Mastodawn

LeoDJ Mar 4, 2024

I'm currently in the process of designing an #ExpansionCard for my new #FrameworkLaptop.

I need the #Unifying #dongle (lower latency), but don't want it sticking out and losing a whole slot.

So I'm going to throw a USB hub and the peeled dongle on a PCB and hope it all works out :D

As a further experiment, I routed the USB A SS lines past the hub (USB 2 D+/D- connected to port 1 of the hub).
Not sure if this will play nice with USB drivers, but it's worth a try.

#USB #DongleHiderPlus

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LeoDJ Mar 17, 2024

Finally, all parts arrived today!

Time for assembly.

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LeoDJ Mar 17, 2024

*insert standard run-of-the-mill PCB assembly steps here*
Paste, place, reflow. Paste, place, reflow. Solder the rest of the components manually.

It went pretty normal, although the assembly order of the straddle-mount USB-C connector needed a bit of thought ^^
I ended up with this procedure:
- Reflow the top side without the connector
- Place it after the paste of the bottom side and put flux on the top side contacts
- Reflow bottom side with hot air

#DongleHiderPlus

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Lukas

@LeoDJ
That paste print 🥺

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LeoDJ Mar 17, 2024

@karotte
ty ^^"
Had feared that it wouldn't turn out that nice, as my solder paste had already dried out quite much.
But I simply mixed in some fresh flux until the consistency improved.
Other than that it was just a single card squeegee pass ^^