Anyone who has ever visited Philadelphia during Christmas will not have failed to notice the spectacular light shows that are an intergral part of Christmas celebrations in this part of the world. These would not be possible without amazing pieces of equipment known as mergers, which make it possible for operators to control the large number and variety of lights used. If one opens up one of these machines, they will find a number of components arranged on a DMX PCB.
Most people will be familiar with Printed Circuit Boards, sometimes referred to as Printed Wiring Boards. These form the basic building blocks of practically all modern electronic devices. Without them, bulk production of these components would be extremely hard, and very expensive.
The sheets are usually made of copper foil covered in an insulated material, which is bonded to the metal with a heat resistant resin. The circuitry is then etched, or added on. Additional components may be added if needed.
Etched Wiring Boards alone cannot make up an electronic device, and other parts need to be added in order for it to be complete. The most important of these is a micro processor. This minuscule component is the most important part of a DMX merger, and without it, the amazing machine cannot do its work. The tiny chip accepts programs, handles the complex calculations, and executes the results. An Arithmetic Logic Unit does the math, while a Control Unit handles the implementation. Contemporary chips add a cache to speed up their operations.
Without an indicator, there is no way of knowing if a DMX controller is on, or that its functioning as it should. To solve this problem, hobbyists and manufacturers incorporate light emitting diodes into the Printed Circuit Boards. These are made of a hard, clear epoxy casing which pulls double duty as a diffuser, and a protective shell around the component's delicate bits and pieces. A very small reflector and electrical inputs complete the picture. Larger ones make excellent illuminators, and use very little power.
Next to micro processors and circuit boards, transistors are some of the most important parts in an electronic circuit. All of them have at least three pins; when electrical energy is applied on a centre one, electrons flow from one of the side pins to the other one. This behaviour is what makes them attractive as switches. They are also used as amplifiers, replacing the massive vacuum tubes of yore. Transistors are generally an important part of integrated circuits.
DMX controllers cannot function without capacitors. These valuable components come in various sizes, but they all have a single function; to store electricity. In this sense, they function in a similar way to batteries. Capacitors are made out metal plates separated by a non-conducting material, such as cellulose, or even air. The choice of which material to be used depends on what the capacitor will be used for. For instance, ceramics are frequently used in areas where extreme frequencies are common, such as X-ray machines, while glass is used where voltages are likely to be extremely high.
To put all these components in a DMX PCB board, a soldering iron is needed. These metal tools come with a sharp tip and an insulated handle, and can be heated using electricity, or a gas like butane where electrical outlets are not available. Those used in automated soldering are configured differently.
Most people will be familiar with Printed Circuit Boards, sometimes referred to as Printed Wiring Boards. These form the basic building blocks of practically all modern electronic devices. Without them, bulk production of these components would be extremely hard, and very expensive.
The sheets are usually made of copper foil covered in an insulated material, which is bonded to the metal with a heat resistant resin. The circuitry is then etched, or added on. Additional components may be added if needed.
Etched Wiring Boards alone cannot make up an electronic device, and other parts need to be added in order for it to be complete. The most important of these is a micro processor. This minuscule component is the most important part of a DMX merger, and without it, the amazing machine cannot do its work. The tiny chip accepts programs, handles the complex calculations, and executes the results. An Arithmetic Logic Unit does the math, while a Control Unit handles the implementation. Contemporary chips add a cache to speed up their operations.
Without an indicator, there is no way of knowing if a DMX controller is on, or that its functioning as it should. To solve this problem, hobbyists and manufacturers incorporate light emitting diodes into the Printed Circuit Boards. These are made of a hard, clear epoxy casing which pulls double duty as a diffuser, and a protective shell around the component's delicate bits and pieces. A very small reflector and electrical inputs complete the picture. Larger ones make excellent illuminators, and use very little power.
Next to micro processors and circuit boards, transistors are some of the most important parts in an electronic circuit. All of them have at least three pins; when electrical energy is applied on a centre one, electrons flow from one of the side pins to the other one. This behaviour is what makes them attractive as switches. They are also used as amplifiers, replacing the massive vacuum tubes of yore. Transistors are generally an important part of integrated circuits.
DMX controllers cannot function without capacitors. These valuable components come in various sizes, but they all have a single function; to store electricity. In this sense, they function in a similar way to batteries. Capacitors are made out metal plates separated by a non-conducting material, such as cellulose, or even air. The choice of which material to be used depends on what the capacitor will be used for. For instance, ceramics are frequently used in areas where extreme frequencies are common, such as X-ray machines, while glass is used where voltages are likely to be extremely high.
To put all these components in a DMX PCB board, a soldering iron is needed. These metal tools come with a sharp tip and an insulated handle, and can be heated using electricity, or a gas like butane where electrical outlets are not available. Those used in automated soldering are configured differently.
About the Author:
For dependable DMX PCB products, see our website at www.elmvideotechnology.com today. For more information, you can click on the links at http://www.elmvideotechnology.com now.
No comments:
Post a Comment