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PRODUCT SHOWCASE Upgraded TraceMe has    option KCS has upgraded its successful TM-178 TraceME module, targeted for tracing and controlling vehicles and other powered equipment. The TM-178/R9H7 module has been upgraded with optional LoRa, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth Smart (BLE), ANT/ANT+ and proprietary RF, which enables easy integration with existing wireless networks and specific custom mobile apps on smartphones and tablets. LoRa technology offers a communication range up to 60km line of sight. The module offers an advanced indoor and outdoor location based positioning solution, which covers a variety of IoT applications and enables stolen object/vehicle recovery. The TM-178 is equipped with external power and battery backup connection, basic I/O-connectivity and multiple on-board sensors. The unit contains multiple integrated antennas for GPS/Glonass, GSM (2G/3G) and RF functionality. The module can be remotely programmed to fit any job, from basic to advanced/low-level application-specific detailed functionality. With a compact size of 91 x 40mm, weighing 30 grams and a battery life of more than 10 years, the module offers endless OEM integration possibilities. The module can be ordered in an optional robust IP67 housing. Please visit www.trace.me for more information. PCBCart Prototyping Service now supports maker and hardware startups Byte-sized click boards give makers food for thought With the increasing popularity of the Maker movement, PCBCart has received more PCB prototyping and assembly enquiries than ever before. To show their support for Maker and hardware startups, they recently reduced their PCB prototyping and assembly services prices, with prototype boards starting from $0.19! They also charge an extremely low assembly labor cost if you want your prototype assembled. If it’s your first order, their New Customer Offer can save you 15% (up to $200) off your first PCB order. Even with the lowered price, the same strict standards during proto board manufacturing and assembly is maintained. Your PCB file review and DFM check are the same as PCB full production orders. Do you have a prototype project right now? Use PCBCart’s online PCB Price Calculator at www.pcbcart.com/quote/prototype-pcb to get an instant quotation. A custom quotation will be provided within 1-2 working days. In bygone days, software developers used to code with punchcards. A lot of menial work had to be done to write a program. High-level programming languages changed that. Software engineers using modern tools don’t have to do the same thing twice. But what about hardware? Is there a way to avoid the repetitive work: wire jumpers on breadboards, soldering? There are several add-on board producers on the market that try to simplify hardware prototyping. MikroElektronika has been catching a lot of attention with their “click board” eco-system. A range of more than 200 byte-sized add-on boards, all with the same standardised connector, will give food for thought to any hardware developer. On the surface, a click board is one of hundreds of add-on boards compatible with mikroBUS – a standard that specifies its size, shape and 16-pin connector. In essence, what hardware developers really get with a click board is a team of engineers working under them. A developer picks the chip or module their project requires. MikroElektronika’s engineers have done the legwork: figured out the configuration of resistors and capacitors, wrote sample code and libraries, even soldered the pins. Most of today’s major development platforms work with click boards. With adaptors, click boards can be matched to Arduino and Raspberry Pi. Microchip endorsed the standard on their new development boards. Hummingboard-gate is the first single board computer natively compatible with click boards. Find a click for your project, plug it into a mikroBUS socket and start turning ideas into prototypes with new-found freedom. Click and Microcontroller boards are available from Glyn: www.glynstore.com/mikroelektronika/ Jaycar reaches 100 Store milestone Jaycar Electronics has just announced the opening of their 100th store in Brighton, Victoria. The milestone is just one of many for the successful Australianowned company, which opened their first store in 1981 in Sussex St, Sydney. Jaycar’s newest store is located at the corner of Nepean Hwy & Hawthorn Rd, Brighton East, and is open seven days. The open-plan store has thousands of techo gadgets, electronics, car and home audio products, power products, automotive accessories as well as security, computer and outdoor products. Many more stores are planned, as well as expanding their network of authorised stockists across Australia, New Zealand and Pacific Islands. 92  Silicon Chip siliconchip.com.au returns to Sydney in September Electronex, Australia’s only dedicated trade event for the electronics industry, returns to Sydney on 14–15 September at Australian Technology Park. With around 100 exhibitors, a technical conference and free seminars featuring leading international and local industry experts, this is an event not to be missed. This year’s expo continues to reflect the move towards niche and specialised manufacturing applications in the electronics sector and will also cater for the increasing demand from visitors for contract manufacturing solutions. There is expected to be a record number of exhibitors participating as the industry is seeing an upturn in demand from local manufacturers and specialist applications that are recognising the expertise and quality that is available from Australian-based suppliers. The event targets design professionals; electronic and electrical engineers and technicians; along with OEM, scientific, IT and communications professionals and service technicians. Electronex was launched in 2010 to provide professionals across an array of industry sectors with the opportunity to learn about the latest technology developments for systems integration and production electronics. The last Sydney show in 2014 attracted over 1000 trade and industry visitors. Visitors can pre-register to attend the expo for free at www. electronex.com.au The SMCBA Electronics Design & Manufacture Conference (founded in 1988 and held in conjunction with Electronex) will bring together local and international speakers to share information critical to the successful design and development of leading-edge electronic products and systems engineering solutions. A series of free seminars with overviews on key industry topics will also be held on the show floor throughout the two day event. The conference will include the following presentations (the complete conference and seminar program can be found on the show website). Dr S Manian Ramkumar, Director – Center for Electronics Manufacturing and Assembly, Rochester Institute of Technology, will deliver three presentations: Defect Analysis and Process Troubleshooting; Characterising and Minimising Voids in QFN Device Assembly Using Lead Free Solder Alloys; and Root Cause Analysis for Reliability Issues in Electronics Packaging. Dale Lee, Plexus Corporation, Staff DFX Process Engineer, will deliver two presentations: DFX Design for Excellence: DFM, DFA, DFT and More; and Flex PCB Design and Assembly. Simon Blyth, Director of Engineering, LX Group, will deliver a presentation on the Internet of Things. Dr Hamish Laird, ELMG Digital Power, will deliver a presentation on High Performance Digital Control. Mark Steiner, Managing Director, Hetech, will deliver a presentation entitled To Design or not to Design a Commercial View to Product Development. Details: When: 14–15 September 2016 Where: Australian Technology Park, Sydney Website: www.electronex.com.au The SILICON CHIP Inductance - Reactance - Capacitance - Frequency READY RECKONER For ANYONE in ELECTRONICS: HU 420x59G4Em on heavy photo pa m per You’ll find this wall chart as handy as your multimeter – and just as ESSENTIAL! Whether you’re a raw beginner or a PhD rocket scientist . . . if you’re building, repairing, checking or designing electronics circuits, this is what you’ve been waiting for! Why try to remember formulas when this chart will give you the answers you seek in seconds . . . easily! Read the feature in Jan16 SILICON CHIP (you can view it online) to see just how much simpler it will make your life! All you do is follow the lines for the known values . . . and read the unknown value off the intersecting axis. It really is that easy – and quick (much quicker than reaching for your calculator! Printed on heavy (200gsm) photo paper Mailed flat (rolled in tube) or folded Limited quantity available Mailed Folded: Mailed Rolled: ORDER NOW AT $10.00 $20.00 inc P&P & GST www.siliconchip.com.au/shop siliconchip.com.au inc P&P & GST AAugust ugust 2016  93 2016  93