Hi
I have been working on Arduino projects, I have made the prototype but the size of the prototype is too big and bulky. I want to turn this prototype into a final product. I have searched on the internet and I have gone through many articles and blogs they were all about the PCB designing and all.
But I was not able to find How to use any Microcontroller unit in PCB designing?
Can anyone please help me with this?

 

hi john,
Are you asking how to productionise a prototype design, into a form suitable for resale as a product.?
E

 

Welcome to AAC.
Are you asking how to use an ARM microcontroller IC, instead of an Arduino module, in a design?

 

you can say it as final prototype having reduced than the first prototype, consuming less power.
Right now I am using Arduino nano in making schematic of prototype now I want to make a PCB but I don't know how to use any MCU in the PCB designing.
Please provide some reference article in doing this.

 

Welcome to AAC.
Are you asking how to use an ARM microcontroller IC, instead of an Arduino module, in a design?

Welcome to AAC.
Are you asking how to use an ARM microcontroller IC, instead of an Arduino module, in a design?

Hi
Thank you so much for your reply. Yes,but not specific the main aim is the small MCU rather than using arduino uno. I have read an article using ARM but I have no knowledge about how to use ARM cortex alone like arm cortex m0.
Please provide some reference material to use standalone MCU rather than using Arduino Uno module.

 

hi,
So you need help in choosing a suitable MCU/PIC for the final design and how to use/program that MCU/PIC.?

 

Yes, In specific I am working on wearable so I have to minimize the circuit. I want to design a PCB with a MCU on it

 

Let me help you reword your query.

1) You have built a working prototype on Arduino.
2) Now you wish to commercialize a product that is a wearable device.

Forget the part about PCB for now. You need to select a MCU.
In order to do that you need to lay out the specifications.
If you want to keep the product a secret that is fine. But you still need to lay down the specifications.

You want:

• low voltage
• low power
• small dimensions

Start by drawing a block diagram.

What are the inputs?
What are the outputs?
How many pins should the MCU have?
How much voltage and current do you expect the device to take?
What other components will be on the device?
What connectors will be required?
What battery or power source is needed?
How long do you expect the device to run on batteries?
What are your target dimensions and weight?

btw: This is called Systems Engineering.

 

Let me help you reword your query.

1) You have built a working prototype on Arduino.
2) Now you wish to commercialize a product that is a wearable device.

Forget the part about PCB for now. You need to select a MCU.
In order to do that you need to lay out the specifications.
If you want to keep the product a secret that is fine. But you still need to lay down the specifications.

You want:

• low voltage
• low power
• small dimensions

Start by drawing a block diagram.

What are the inputs?
What are the outputs?
How many pins should the MCU have?
How much voltage and current do you expect the device to take?
What other components will be on the device?
What connectors will be required?
What battery or power source is needed?
How long do you expect the device to run on batteries?
What are your target dimensions and weight?

btw: This is called Systems Engineering.

Hi
Thank you for your reply.
Consider this
I am using
1. Arduino Uno
2. RGB Led

I have an analog input device reading analog voltages from 3 pins A0, A1, A2.
Based upon reading of these pins A0, A1, A2 changing the color of Led

Analog input device using 5 volts right now I am supplying this from arduino board.
Output from 1 pin say Pin 13
Used Pins from board
1. Pin 13
2.analog pin A0,A1,A2
3. 5volt pin
4. Ground pin

I am supplying power from USB now so it is 5 volt

I want to longlast device on battery for atleast 2 days. I
Dimensions and weight should be minimum as possible

I am new to this would really appreciate your help.

 

Arduino was your prototype platform. Now forget this.
You are starting over again.
Lay down the specifications from the point of view of the device. You will select a new MCU based on the requirements of the specification.
In particular, answer the questions I posted in post #8. These questions are only a starting point.There are more questions to come.

 

These

Arduino was your prototype platform. Now forget this.
You are starting over again.
Lay down the specifications from the point of view of the device. You will select a new MCU based on the requirements of the specification.
In particular, answer the questions I posted in post #8. These questions are only a starting point.There are more questions to come.

Can you please provide some reference material regarding this as I told you I am new this.

 

These are answers only you can supply. I know of no reference material for this.
Let us start with some simple questions.

1. What are the inputs?
2. What are the outputs?
3. How many pins should the MCU have?
4. What other components will be on the device?
5. What connectors will be required?
6. What battery or power source is needed?
7. What are your target dimensions and weight?

Embedded systems have been created smaller than the size of a grain of rice.
The size of the battery will be the deciding factor.
Select the battery first.

 

Let us start with some simple questions..

See post #9 (Deja Vu)

 

Arduino Uno uses ATmega328 uC.
Arduino Nano uses ATmega328 uC.

ATmega328 is the uC you want. See manufacturer's website for the available packages.

 

Arduino was your prototype platform. Now forget this.
You are starting over again.
Lay down the specifications from the point of view of the device. You will select a new MCU based on the requirements of the specification.
In particular, answer the questions I posted in post #8. These questions are only a starting point.There are more questions to come.

I agree that a 32-pin device in your final product isn't the answer.
You want:
3 analog ins, 1 digital out.
Very low power.

Being a Freescale guy (now NXP) I would go with a 9S08SH4 (from what little I know of your application). 8-pin device with your 3 analog inputs and a digital output.

 

Arduino Uno uses ATmega328 uC.
Arduino Nano uses ATmega328 uC.

ATmega328 is the uC you want. See manufacturer's website for the available packages.

If I buy ATmega 328 au which is smd unit Can I use this as standalone with other components?

 

Yes, But you will have to load the chip with the Arduino boot loader if you want to use the Arduino IDE. You could also use Atmel studio IDE and use a different version of "C" or use assembler. This loads the code straight into a new chip without the use of a boot loader.


Les.

 

If I buy ATmega 328 au which is smd unit Can I use this as standalone with other components?

Yes, you can. However, you will need a device called programmer to load your code into the uC. Here is where things get interesting. You have two choices:

- when you design your pcb, you can put a header or some other connector on the pcb, when you get pcb from the manufacturer, you use this header to attach programmer to the uC and load the code into uC. The programmer device can be another Uno, you just need a way to connect the wires from prototype board like Uno to the ATmega328 on your product pcb.

- ask the manufacturer of your pcb if they offer a service of loading customer code. However, this has its own dangers. Do you want strangers have access to your code. For a school designed project it does not matter (probably). But once you enter industry and your products become real, than you don't want others making money off your hard work.

I think the thing that you are missing is the fact that Arduino board like Uno has an extra chip that is used for communication between uC and PC over USB. This is very important fact. As a product designer, you don't need USB communications, it is extra parts and extra cost and extra space on pcb. But as a developer and prototyper, you need the ability to load your code into the chip and get a feedback from the chip, so you need some fast convenient way to "talk" with the chip, which the extra chip provides.

 

You could also use Atmel studio IDE and use a different version of "C" or use assembler. This loads the code straight into a new chip without the use of a boot loader.


Les.

Can you elaborate a little on loading the code without using bootloader. Are we talking about using another Uno as a programmer?

 

When uploading code from the Arduino IDE it goes into the Atmel chip via the serial port. I assume (But don't know as a fact) that it will load it at an address above where the bootstrap loader resides. When an Atmel chip is programmed normally it is done via the MOSI, MISO, SCK and RST pins. You can program them this way using an Aduino running a suitable program. You can ulso get cheap programmers called the "usbasp" on ebay. Programing this way you would use a program such as avrdude running on the PC..

Les.