Bill of Materials for an Internet of Things focused maker space.
December 9, 2019 9:18 AM Subscribe
I've been tasked with coming up with the BoM and budget for a makers space at work, focused on IoT. I need help coming up with a list of essentials and nice-to-haves. Please help!
The idea is to have a room for people in the office to build small electronic projects. Some people are into analog noise making, some into data collection, but the way we can get budget is if it looks like an IoT makers room.
For example, the first potential project is to instrument the 3 floors of the office with data-logging / wifi-connected thermometers to generate a literal office heat map.
I've been out of the game for a long time, I have trouble thinking beyond a small soldering station and boxes of assorted passive components.
Thank you!
The idea is to have a room for people in the office to build small electronic projects. Some people are into analog noise making, some into data collection, but the way we can get budget is if it looks like an IoT makers room.
For example, the first potential project is to instrument the 3 floors of the office with data-logging / wifi-connected thermometers to generate a literal office heat map.
I've been out of the game for a long time, I have trouble thinking beyond a small soldering station and boxes of assorted passive components.
Thank you!
First things first, you should (if possible) buy everything from AliExpress. If you buy this stuff on amazon you're just buying it from people who have bought it from AliExpress and doubled the price.
Definitely a big box of passive components. I would also recommend buying a few of the X-in-1 sensor kits which are a lot of fun to play with. They usually come with some temperature sensors, maybe a barometric pressure sensor, light sensors, a display or two of some type, hall effect sensors, buttons, etc. Get a bunch of breadboards too, much easier and more reusable than soldering.
In addition to the Arduinos that clawsoon mentioned, I'd also recommend a handfull of ESP8266s and ESP-32s. They're very cheap ($5-10) and have built in bluetooth and WiFi which makes them really easy to get connected for IoT applications.
As far as soldering goes, get good solder, a pot or two of flux, some liquid flux, copper braid, and some of the copper wool tip cleaner things (using a wet sponge sucks). Maybe even a pot of the super-horrible tip-cleaner if people aren't terribly experience solderers.
posted by nsillik at 9:36 AM on December 9, 2019 [1 favorite]
Definitely a big box of passive components. I would also recommend buying a few of the X-in-1 sensor kits which are a lot of fun to play with. They usually come with some temperature sensors, maybe a barometric pressure sensor, light sensors, a display or two of some type, hall effect sensors, buttons, etc. Get a bunch of breadboards too, much easier and more reusable than soldering.
In addition to the Arduinos that clawsoon mentioned, I'd also recommend a handfull of ESP8266s and ESP-32s. They're very cheap ($5-10) and have built in bluetooth and WiFi which makes them really easy to get connected for IoT applications.
As far as soldering goes, get good solder, a pot or two of flux, some liquid flux, copper braid, and some of the copper wool tip cleaner things (using a wet sponge sucks). Maybe even a pot of the super-horrible tip-cleaner if people aren't terribly experience solderers.
posted by nsillik at 9:36 AM on December 9, 2019 [1 favorite]
A benchtop fume hood/air filter specifically for soldering is probably a good idea. A benchtop power supply. A multimeter at minimum, a scope if someone knows how to use it.
There are probably OSHA and local building regulations about this kind of workspace, even if it's not directly job-related. We had a lot of issues getting a laser cutter working at work because of a bunch of regulatory issues. Not to discourage you, but just to be aware of it.
posted by GuyZero at 9:36 AM on December 9, 2019
There are probably OSHA and local building regulations about this kind of workspace, even if it's not directly job-related. We had a lot of issues getting a laser cutter working at work because of a bunch of regulatory issues. Not to discourage you, but just to be aware of it.
posted by GuyZero at 9:36 AM on December 9, 2019
Oh also some sort of third hand setup for soldering and a magnifying table lamp.
Again, if someone knows how to use it, a hot air rework setup is amazing and the kind of thing that's usually too expensive for someone to buy at home for personal use.
I would not go as far as a reflow oven as if you needed a reflow oven you'd probably know.
posted by GuyZero at 9:40 AM on December 9, 2019
Again, if someone knows how to use it, a hot air rework setup is amazing and the kind of thing that's usually too expensive for someone to buy at home for personal use.
I would not go as far as a reflow oven as if you needed a reflow oven you'd probably know.
posted by GuyZero at 9:40 AM on December 9, 2019
Best answer: I am involved in a hackerspace (57north.org.uk).
You don't realise how important power connectors and wires are until you try and
make things permanent. Mostly projects will supply you with useful and fun
components, but it is good to get basic building blocks, surfaces to mount
stuff on, core structural things common accessory components (resistors, caps,
leds).
I would prioritise a laser cutter over a 3D printer, but the 3D printer is
flashier so you'll probably get given one without asking. If you do have to get
a 3D printer get a cheap resin one, the resolution will blow your mind.
Here is a short list of mostly essential things.
Small tools you need to have all the time:
- Snips
- Pliers
- Small screw drivers
- bigger screw drivers
- a hex set of some sort
- craft knives
- a drill
- all of drill bits
Larger tools you need to do things
- soldering iron
- extraction for soldering iron
- solder sucker (to unsolder things, cheap but vital)
- bench supply
- oscilloscope (this is a nice to have, but it really really really helps)
Consumables
- wire of all sorts (solid core, multi core, many colours)
- solder
- flux pens
- heat shrink
- pin headers (male and female)
- screw down terminal block barrel connectors (plug and socket)
- power supplies of all sorts (they vanish into projects)
- proto board
- plasticard
- foam board
- resistors (get a range)
- capacitors (get a range)
- every sort of button
- every sort of led
- dip sockets
With a soldering iron, proto board and parts you can make anything :D
posted by adventureloop at 9:52 AM on December 9, 2019 [3 favorites]
You don't realise how important power connectors and wires are until you try and
make things permanent. Mostly projects will supply you with useful and fun
components, but it is good to get basic building blocks, surfaces to mount
stuff on, core structural things common accessory components (resistors, caps,
leds).
I would prioritise a laser cutter over a 3D printer, but the 3D printer is
flashier so you'll probably get given one without asking. If you do have to get
a 3D printer get a cheap resin one, the resolution will blow your mind.
Here is a short list of mostly essential things.
Small tools you need to have all the time:
- Snips
- Pliers
- Small screw drivers
- bigger screw drivers
- a hex set of some sort
- craft knives
- a drill
- all of drill bits
Larger tools you need to do things
- soldering iron
- extraction for soldering iron
- solder sucker (to unsolder things, cheap but vital)
- bench supply
- oscilloscope (this is a nice to have, but it really really really helps)
Consumables
- wire of all sorts (solid core, multi core, many colours)
- solder
- flux pens
- heat shrink
- pin headers (male and female)
- screw down terminal block barrel connectors (plug and socket)
- power supplies of all sorts (they vanish into projects)
- proto board
- plasticard
- foam board
- resistors (get a range)
- capacitors (get a range)
- every sort of button
- every sort of led
- dip sockets
With a soldering iron, proto board and parts you can make anything :D
posted by adventureloop at 9:52 AM on December 9, 2019 [3 favorites]
Response by poster: Thank you all, please keep it coming, I'll keep taking notes and present something for your consideration later.
posted by Dr. Curare at 10:03 AM on December 9, 2019
posted by Dr. Curare at 10:03 AM on December 9, 2019
Adafruit & SparkFun are pretty great sources for these kinds of things. I would support these guys over AliExpress or Amazon. They put together pretty amazing technical resources that make getting things running much easier. Check out the Adafruit tutorial on getting this air quality sensor running.
I really like the Raspberry Pi Zero W for small sensor/IoT projects, you get all the Raspberry Pi community behind you for sample code for different sensors and getting things setup and the low low price.
One thing people overlook in DIY logging is the importance of having the correct time. Even if you have NTP through a network connecting throwing a real time clock on your project will make your life easier.
posted by gregr at 10:30 AM on December 9, 2019
I really like the Raspberry Pi Zero W for small sensor/IoT projects, you get all the Raspberry Pi community behind you for sample code for different sensors and getting things setup and the low low price.
One thing people overlook in DIY logging is the importance of having the correct time. Even if you have NTP through a network connecting throwing a real time clock on your project will make your life easier.
posted by gregr at 10:30 AM on December 9, 2019
Who will be responsible for cleaning up? Makerspaces generate endless kipple, and if it's no-one's job to keep it crap-free, it'll quickly become unusable. Who will maintain the hardware?
Tool organization is good. Project bins are also good: if you can label 'em and find a way of arranging them in storage, it makes people's projects quicker to put away and also to start up.
If you get a laser cutter, you'll need fume removal, employee safety training and material storage.
Some unordered thoughts on what to get:
posted by scruss at 2:19 PM on December 9, 2019 [1 favorite]
Tool organization is good. Project bins are also good: if you can label 'em and find a way of arranging them in storage, it makes people's projects quicker to put away and also to start up.
If you get a laser cutter, you'll need fume removal, employee safety training and material storage.
Some unordered thoughts on what to get:
- More pairs of diagonal cutters than you thought possible. They're cheap, they're infinitely useful, but they walk/break/get lost
- A big cutting mat and cutting ruler
- Stencil cutter (Silhouette, Brother, etc)
- pencils and scratchpads
- eye protection
- Dremel tool(s)
- cheap digital calipers
- jumper wires of all types
posted by scruss at 2:19 PM on December 9, 2019 [1 favorite]
Lots of good suggestions upthread. Some stuff on my own bench that's 1) cheap, 2) widely applicable and 3) that I use all the time:
posted by sourcequench at 3:38 PM on December 9, 2019 [1 favorite]
- Forceps with autoranging resistance and capacitance meter built in. These are handy for identifying SMD jellybean components, and for identifying the polarity on SMD LEDs.
- One of the various cheap three-lead semiconductor testers. This can identify the general category of transistors / MOSFETs / what have you, measure some of the relevant performance characteristics and tell you the pinout.
- Bus pirate plus test leads. Need to talk serial / I2C / SPI ? Now you can.
- A moderately cheap LCR meter. You might be thinking "my multimeter does most of that stuff". It doesn't, at least not very well.
- Some kind of handheld vacuum cleaner. I cannot emphasize this enough.
- 99% isopropyl alcohol, flux remover, Deoxit and lots of paper towels.
- Automatic wire strippers for small wires.
- Boxes of assorted Dupont and JST connector stuff, plus appropriate crimp tool(s).
- Boxes of small metric hardware: M3, M2.5 and M2 screws in various common lengths, plus matching nuts and washers.
- Junk-box Linux PC. Use this for reading datasheets, Google tech support, running dev tools, flashing new firmware on stuff and driving the Bus Pirate.
- Trash-tier wireless access point that you can reconfigure on a whim. This is essential for testing IoT devices without putting network credentials you care about in places they oughtn't be.
- Some kind of magnification. Maybe several kinds. Wearable magnifiers and USB microscopes are pretty useful. If you have the budget, a long-focus binocular microscope is wonderful.
- Paint markers in white and some other bright color. When you get a new anonymous wall-wart power supply, write what it fits on the outside with the paint marker
- Clear nail polish. Cyanoacrylate adhesive and baking soda. E6000 adhesive. Kapton tape in various widths.
posted by sourcequench at 3:38 PM on December 9, 2019 [1 favorite]
3m z axis tape
Gobs of pin header jumper wires in all three m/F combinations
An even better fume sucker. This would top of my list and good ones are ~600.
Organization/eBay area for the don’t-nations /reverse theft stuff that people will inevitably bring in. You need to keep on top of getting rid of stuff as fast as people drop it off.
Saleae analyzer. This will be what people go to the lab for when the screen isn’t talking to the MCU
A better desoldering tool. Skip the solder sucker, get a vacuum tool.
Lab coats, gloves and paper to cover surfaces. Somebody will need solder paste , acetone or something you haven’t prepared for. Have the easy protection on hand.
Fire extinguisher.
Clear rules that in this lab we stay below 12 volts (no ac work).
posted by unknown knowns at 7:37 AM on December 10, 2019
Gobs of pin header jumper wires in all three m/F combinations
An even better fume sucker. This would top of my list and good ones are ~600.
Organization/eBay area for the don’t-nations /reverse theft stuff that people will inevitably bring in. You need to keep on top of getting rid of stuff as fast as people drop it off.
Saleae analyzer. This will be what people go to the lab for when the screen isn’t talking to the MCU
A better desoldering tool. Skip the solder sucker, get a vacuum tool.
Lab coats, gloves and paper to cover surfaces. Somebody will need solder paste , acetone or something you haven’t prepared for. Have the easy protection on hand.
Fire extinguisher.
Clear rules that in this lab we stay below 12 volts (no ac work).
posted by unknown knowns at 7:37 AM on December 10, 2019
Missed the edit window.
Good filters start at 600, but show up on Craigslist, estate sales and word of mouth.
See if people desolder. Then replace the worn out tip on the $20 hand unit with a $150 Aoyue vacuum unit. Suddenly more failed projects become recyclable.
posted by unknown knowns at 7:50 AM on December 10, 2019
Good filters start at 600, but show up on Craigslist, estate sales and word of mouth.
See if people desolder. Then replace the worn out tip on the $20 hand unit with a $150 Aoyue vacuum unit. Suddenly more failed projects become recyclable.
posted by unknown knowns at 7:50 AM on December 10, 2019
Rules about using and storing lithium batteries. If you keep them, a good charger, fiberglass charging bags and paint cans for disposal. If not, aaa battery holders in bulk.
Dc/dc switching regulators. Pololu has tiny adjustable 5-3 and 3-5 ones that can fit in a prototype.
Kanban marking on everything. I’ve heard of a hacker space that made pull tabs for each bin and was jealous. I’ve worked in ones with entry and exit dates.
posted by unknown knowns at 8:10 AM on December 10, 2019
Dc/dc switching regulators. Pololu has tiny adjustable 5-3 and 3-5 ones that can fit in a prototype.
Kanban marking on everything. I’ve heard of a hacker space that made pull tabs for each bin and was jealous. I’ve worked in ones with entry and exit dates.
posted by unknown knowns at 8:10 AM on December 10, 2019
DoES Liverpool uses GitHub to keep track of all the improvements and fixes that need to be done when running somewhere like this.
posted by fabius at 12:07 PM on December 13, 2019
posted by fabius at 12:07 PM on December 13, 2019
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by clawsoon at 9:21 AM on December 9, 2019 [1 favorite]