HardLabs

Photogates

nathab32·Photogates·PCB/KiCad/Photogate/Photogate.kicad_pcb

Photogates PCB layout, top view — open source AVR/Arduino board by nathab32

About the Photogates PCB

Photogates is an open source AVR/Arduino PCB design by nathab32, published on GitHub. It is a 2-layer board measuring 92 × 67.8 mm, with 29 components from 15 distinct parts.

Its main chip is the ARDUINO_DIGITAL_0_7, from the AVR/Arduino family. Other key parts include the SPST-NO Switch. By type, the board carries 9 resistors, 8 connectors, 5 capacitors, 3 ICs and 2 transistors.

It belongs with the displays & leds designs in this gallery.

From the project

Photogates allow precise, automatic timing of objects moving between two points. The photogates trigger automatically when a laser beam is interrupted, providing much faster response times than a human ever could with a stopwatch.

Photogates allow precise, automatic timing of objects moving between two points. The photogates trigger automatically when a laser beam is interrupted, providing much faster response times than a human ever could with a stopwatch.

This specific project was inspired by my Science Olympiad team's lack of a photogate for the timing events. Commonly available solutions online cost at least $50, with high resolution ones costing hundreds of dollars. This design seeks to lower the barrier to precise timing by using commonly available parts and 3D printed materials for a cost-effective design. The…

Photogates, from the project README
From the project README

Main components on the Photogates

SPST-NO Switch

Photogates bill of materials (BOM)

29 components, 15 distinct parts — part numbers from the project's BOM.

QtyPartRefs
3
SPST-NO Switch
U1, U2, U3
2
2N3904
Q3, Q4
1
ARDUINO_DIGITAL_0_7
Arduino_Digital_0_7
J1
1
ARDUINO_DIGITAL_8_13
Arduino_Digital_8_13
J2
1
Arduino_Power
J3
1
Arduino_Analog_IN
J4
4
CONN_01X02_PIN
Conn_01x02_Pin
J5, J6, J7, J8
1
WC1602A
DS1
1
10K
10k
RV1
1
1u
C1
4
0.1U
0.1u
C2, C3, C4, C5
1
220
R1
2
100K
100k
R2, R3
4
1k
R4, R5, R7, R8
2
100
R6, R9

Photogates design files

The KiCad project lives in the nathab32/Photogates repository on GitHub; these links point at the commit this page was built from.

Photogates: common questions

What microcontroller does the Photogates use?

The Photogates is built around the ARDUINO_DIGITAL_0_7, from the AVR/Arduino family.

How big is the Photogates PCB?

The Photogates measures 92 × 67.8 mm, has 2 copper layers and is 1.09 mm thick.

How many components are on the Photogates?

29 components, from 15 distinct parts, with part numbers taken from the project's own BOM. The full bill of materials is listed on this page.

Where can I download the Photogates design files?

From the nathab32/Photogates repository on GitHub, which has the KiCad layout, the schematic and the BOM; the links under Design files point to each one.

Can I use the Photogates design in my own project?

The repository has no license, so all rights stay with nathab32. Use it as a reference, and ask the author before reusing the design.

Can I test firmware for the Photogates without the hardware?

Yes. HardLabs builds a simulation of the board from its netlist and BOM, so you can run and debug AVR/Arduino firmware against it before you order a PCB.

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