The connectors for Apollo DSKY (Display/Keyboard) are manufactured using the individual Malco mini-WASP pins pressed into holes in an aluminum or other metal plate to form some array of pins spaced .125" apart. Since mini-WASP pins are a precious commodity, I designed an alternative that would leave the pins in original condition for re-use after my project is done.
I had Ponoko.com laser-cut my design into thin maple wood, giving me a wood plate that could have the nylon holder of the mini-WASP pin pressed in without compressing or damaging the nylon. I build a stack of a plate holding the pin and an upper plate that allowed only the pin's wire-wrap post through. I could then wire-wrap to make connections and easily remove the wire after I am done.
PLATES MATCH THE DESIGN AND WORK PROPERLY WITH THE PINS
The plates align perfectly with the male pins on the three DSKY modules I have on hand. I tested the press fit of a mini-WASP into the plate and it was as good as I could expect. Removal leaves no damage to the pins but when pressed on it has adequate hold power. With the top plates added I have a great surface to install the wire-wrap cabling.
BUILDING THE POWER SUPPLY CONNECTOR
My first connector construction was for the simplest of the three modules, the Power Supply Module that needs only nine pins. I quickly put it together and moved the wires over from the temporary pins. I am pleased with the connector I have constructed and its operation.
BUILDING THE RELAY MODULE CONNECTOR
The Relay Module has space for 137 pins but for the purposes of this demonstration project I only need to install 75 of them. They consists of three groups for different purposes:
- 11 bring the 250 VAC 800 Hz power from the power supply
- 20 are control inputs from the Arduino based driver to activate the relays
- 44 deliver voltage to the segments of the EL panel
No comments:
Post a Comment