Comments on: My PCB business card flashes its LEDs! http://mikepuchol.com/2010/03/19/my-pcb-business-card-flashes-its-leds/ aut viam inveniam aut faciam Thu, 10 May 2012 14:07:53 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: Mike http://mikepuchol.com/2010/03/19/my-pcb-business-card-flashes-its-leds/comment-page-1/#comment-2437 Mike Mon, 01 Nov 2010 21:31:03 +0000 http://mikepuchol.com/?p=790#comment-2437 The cards I hand out are not populated, and I keep one functioning to show - I offer receivers the option of sending them a parts kit so they can assemble a functioning one. The problem is not so much on the battery size but the robustness of a 0.6mm PCB with such long tracks running around, it's very easy to break them. There is also the issue of cost, the PCB alone runs at almost 4€/card (think setup fees etc. for a 100-piece run), as it is silver-plated using a high-grade alloy, otherwise the plating would oxidize and look like crap after handling and/or time, if I had to populate them all, it would mean I'd have to be even more restrictive on who I handed them out to ;) In any case I've noted all your points (the game & watch one is quite interesting!). The cards I hand out are not populated, and I keep one functioning to show – I offer receivers the option of sending them a parts kit so they can assemble a functioning one. The problem is not so much on the battery size but the robustness of a 0.6mm PCB with such long tracks running around, it’s very easy to break them. There is also the issue of cost, the PCB alone runs at almost 4€/card (think setup fees etc. for a 100-piece run), as it is silver-plated using a high-grade alloy, otherwise the plating would oxidize and look like crap after handling and/or time, if I had to populate them all, it would mean I’d have to be even more restrictive on who I handed them out to ;)

In any case I’ve noted all your points (the game & watch one is quite interesting!).

]]> By: Trygve http://mikepuchol.com/2010/03/19/my-pcb-business-card-flashes-its-leds/comment-page-1/#comment-2436 Trygve Mon, 01 Nov 2010 13:27:09 +0000 http://mikepuchol.com/?p=790#comment-2436 You can still make them replaceable and avoid making them an eyesore. By recessing the battery into the card(one piece of metal behind it to stop it falling out the back, which also functions as the negative terminal, and one on the front to act as the positive terminal) The way your card is now, everyone will go 'Oooh, ah!' and think it's great... Until they try to store it somewhere. Have you considered adding one of those piezo disks commonly used in watches, old 'Game & Watch' games and similar? (They're also used in those annoying digital greeting cards that starts playing awful digital mutations of popular songs when you open them.) You can still make them replaceable and avoid making them an eyesore.

By recessing the battery into the card(one piece of metal behind it to stop it falling out the back, which also functions as the negative terminal, and one on the front to act as the positive terminal)

The way your card is now, everyone will go ‘Oooh, ah!’ and think it’s great… Until they try to store it somewhere.

Have you considered adding one of those piezo disks commonly used in watches, old ‘Game & Watch’ games and similar?
(They’re also used in those annoying digital greeting cards that starts playing awful digital mutations of popular songs when you open them.)

]]> By: Mike http://mikepuchol.com/2010/03/19/my-pcb-business-card-flashes-its-leds/comment-page-1/#comment-2432 Mike Sun, 31 Oct 2010 16:38:01 +0000 http://mikepuchol.com/?p=790#comment-2432 There are a few reasons for using the 2302, one is that I found readily available SMT mount holders for it, another is that the holder was robust enough to be mounted on the 0.6mm thick PCB and not suffer, and finally, the holder makes the battery replaceable in a hurry. I had considered soldered batteries, as you can find tiny ones, maybe in v2. Thanks for your comments! There are a few reasons for using the 2302, one is that I found readily available SMT mount holders for it, another is that the holder was robust enough to be mounted on the 0.6mm thick PCB and not suffer, and finally, the holder makes the battery replaceable in a hurry. I had considered soldered batteries, as you can find tiny ones, maybe in v2.

Thanks for your comments!

]]> By: Trygve http://mikepuchol.com/2010/03/19/my-pcb-business-card-flashes-its-leds/comment-page-1/#comment-2430 Trygve Sun, 31 Oct 2010 14:17:37 +0000 http://mikepuchol.com/?p=790#comment-2430 Nice card, but... The battery is an eyesore and makes the card way too thick. Do you NEED that exact holder? Couldn't you have used some sort of metal springs? Cut a hole in the card large enough for the battery, solder a metal leaf-spring on top, and another on the bottom(but use a couple of 90degree bends so that one end is brought up to the front, so that you won't need a through-hole) And, maybe switching that huge CR2032 (2cm diameter, 3.2mm thickness) with a CR1610 at the same time? Nice card, but…

The battery is an eyesore and makes the card way too thick.

Do you NEED that exact holder?
Couldn’t you have used some sort of metal springs?
Cut a hole in the card large enough for the battery, solder a metal leaf-spring on top, and another on the bottom(but use a couple of 90degree bends so that one end is brought up to the front, so that you won’t need a through-hole)

And, maybe switching that huge CR2032 (2cm diameter, 3.2mm thickness) with a CR1610 at the same time?

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