Build Your Own Mechatronics Prototype Station with SOLIDWORKS

Tired of your Arduino Uno and breadboard sliding around your workspace? This project shows you how to design and 3D print a custom prototype station using SOLIDWORKS or xDesign. It's a practical way to organize your electronics projects and improve your design skills.

Key Takeaways

• Design Intent: Plan your design with future modifications in mind.
• Multibody Part Design: Create multiple distinct parts within a single SOLIDWORKS file.
• 3D Printing Prep: Learn how to export individual bodies as STL files for printing.

Organizing Your Electronics Workspace

If you're working with electronics like the Arduino Uno and breadboards, you know how easily they can slide around your desk. This project tackles that problem head-on by creating a dedicated, stable base for your components. The design is split into two main parts: a base for the breadboard and a base for the Arduino Uno. This setup gives you flexibility, allowing you to print different sizes of breadboard bases that will still fit the main Arduino base. The two pieces connect using a clever dovetail joint, and the Arduino board is secured with small machine screws into threaded brass inserts.

Designing for Functionality

When designing the Arduino base, the geometry is based on the actual dimensions of the Arduino Uno board and its mounting holes. The walls of the base are extruded up to the top of the circuit board, providing a snug fit. To make things easier to see, the circuit board model can be hidden. Decorative fillets are added to the corners for a cleaner look. A cut is made at the bottom to create the dovetail notch, designed to be slightly deeper than the connecting piece to account for any minor imperfections from 3D printing.

The breadboard base also features the dovetail piece that locks into the Arduino base. A small wall surrounds the breadboard area, keeping it securely in place. For breadboards with adhesive backs, this wall is often enough to hold them steady. The design also includes a small cut to increase the depth for brass inserts, allowing for a bit of extra material to accommodate the insertion process. Cutouts at the end provide clearance for connectors, and support structures are added to ensure the Arduino board sits flat and clear of any protruding pins on its underside.

An alignment pin is included in one of the mounting hole locations, especially useful where a screw can't be used due to nearby components. The design also incorporates mounting holes on the bottom of the Arduino base. This allows the base to be used independently in other projects, like the Autonomous Robot Car project mentioned in another video.

Preparing for 3D Printing

Once the design is complete, the individual bodies need to be exported as separate files. For 3D printing, these need to be converted into an STL file format, which most slicer software can read. To do this, you simply right-click on a body in the Solid Bodies folder and select 'Insert into new part.' You can then browse to give the new part a name and save it. When the part opens in its own window, use the 'Save As' function and change the file type to STL before saving.

This project is a fantastic way to solve a common workspace issue, making your setup more organized and efficient. It’s a great little project for anyone looking to improve their SOLIDWORKS or xDesign skills while creating something genuinely useful.