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DataProcessingUnit

RobertGawron·IonizationChamber·Hardware/DataProcessingUnit/DataProcessingUnit.kicad_pcb

DataProcessingUnit PCB layout, top view — open source STM32 board by RobertGawron
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About the DataProcessingUnit PCB

DataProcessingUnit is an open source STM32 PCB design by RobertGawron, published on GitHub under the GPL-3.0 license. It is a 2-layer board measuring 79.8 × 55 mm, with 56 components from 30 distinct parts.

Its main chip is the STM8S003F3P, from the STM32 family. Other key parts include the MCP3425Axx-xCH, L78L05_SOT89, L78L33_SO8 and TPS60403DBV. By type, the board carries 28 capacitors, 11 resistors, 6 ICs, 4 diodes, 3 connectors and 2 inductors.

It belongs with the science & space, audio and sensors designs in this gallery.

From the project

Nuclear radiation sensor with ionization chamber as a detector. Hard to make, IMHO inferior to semiconductor detectors.

There are many ionization chamber projects online, but most (though not all) produce false positive results. It's cool when a radioactive sample is placed near the detector and the detector shows an increased radiation value, but then, if you place your hand or any non-radioactive object nearby, the readings are high too. This is because, due to high amplification, these devices pick up a lot of noise, making the measurements unreliable.

DataProcessingUnit, from the project README
From the project README

Main components on the DataProcessingUnit

MCP3425Axx-xCHL78L05_SOT89L78L33_SO8TPS60403DBVSTM8S003F3P

DataProcessingUnit bill of materials (BOM)

56 components, 30 distinct parts.

QtyPartRefs
1
MCP3425Axx-xCH
U1
1
L78L05_SOT89
U3
2
L78L33_SO8
U4, U5
1
TPS60403DBV
U6
1
STM8S003F3P
U54
1
Conn_01x03
J2
1
Barrel_Jack_Switch
J4
1
Conn_01x04
J6
1
200mA
F1
1
100k
RV1
1
yellow
D2
1
green
D3
1
red
D4
1
0R resistor
D51
2
22u
L1, L2
2
10u
C1, C4
2
TBD
C2, C18
1
10n
C3
4
100u/6v3
C5, C6, C8, C24
4
1u
C7, C9, C10, C11
Show 10 more
QtyPartRefs
1
100u/6v3
C12
7
2u2
C13, C15, C17, C19, C21, C23, C25
3
100u/12v
C14, C16, C20
3
100n
C22, C50, C53
1
680n
C52
2
10k
R1, R5
3
510R
R2, R3, R4
3
0R
R50, R51, R52
1
27k
R53
2
2k2
R59, R60

DataProcessingUnit design files

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

DataProcessingUnit: common questions

What microcontroller does the DataProcessingUnit use?

The DataProcessingUnit is built around the STM8S003F3P, from the STM32 family.

How big is the DataProcessingUnit PCB?

The DataProcessingUnit measures 79.8 × 55 mm, has 2 copper layers and is 1.6 mm thick.

How many components are on the DataProcessingUnit?

56 components, from 30 distinct parts. The full bill of materials is listed on this page.

Where can I download the DataProcessingUnit design files?

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

Can I use the DataProcessingUnit design in my own project?

Yes, under the terms of its GPL-3.0 license, which RobertGawron chose for the repository.

Can I test firmware for the DataProcessingUnit without the hardware?

Yes. HardLabs builds a simulation of the board from its netlist and BOM, so you can run and debug STM32 firmware against it before you order a PCB.

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