Designing a Encoder+LEDRing-PCB

[FantomXR]

Hey out there,

because the ones on the market are very exepensive and not fitting my needs, I decided to use Eagle, to design an own PCB.

I never did a PCB before, so please be kind. I'm happy if you have any suggestions, to make it better.

I want to create different PCBs with one encoder, two, four and eight. But at first I need to know, if I did any mistakes in the schematic. So please take a look at the pictures.

When everything is ready, I will contact a pcb manufacture to get some prices and will start a bulk order, if other guys are interested in this too.

To save space I used 4x 8pin header. They will be mounted on the bottom. I used 16x 0805 SMD LEDs. The encoder is a STEC12E06, because this was the only one in the library and I don't have my encoders yet to create a device by myself.

Hint: Look on ebay. I bought 45x encoders ALPS EC11 (don't have the exact modelnumber) for around 30,- EURO. Because the encoders have a thread, I don't need mounting holes but I can add them anyway. There should be enough space in the corners

So, any suggestions? ;)

Best regards,

Chris

[ilmenator]

Nice project, but I think you are slightly late to the party - have a look

Also, why do you short-cut the two holes for the push-button of the encoder? I also have my doubts about your use of SIL headers. DIL is the way to go in order to avoid cables being attached the wrong way 'round. I would strongly recommend that you go for a prototype PCB for yourself before you even think of starting a bulk order.

[FantomXR]

Hey,

no, I'm not to late ;) I ordered two boards of them too. But I need some smaller "arrays" of encoders for my DIY keyboard-project. That's why I started doing the PCB. And of course I will first try a prototype of them before starting a bulk order.

I connected the encoder like TK showed in his schematics. But you are right. I will connect the push-button-pins to two SIL headers.

I will create a new version with DIL headers.

[FantomXR]

2nd try...

I added DIL and tried to wire the switch of the encoder. I'm not sure, if it's right this way...

Do you think, there is enough space between encoder and LEDs? Should be around 7,5mm.

[ilmenator]

How are you going to drive the LEDs? Where are the resistors?

[FantomXR]

They are on the DOUT board:

http://www.ucapps.de/midibox_lc/midibox_lc_ledrings_meters.pdf

[ilmenator]

So you are not using a matrix arrangement?

[FantomXR]

I thought, doing it like TK is the easiest way. I did not know, that there are other options. Do you have a link?

[ilmenator]

I did not know, that there are other options. Do you have a link?

???????

Because you also say:

I ordered two boards of them too.

And THAT board is following the matrix approach. You might want to look at that board's documentation and check your design against it?!

[FantomXR]

I did not take a look at the schematics of the other boards, so I did not know, that they are following the matrix principle.

I will have a look on it. Thanks!

[ilmenator]

It looks as if it was pretty straight forward to use the matrix approach for blocks of 4 encoders. If you want to modularize that even more, then a little more thought needs to go into the project. For single encoders the use of two shift registers (the "traditional" way to drive the LEDs) might turn out the best approach.

[FantomXR]

I took a look at fairlightiis schematic. If you take a closer look at my schematic, you see, that it's the same as in his schematic, except the led drivers are missing.

Here is a diagram... hope this makes it clearer... and I hope I'm not wrong...

Sorry, the pic is quite big...

Edited December 8, 2012 by FantomXR

[ilmenator]

[brokenrecord] offsite documentation bad [/brokenrecord]

[FantomXR]

sry... edited

[FantomXR]

So, what you think?

[FantomXR]

For those of you, who don't want to use 2x8 encoders at a time, here is the first design of a PCB I made. There are a few things to improve, but it's working!

In the next days I will equip another PCB with the parts and see, if the forwarding is working and if there is enough space for all the connectors / connections.

 

For now the LEDs are driven by the 74H595 only and each LED is feeded with 15mA. I think, for later use they are not bright enough. I don't think, things will change, if I use a ULN2803 for driving the LEDs, because the difference in brightness between 15mA or 20mA is really not that much. Maybe I should use other LEDs...

Edited March 20, 2013 by FantomXR

[schoko11]

Hey Chris!

 

 

I was looking for such a PCB (I would just change the LEDs to normal pinning), would you be so kind to share the PCB file?

thanks

 

klaus

[FantomXR]

Hi klaus,

 

here it is.

 

LEDRing.brd.zip

[schoko11]

Thanks very much!

 

 

I will look into it soon...

[engineer]

Looks similar to my device:

http://96khz.org/htm/midicontroller31.htm

What will be the resolution ? I need 10 bits each.

 

[zener]

On 20 marzo 2013 at 11:22 PM, FantomXR said:

For those of you, who don't want to use 2x8 encoders at a time, here is the first design of a PCB I made. There are a few things to improve, but it's working!

In the next days I will equip another PCB with the parts and see, if the forwarding is working and if there is enough space for all the connectors / connections.

 

For now the LEDs are driven by the 74H595 only and each LED is feeded with 15mA. I think, for later use they are not bright enough. I don't think, things will change, if I use a ULN2803 for driving the LEDs, because the difference in brightness between 15mA or 20mA is really not that much. Maybe I should use other LEDs...

Hello FantomXR,

there is  also available a single pcb with 8 rotary encoders  each with leds ring and 1 , 2 or 3 switches "place" as well + cascade connection option

for get a single or more lines with 8,16,24,32…. rotary encoders connected in cascade mode ?

thanks