting!
  • Getting garbage plywood and the state of Baltic Birch
  • Building the interior of the box truck
  • Always find a local source
  • Using the wrong blade can feel so right
  • SAW (blades)
  • Metal and wood and cold cuts
  • WARNING: PODCAST DANGER ZONE AHEAD

Good links:

About the Hosts

Parker Dillmann
  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

Stephen Kraig is a component engineer working in the aerospace industry. He has applied his electrical engineering knowledge in a variety of contexts previously, including oil and gas, contract manufacturing, audio electronic repair, and synthesizer design. A graduate of Texas A&M, Stephen has lived his adult life in the Houston, TX, and Denver, CO, areas.

Stephen has never said no to a project. From building guitar amps (starting when he was 17) to designing and building his own CNC table to fine-tuning the mineral composition of the water he uses to brew beer, he thrives on testing, experimentation, and problem-solving. Tune into the podcast to learn more about the wacky stuff Stephen gets up to.

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