Practical Low-Cost Methods for Reliable PCB Production
This book explains how to carry out reliable SMD assembly using affordable tools and small-scale equipment. It follows the complete workflow step by step, including tool selection, solder paste handling, stencil use, component placement, reflow methods, inspection, and rework.
The focus is on bench-level and small-lab production rather than industrial assembly lines. It shows practical methods for building single and double-sided SMD boards with repeatable results.
Topics include solder paste and flux, temperature profiles, hot air and hotplate techniques, small reflow ovens, inspection methods, and defect correction. Checklists and example workflows are included to help reduce errors and improve consistency.
Key features:
Tools and supplies for SMD assembly and rework
Solder paste types, storage, and handling
Stencils and paste application methods
Pick and place workflow and component orientation
Temperature profiles and reflow methods
Hot air, hotplate, and reflow oven processes
Inspection and quality control
Common defects such as tombstoning and solder bridges
Practical rework and component replacement
Bench-level professional workflows and checklists
This book is designed as a practical bench reference for anyone who wants to assemble and troubleshoot their own SMD boards with reliable results.
Open-Source-Code mit Arduino IDE und PlatformIO
Autonomes Fahren: GPS, Accelerometer, Gyroskop
PS3-Controller
Mikrocontroller wie der Arduino und Einplatinenrechner wie der Raspberry Pi haben sich zu beliebten Komponenten entwickelt. Dritter im Bunde ist der ESP32 der Firma Espressif. Mikrocontroller dieser Baureihe zeichnen sich durch eine Vielzahl implementierter Funktionen aus, die bei einem Arduino konventioneller Prägung mit einem Atmel-AVR-Mikrocontroller erst mit weiterer Hardware möglich sind. Prominentes Beispiel sind hier die WiFi- und Bluetooth-Funktionalitäten. Gegenüber einem Raspberry Pi zeichnen sie sich durch einen deutlich geringeren Preis aus.
Allgemeine Informationen für die Realisierung eines Roboterauto-Projekts mit dem ESP32 sind leicht zu finden. Dabei handelt es sich aber oft nur um Ausführungen zu einem Teilaspekt, ohne inhaltliche oder funktionale Abstimmung. So ist nicht nur die Beschaffung der benötigten Informationen mühselig und zeitaufwändig, sie kann auch außerordentlich fehlerträchtig sein.
Ansatzpunkt dieses Buches ist, diese Lücke zu schließen. Es geht auf verschiedene Möglichkeiten eines Chassis ein, vermittelt nötige Kenntnisse und führt schrittweise von einer einfachen Motorsteuerung zu einem komplexen sensor- und sprachgesteuerten Roboterauto. Hacks rund um GPS und eine PlayStation 3 runden die Sache ab.
Inhalt
Bei der Reihenfolge der Kapitel wurde versucht – beginnend bei der Darstellung von grundlegenden Informationen – über die Lösung einfacher Aufgaben zu etwas anspruchsvolleren Techniken zu führen.
Der Mikrocontroller ESP32
Die Software erstellen
Die Stromversorgung
Rund um die Hardware
Das Chassis
Der Gleichstrommotor
Kabellose Steuerung über WiFi
Mit Sensoren Hindernisse erkennen
Eine eigene Roboterauto-App
Servo und Lichtsensor
GPS
Accelerometer / Gyroskop
PS3-Controller
Roboterauto-App
Hinweis zur Software
Die Dateien haben das Suffix (.cpp). Grund ist die Entwicklung mit PlatformIO. Mit Copy & Paste sollten sie auch in der Arduino-IDE verwendet werden können.
With Examples for Arduino UNO, Raspberry Pi Pico and ESP32
Programming small electronic systems has never been more accessible. Tasks that once demanded expensive tools, specialized hardware, and deep electrical engineering expertise can now be tackled with low-cost development boards and approachable software. At the centre of this shift is the Arduino environment, which provides a unified and familiar way to program a wide range of microcontroller platforms—from classic AVR boards like the Arduino UNO to modern ARM-based boards such as the Raspberry Pi Pico, and powerful Wi-Fi-enabled devices like the ESP32.
This book introduces embedded programming through the core idea that defines all microcontrollers: reading inputs, processing information, and controlling outputs in a predictable loop. The Arduino environment abstracts much of the hardware complexity, allowing you to focus on behaviour rather than implementation details. With just a few lines of code, you can blink LEDs, read sensors, control motors, and communicate with other devices.
While the Arduino UNO, Raspberry Pi Pico, and ESP32 boards differ greatly in performance and features, they share the same fundamental building blocks: digital and analog I/O, timers, serial communication, PWM, interrupts, and power management. Learning these concepts within the Arduino framework builds skills that transfer easily across platforms and scale toward more advanced applications.
By exploring multiple boards while maintaining a consistent programming approach, this book helps you progress from simple experiments to confidently produce well-structured designs—showing that embedded development can be both practical and enjoyable.
Based on PIC microcontrollers and Arduino
Every mobile phone includes a GSM/GPRS modem which enables the phone to communicate with the external world. With the help of the GSM modems, users can establish audio conversations and send and receive SMS text messages. In addition, the GPRS modem enables users to connect to the internet and to send and receive large files such as pictures and video over the internet.
This book is aimed for the people who may want to learn how to use the GSM/GPRS modems in microcontroller based projects. Two types of popular microcontroller families are considered in the e-book: PIC microcontrollers, and the Arduino. The highly popular mid-performance PIC18F87J50 microcontroller is used in PIC based projects together with a GSM Click board. In addition, the SIM900 GSM/GPRS shield is used with the Arduino Uno projects. Both GSM and GPRS based projects are included in the e-book.
The book will enable you to control equipment remotely by sending SMS messages from your mobile phone to the microcontroller, send the ambient temperature readings from the microcontroller to a mobile phone as SMS messages, use the GPRS commands to access the internet from a microcontroller, send temperature readings to the cloud using UDP and TCP protocols and so on.
It is assumed that the reader has some basic working knowledge of the C language and the use of microcontrollers in simple projects. Although not necessary, knowledge of at least one member of the PIC microcontroller family and the Arduino Uno will be an advantage. It will also be useful if the user has some knowledge of basic electronics.
An Introduction to Circuit Simulation
LTspice, developed by Analog Devices, is a powerful, fast, and free SPICE simulator, schematic capture, and waveform viewer with a large database of components supported by SPICE models from all over the world. Drawing a schematic in LTspice is easy and fast. Thanks to its powerful graphing features, you can visualize the voltages and currents in a circuit, and also the power consumption of its components and much more.
This book is about learning to design and simulate electronic circuits using LTspice. Among others, the following topics are treated:
DC and AC circuits
Signal diodes and Zener diodes
Transistor circuits including oscillators
Thyristor/SCR, diac, and triac circuits
Operational amplifier circuits including oscillators
The 555 timer IC
Filters
Voltage regulators
Optocouplers
Waveform generation
Digital logic simulation including the 74HC family
SPICE modeling LTspice is a powerful electronic circuit simulation tool with many features and possibilities. Covering them all in detail is not possible in a book of this size. Therefore, this book presents the most common topics like DC and AC circuit analysis, parameter sweeping, transfer functions, oscillators, graphing, etc. Although this book is an introduction to LTspice, it covers most topics of interest to people engaged in electronic circuit simulation.
The book is aimed at electronic/electrical engineers, students, teachers, and hobbyists. Many tested simulation examples are given in the book. Readers do not need to have any computer programming skills, but it will help if they are familiar with basic electronic circuit design and operation principles. Readers who want to dive deeper can find many detailed tutorials, articles, videos, design files, and SPICE circuit models on the Internet.
All the simulation examples used in the book are available as files at the webpage of this book. Readers can use these example circuits for learning or modify them for their own applications.
This book is about the Raspberry Pi 3 computer and its use in various control and monitoring applications. The book explains in simple terms and with tested and working example projects, how to configure the Raspberry Pi 3 computer, how to install and use the Linux operating system, and how to write hardware based applications programs using the Python programming language.
The nice feature of this book is that it covers many Raspberry Pi 3 based hardware projects using the latest hardware modules such as the Sense HAT, Swiss Pi, MotoPi, Camera module, and many other state of the art analog and digital sensors. An important feature of the Raspberry Pi 3 is that it contains on-board Bluetooth and Wi-Fi modules. Example projects are given in the book on using the Wi-Fi and the Bluetooth modules to show how real-data can be sent to the Cloud using the Wi-Fi module, and also how to communicate with an Android based mobile phone using the Bluetooth module.
The book is ideal for self-study, and is intended for electronic/electrical engineering students, practising engineers, research students, and for hobbyists. It is recommended that the book should be followed in the given Chapter order.
Over 30 projects are given in the book. All the projects in the book are based on the Python programming language and they have been fully tested. Full program listings of every project are given in the book with comments and full descriptions. Experienced programmers should find it easy to modify and update the programs to suit their needs.
The following sub-headings are given for each project to make it as easy as possible for the readers to follow the projects:
Project title
Description
Aim of the project
Raspberry Pi type
Block diagram
Circuit diagram
Program listing
Entièrement mise à jour pour le Raspberry Pi 5
Raspberry Pi 5 est un petit ordinateur intelligent, de construction britannique qui regorge de potentiel. Fabriqué à l'aide d'un processeur économe en énergie, le Raspberry Pi est conçu pour vous aider à apprendre le codage, découvrir comment fonctionne un ordinateur et construire vos propres projets uniques et incroyables. Ce guide est conçu pour vous montrer à quel point il est facile de démarrer.
Apprendre à :
Configurez votre Raspberry Pi, installez son système d'exploitation, et commencez à utiliser cet ordinateur entièrement fonctionnel.
Commencez à coder des projets, avec des guides étape par étape utilisant les langages de programmation Scratch 3, Python et MicroPython.
Expérimentez en connectant des composants électroniques, et amusez-vous à créer des projets incroyables.
Nouveauté de la 5ème édition :
Mise à jour pour les derniers ordinateurs Raspberry Pi : Raspberry Pi 5 et Raspberry Pi Zèro 2 W.
Couvre le dernier système d'exploitation Raspberry Pi.
Comprend un nouveau chapitre sur le Raspberry Pi Pico !
Téléchargements
GitHub
Theory, LTspice Simulation, and Hands-On Projects
MOSFETs are essential components in modern electronics, used in switching, amplification, motor control, power conversion, digital logic, and audio circuits. This book offers a practical introduction to MOSFET technology, combining clear explanations with LTspice simulations and hands-on projects.
Starting with semiconductor fundamentals, you will learn how MOSFETs operate, how they compare with BJTs, and how to apply them in real circuits. The book then progresses from basic switching applications to more advanced designs.
You will learn how to:
Understand N-channel and P-channel MOSFET operation
Work with cutoff, triode, and saturation regions
Simulate and analyze circuits using LTspice
Build switching circuits for LEDs, relays, buzzers, sensors, and motors
Create sensor circuits for light, temperature, touch, tilt, reed switches, and PIR motion detection
Control motors and fans using PWM and H-bridge circuits
Design MOSFET small-signal amplifiers
Build astable, Colpitts, Hartley, phase-shift, and Pierce oscillators
Experiment with MOSFET digital logic
Explore buck and boost DC-DC converters
Understand the basics of MOSFET audio power amplifiers
Written for engineers, students, and experienced makers, this book connects theory with simulation and practical construction, giving you the knowledge and experience to design and experiment with MOSFET circuits with confidence.
From Simple Ciphers to Secure Systems
Understanding how to apply cryptography on modern microcontrollers is essential for building secure, reliable, and trustworthy systems. This book explains cryptography in the context of embedded hardware, from classical ciphers that illustrate core principles to modern techniques such as AES for practical high-security applications.
By combining mathematical theory with real-world microcontroller implementations, readers learn not only how cryptography works, but also how to implement it effectively on systems with limited processing power and memory. The book is intended for students starting out in cryptography, hobbyists securing personal projects, and engineers looking for a structured guide to embedded security.
The book covers these key topics in applied cryptography:
Classical ciphers on Arduino Uno and Raspberry Pi Pico, with full programs: Spartan Scytale, Hebrew Atbash, Caesar, ROT13, Alberti Disk, Vigenère, Affine, Polybius, Playfair, Beaufort, Ottoman Codebook, and One-Time Pad.
Hacking classical ciphers using microcontrollers, with examples.
Pseudo-random (PRNG) and true random number generation (TRNG) on microcontrollers.
Symmetric-key cryptography with full programs: DES and AES-128/256.
Memory and speed constraints of cryptography on microcontrollers.
Asymmetric cryptography: public/private keys, digital signatures, key distribution and derivation (KDF), RSA, and SHA-256 implementations.
A complete secure communication program using RSA and AES-256.
A glossary of commonly used cryptography terms.
