ASM-2 Construction Guide
ELBY Designs - Laurie Biddulph
9 Follan Close, Kariong, NSW 2250, Australia
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When assembling the board we recommend one of the following two strategies:-
1) Assembly of the full board by component type. In this method the board is built up in
layers starting with resistors and diodes, then ICs, capacitors, trimpots and transistors.
One disadvantage of this approach is
that the unit cannot be tested until the
complete board has been assembled. I
use a PCB Assembly Jig (see
photograph) which means that I can
insert components and solder them
without having too bend the legs over
to retain them. This is a big bonus if
you wish to experiment with the board
as it makes component removal a lot
easier.
2) Assembly by module. In this method each module is assembled in its entirety one at a
time. Once assembled, the module can be tested with, in many, cases minimal external
componentry being added. One disadvantage of this method is that you will need to
connect some external components to some of the modules for testing and this will
require some connecting and disconnecting to allow for easy assembly of the next
stage. This approach does not work with my PCB Assembly Jig and the previous
method as the variations in component heights affects the height of the components on
the board preventing the component retainer from working properly.
Option (2) may suit users with less confidence in their assembly skills as they can quickly
determine if a module works properly and as to how things are going.
Once you have figured out what components you want to stuff, mark up the drawings to
show this.
Occasionally some components may become obsolete or very difficult to get hold of. In
these instances, substitute components are provided. Wherever possible, these will be pin
compatible (as well as functionally compatible) allowing them to be inserted in to the PCB
without modifications. However, this is not always possible and some components may
need to have their legs bent to fit the PCB location. We are continually on the lookout for
alternative substitutes and will replace components in our kits as approved substitutes
become available.
We recommend you read our
for general assembly guidance
and other useful information.
