Alt-BEAM Archive
Message #09217
To: beam@sgiblab.sgi.com
From: "Dennison Bertram" dibst11+@pitt.edu
Date: Sat, 15 Jan 2000 13:03:12 -0500
Subject: [alt-beam] Re: Interseting, additional idea. and include Solarbotics.BEAM/LEGO discussion...
content-transfer-encoding: 7bit
OK, this is all very interseting, and I've been convinced to throw myself
into this again. Here's an idea. Make the boards very small, as was
mentioned. Make them Triangular, (as was mentioned, so that any shape,
including 3D ones could be created) But reduce the parts count. $4.50 is
still too expensive. There isn't any need for connecters on the sides of the
triangles, all you need is copper pads on the edges, you should add small
holes on the pads incase someone really wanted to have connectors, but don't
sell them with connectors. I for one, wouldn't use them. If you just had
solder PADs on the end, much like the edge of a SIMM memory card for your
comupter, that would be sufficient to make solder bridges, and the boards
could be easilly soldered together. On the inside of the boards you
definitly need pin connectors. The female pins, like the ones easilly seen
on Mark T's Unicore, where he has resistors sticking out. Forget using
variable resistors. by building the resistor into the design your already
limiting the usefullness of the boards. I don't know if I would entirely
rule them out however, as they can be usefull. But they increase the cost.
Instead have three FEMALE pins, in the proper orientation for a variable
resistor. Something like that. What we really need to do, is Talk to Mark
Tilden about this. I've already done some of my own extensive work in
Hextiles, SMD hextiles at that. I had them manufactured for me by a place
out in Oregon. My conclusion? They are fantastic, but design is so important
I can't stress it enough! No matter HOW good our design is, we'll probably
need to revise it several times before it really "works". In this Area, Mark
Tilden really knows what he's doing. Sure, it's hard to get ahold of him,
but we should try. Also, think about what he has done, he has the boards
completly Machined for him. All the parts are built in. We ought to think
about this too, suddenly this cost more, and requires lots more planning,
but inevitabbly it's the best answer. (No I'm not some PCB company trying to
trick you into buying from me!) But we should include Dave into this as
well, as he has the capital and experince to get a project like this off the
ground. Not only that, but Dave is already in the planning stages of
Hextiles, if he were to make the design open to suggestions from the list,
not only would he be building something people really want, but it would be
a fine, fine, product. Like I said, $4.50 still feels a little pricey. Two
dollars sounds more like it for something so small, that way one could make
a heavy investment, and spend alot of money, but also get alot for it.
Another thing, for anyone who wants to get rich off these, they are too
small to make a real profit off of. You'll need to sell them bulk.
Anyway
dennison
content-transfer-encoding: quoted-printable
>
15012000>OK, =
this is all very interseting, and I've been convinced to throw myself int=
o =
this again. Here's an idea. Make the boards very small, as was mentioned.=
Make =
them Triangular, (as was mentioned, so that any shape, including 3D ones =
could =
be created) But reduce the parts count. $4.50 is still too expensive. The=
re =
isn't any need for connecters on the sides of the triangles, all you need=
is =
copper pads on the edges, you should add small holes on the pads incase =
someone really wanted to have connectors, but don't sell them with connec=
tors. =
I for one, wouldn't use them. If you just had solder PADs on the end, muc=
h =
like the edge of a SIMM memory card for your comupter, that would be =
sufficient to make solder bridges, and the boards could be easilly solder=
ed =
together. On the inside of the boards you definitly need pin connectors. =
The =
female pins, like the ones easilly seen on Mark T's Unicore, where he has=
=
resistors sticking out. Forget using variable resistors. by buildin=
g the =
resistor into the design your already limiting the usefullness of the boa=
rds. =
I don't know if I would entirely rule them out however, as they can be =
usefull. But they increase the cost. Instead have three FEMALE pins, in t=
he =
proper orientation for a variable resistor. Something like that. What we =
really need to do, is Talk to Mark Tilden about this. I've already done s=
ome =
of my own extensive work in Hextiles, SMD hextiles at that. I had them =
manufactured for me by a place out in Oregon. My conclusion? They are =
fantastic, but design is so important I can't stress it enough! No matter=
HOW =
good our design is, we'll probably need to revise it several times before=
it =
really "works". In this Area, Mark Tilden really knows what he's doing. S=
ure, =
it's hard to get ahold of him, but we should try. Also, think about what =
he =
has done, he has the boards completly Machined for him. All the parts are=
=
built in. We ought to think about this too, suddenly this cost more, and =
requires lots more planning, but inevitabbly it's the best answer. (No I'=
m not =
some PCB company trying to trick you into buying from me!) But we should =
include Dave into this as well, as he has the capital and experince to ge=
t a =
project like this off the ground. Not only that, but Dave is already in t=
he =
planning stages of Hextiles, if he were to make the design open to sugges=
tions =
from the list, not only would he be building something people really want=
, but =
it would be a fine, fine, product. Like I said, $4.50 still feels a littl=
e =
pricey. Two dollars sounds more like it for something so small, that way =
one =
could make a heavy investment, and spend alot of money, but also get alot=
for =
it. Another thing, for anyone who wants to get rich off these, they are t=
oo =
small to make a real profit off of. You'll need to sell them =
bulk.
class=3D760054917-15012000>
class=3D760054917-15012000>Anyway
class=3D760054917-15012000>dennison
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