HardLabs

Cheapino

tompi·cheapino·pcb/cheapino.kicad_pcb

Cheapino PCB layout, top view — open source RP2040/RP2350 board by tompi

About the Cheapino PCB

Cheapino is an open source RP2040/RP2350 PCB design by tompi, published on GitHub under the CC-BY-4.0 license. It is a 2-layer board measuring 132.5 × 95.1 mm, with 50 components from 6 distinct parts.

Its main chip is the RP2040-Zero, from the RP2040/RP2350 family. By type, the board carries 21 diodes, 18 relays, 7 jumpers and 1 IC.

It belongs with the keyboards designs in this gallery.

From the project

An affordable split 36 keys keyboard

Probably one of the cheapest split keyboards you can build.

This is the result of really enjoying building keyboards, but not wanting to spend that much money on it. The pcb is reversible, connected using rj45, and utilizes a japanese duplex matrix, so only one mcu is needed. For hotswap I recommend a case(pictured above), but soldering the switches is of course the cheapest option :)

Cheapino, from the project README
From the project README

Main components on the Cheapino

RP2040-Zero

Cheapino bill of materials (BOM)

50 components, 6 distinct parts.

QtyPartRefs
1
RP2040-Zero
U1
1
RotaryEncoder_Switch
ENC1
7
SolderJumper_2_Open
JP1, JP2, JP3, JP4, JP5, JP6, JP7
2
RJ45_Shielded
J_1_LEFT1, J_2_RIGHT1
18
SW_Push
K1, K2, K3, K4, K5, K6, K7, K8 +10
21
DIODE
D1, D2, D3, D4, D5, D6, D7, D8 +13

Cheapino design files

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

Cheapino: common questions

What microcontroller does the Cheapino use?

The Cheapino is built around the RP2040-Zero, from the RP2040/RP2350 family.

How big is the Cheapino PCB?

The Cheapino measures 132.5 × 95.1 mm, has 2 copper layers and is 1.6 mm thick.

How many components are on the Cheapino?

50 components, from 6 distinct parts. The full bill of materials is listed on this page.

Where can I download the Cheapino design files?

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

Can I use the Cheapino design in my own project?

Yes, under the terms of its CC-BY-4.0 license, which tompi chose for the repository.

Can I test firmware for the Cheapino without the hardware?

Yes. HardLabs builds a simulation of the board from its netlist and BOM, so you can run and debug RP2040/RP2350 firmware against it before you order a PCB.

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