Friday 15 May 2015

Updated BlueFlyVario_Bluetooth_v10 Assembly

I released the BlueFlyVario_Bluetooth_v10 about six months ago (see this post). Most pilots have had no trouble with assembly, but there have been a few issues for some and there is always room to improve. This post describes a slightly different mix of parts you will receive and a simplified assembly procedure. Also, I have made a video of the assembly in response to quite a few requests.

What has changed and why?



  • The PCB is now shipped with the heatshrink and neoprene on. This part of the assembly was tricky for some pilots, the heatshrink would get all messed up, or the neoprene would be stuck the wrong way. I previously suggested putting the battery under the heatshink, now I am advocating to put it outside the heatshrink on the underside of the PCB. This idea came from a Red Bull x-alps competition pilot who wanted to be able to change batteries more easily. 
  • The screws and standoffs are now black plastic instead of metal. There are many good things (5g less mass, greater bluetooth antenna range), but I think it just looks cooler. 
  • The hole for the button on the blue translucent prototype case is now laser cut when the sides are made. This is neater and easier than having to drill every one. 

What is in the bag?



The components in the package are:
  • A BlueFlyVario_Bluetooth_v10 module with heatshrink and neoprene on. This has been bench tested.
  • A translucent blue acrylic prototype case. The acrylic is covered in brown paper.
  • Black nylon screws and standoffs for the case; four each of 12mm screws, 6mm screws, 5mm standoffs, and 6mm standoffs. You will need to shorten the 6mm screws by about 0.5mm using a sharp knife.
  • A 600mAh battery with 1.25mm 2 pin molex connector. The battery has some double sided tape on one side.
Assembly

Follow the instructions in the video. The testing procedure is described in more detail in the post about the initial release (I did not follow it closely in the video). Please contact me if you have any questions or suggestions.