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🎉I have already sent to manufacture the final version of LibreServo to JLCPCB!🎉
In total there have been 50 PCB boards (50 because they were the same price as 30) of 0.8mm thick and of the highest possible quality; 6 layers, ENIG finish, epoxy filled and capped vias, PCB material upgraded to FR-4 TG155... Everything came out to me for about $93.24, which with VAT and shipping goes up to $118.18. That gives a base price of about $2.36 per LibreServo. Making the four-layer version of LibreServo, in HASL finish (with lead), FR-4 TG135-140 material and tracks simply covered with solder mask comes out to $56.20, which with VAT and shipping goes up to $75 for a total of $1.5 each LibreServo. Personally I think that making it in 6 layers and the rest of the improvements are well worth 0.86$ per board, but it is something that each one will have to value and that certainly LibreServo is going to work equally well in both configurations.

Now the LibreServo gerbers are going to look much better. For some time now I have been using the tracespace website to be able to see the gerbers easily and quickly before placing any order.
I liked the web so much that while researching I discovered that you can create static links to my gerber files, so said and done, I have modified the last LibreServo schematics articles and I have added a button that links directly to tracespace so you can see the schematics in more detail and in an interactive way.

New LibreServo v2.1

A few days ago I received the LibreServo boards I had ordered from JLCPCB. As I told you in the article of changes in LibreServo v2.1, the new version of LibreServo added two extra layers to reach the 6 layers and thus have the offer of JLCPCB and after receiving them and see them ... I only have words of absolute amazement.

The result is magnificent, not only the gold finish looks great in it 😎, the silkscreen itself is much better than when you order plates of four layers or less and the tracks filled with epoxy and covered in copper give an extraordinary result, not only at electrical/routing level and for soldering is a huge improvement, but also allows silkscreen printing on top of vias without any problem, which in LibreServo with the philosophy that has to point all the components to facilitate then when soldering, it comes great.

After several months of work, LibreServo has finally reached version 0.1 in the software. What does this mean? It means that LibreServo is still in Beta version, but it is mature enough to present itself in society. This will be only the first of several entries that I will be uploading these days.

I have updated the Github of LibreServo with the latest files and I will try to keep it updated.

In the next few days I will upload the documentation of LibreServo commands, but in case anyone wants to read the code itself, I have made two small diagrams to help understand how LibreServo works.

Little more to say, it was something I really wanted to do since years ago, but if I don't have time for the project itself and the website, even less to have the project also on another website.

The project is progressing quite well lately and I think it's about time to make it more known in the community. Although it is on hackaday, it will be on LibreServo where all the information will be more up to date and in greater detail.

LibreServo expands to Hackaday

Soldering the first LibreServo v2

This little entry is to announce that the new LibreServo has arrived, I was able to solder it without any problem and it is fully working! 🥳

After the tests I did with the test boards v1 and v2 many changes were made to the design of LibreServo. Because of those many changes, LibreServo moves to version 2.

LibreServo sending data via RS485 to Arduino plotter

After several tests, the LibreServo hardware is finally chosen and it's working, even the H-bridge that gave me a lot of problems! In general, all the parts of LibreServo remain as they were, because they were already working correctly, except the parts are discussed in this article.

Hello World in LibreServo PCB test v2

A month ago I was analyzing the results and conclusions obtained with the LibreServo test PCB v1 and trying not to lose momentum this month I have designed, I have ordered new PCBs and I have already assembled the LibreServo test PCB v2! 🥳

It is the first PCB that I have designed with 4 layers for LibreServo and I hope that this will mitigates some issues with the H-bridge that I think comes, in part, from electronic noise. For the rest, it is a PCB with the final components, it is closer to the final design in which I have forced myself to put the components as close as possible to each other to see the real limit between what is designed and what can be easily welded without overcomplicating things, everything holds up on paper but then you have to bring it to reality.

LibreServo test PCB

It has been a long time since my last update, a pandemic in between and many changes. Be that as it may, LibreServo continues moving forward, little by little, but it moves 💪.

During the previous versions of LibreServo I have continually encountered different problems in the design and without knowing exactly how different components were going to behave, in addition, later trying to debug the board being so compact and without extra space to be able to even solder a cable to be able to see the signs, always complicated everything too much.

Nuevo material y herramientas para LibreServo

LibreServo va a sufrir varios cambios importantes y he decidido cambiar el método en el que estoy realizando las pruebas. Además, he decidido rascarme el bolsillo y comprarme algo más de equipamiento para medir todo lo necesario de una manera externa y precisa y así saber de antemano qué esperarme en LibreServo.