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a new concept for Australian electronics: maker hub The maker movement is a world-wide phenomenon, credited with introducing countless thousands (millions?) to electronics. Jaycar’s latest store at Central Park in Sydney is dedicated to makers at all levels. I nside their new Central Park Mall store on Broadway, Jaycar Electronics has something quite different: a “Maker Hub”. It’s not in New York, it’s right here in Sydney; Broadway is one of the main thoroughfares heading south out of Sydney city and Central Park Mall is a modern mall featuring greenery both inside and out (right near Central Station, hence the name). We toured the new store and its integral Maker Hub, and we liked what we saw. It provides a place for Jaycar “Nerd Perks” members to work on their projects, and gives them access to some fairly advanced equipment for nominal fees. And the fully-stocked Jaycar Electronics store means that if you need a part or tool for our project, you won’t have to go very far! If you aren’t familiar with the Maker movement, refer to our article on the Sydney Mini Maker Faire in the Janu- ary 2014 issue (siliconchip.com.au/Article/5688). The store The first thing that struck us upon seeing the store is the new styling, with plenty of open space and neatly organised products. You might have seen some small changes at your local Jaycar or in their latest catalog, but the full extent of Jaycar’s new look is visible there. In addition to the new logo and uniforms, the shop generally has a more modern and open feel. Of course, style is not everything, especially when you are only interested in finding that one part for your next project. The aisles are wider and there is more space to move. There’s far less need to crouch down and reach into cramped spaces to find and retrieve the parts that you need. And if you are looking at a cable, you will easily find it on the By Tim Blythman siliconchip.com.au Australia’s electronics magazine August 2019  27 Even the entrance to Jaycar’s new store and Maker Hub is quite different to existing stores. The Maker Hub is given its own dedicated area within the store. Along with individual work areas, the Maker Hub features conference or seminar areas where groups can gather to hear from guest makers or just to collaborate on projects. ‘Cable Wall’ along one side of the shop. The way components are displayed has been massively improved. Instead of rows of plastic tubs, most of the smaller components are now housed in so-called (according to our guide) ‘turbines’. These are rotating, segmented towers which can be spun to quickly find the part you are looking for. use. There is a 3D scanner, which can produce a 3D model of solid objects, that can then be replicated using one of the 3D printers. One of the staff members suggested that this could be used to scan broken parts to create replacements. That is an idea which we can imagine would appeal to many people, not just those with an interest in 3D printing. To our delight, they also have a Voltera V-One PCB printer. We briefly described this device in our July 2019 article on Making PCBs (siliconchip.com.au/Article/11700). A sample prototype that it had produced was on display, featuring a small PCB with an 8-pin SOIC (SMD) chip flashing several onboard LEDs. The board looked quite tidy. Like the 3D printers, it appears this unit will be available for customers to use, although the actual details of this are still to be decided. We might keep this in mind next time we need a prototype in a hurry… There was a Bantam PCB Milling Machine on one of the benches too; we also mentioned this in our Making PCBs article. We didn’t get to see it in operation, but it is another way that Maker Hub customers can create prototype PCBs. Jaycar will also be adding a laser cutter to the list of machines that you can ‘rent’. It would have been there already except that it got stuck in customs! They will have plastic sheets available that you can use to cut out your designs, again for a nominal charge. They also suggested that customers may be able to use the laser cutter to make holes in boxes they’ve just purchased (eg, in the lids). Also on display was the SnapMaker CNC machine. This is a 3-in-1 machine with interchangeable tools, including modules for 3D printing, CNC milling and laser cutting. Again, we were not able to see it in action, and we suspect that both lasers and CNC milling heads will need to be safeguarded in such an environment. Along with the vast number of ‘grown-up toys’, there was a display featuring robot kits aimed at younger people, as well as a table in the Maker Hub set up to demonstrate the mBot The Maker Hub Perhaps most interesting is the ‘Maker Hub’ element of the store. It’s tucked away in the back corner, but with a fantastic view of the park behind the mall. It consists of several benches, slightly higher than waist height. Maker Hub is written in giant letters on the ceiling, which can be seen from outside the building. The Maker Hub is being used to host workshops and other events, and can also be used by Nerd Perks’ members to work on their own projects. Nerd Perks is Jaycar’s loyalty program. During the time we were there, we saw a workshop in progress. One of the staff members was demonstrating how to turn a Raspberry Pi single-board computer into an arcade game (using an assortment of other Jaycar parts). The enthusiastic participants were a mix of ages and genders. Also in evidence were several 3D printers, many of them busy turning out an assortment of small plastic widgets. It’s apparent that Jaycar Electronics is embracing 3D printing; we counted at least six different models on display. They are all available for purchase, including a tiny model for only $299. A sign indicates that you can print your own 3D design using their printers, for 30c per gram of filament. While the cost of 3D printers has plummeted, they are still a substantial outlay, so this is both a great way to ‘try before you buy’, and also an excellent service for people who do too little 3D printing to justify buying their own printer. Or you can just try it out, to see if you like it. The Maker Hub also features an assortment of other exciting equipment that you can 28 Silicon Chip Australia’s electronics magazine siliconchip.com.au (Left): a Voltera V-One PCB printer, which we mentioned in last month’s feature on making PCBs. At right is the Bantam Tools Desktop PCB Milling Machine. Jaycar has plans to rent these (and other) in-house machines to makers for a nominal charge. programmable robot, including an obstacle course to be negotiated. They also have a small meeting table next to a digital whiteboard for brainstorming, along with a regular whiteboard, for those who prefer the old-school methods. Small groups can come up with design ideas and use the digital whiteboard to save their deliberations to a USB stick (and perhaps take a photo of the regular whiteboard to record its contents). Jaycar’s educational focus Jaycar’s STEM education (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) focus has always been strong; consider the Short Circuits project books and kits, which go back over 20 years (which, incidentally, were designed by SILICON CHIP staff). The Short Circuits projects are still being sold, and robots like mBot are an impressive indication of what children have to learn with nowadays. While we were impressed with the exotic gear that was on display, it was good to see that a couple of soldering irons were dotted around the benches, along with hot air rework stations and other soldering gear. And right next to the Maker Hub area is a product display for Arduinos and other project construction essentials. Product placement is key! According to our guide, the intention here is that the Maker Hub is not just a space to build your project, but also to be able to sit, plan and collaborate. With Central Park Mall located directly opposite the campus of the University of Technology Sydney (and only a short walk from Sydney University), we expect that many students will make use of the space to work on their projects. Summary The “Maker” concept resonates with us, as SILICON CHIP has a strong focus on DIY electronics. In fact, we would say that our readers and we have been “Makers” long be- fore the term was coined. Jaycar’s Maker Hub is a new and interesting way of helping people like us to make things. We’re excited to see the Maker Hub, not just because they have some great toys, but because it will make building electronics much easier for many people, and may inspire the next generation of our readers. This new Maker Hub is especially convenient because it’s so close to both the Sydney CBD and Central station, with plenty of buses and trains meaning that it’s easily accessible to millions of people. While we have not seen a schedule, it appears that the Maker Hub will host workshops regularly. And assuming that it’s popular, other new Jaycar stores will likely open with their own mini Maker Hubs inside. Just as you need to be a Nerd Perks member to use the gear, you will also need to join this program to participate in the workshops. Joining is free and also gives you aspects to certain product promotions and discounts. The initial focus of these workshops appears to be on Arduino and Raspberry Pi based projects, although we expect to see 3D printing and CNC-themed events in the future. We are considering hosting an occasional event at the Maker Hub, where you can meet our staff, ask questions and maybe even build a kit or two. If we decide to do so, we will announce it in advance in the magazine, so watch this space. Jaycar’s Broadway store is open from 10am until 8pm every day; the extended hours are also a boon for those needing parts for a last minute project, and as mentioned, it is a short walk from Sydney’s main Central railway station. So you might even be able to grab something on your way to or from work. Did I mention the 24/7 Click and Collect parcel lockers? For further information, see the following links: www.jaycar.com.au/store/Broadway_JaycarAU www.jaycar.com.au/nerdperks www.jaycar.com.au/makerhub SC (Left): the store contains some pretty high-end gear as well, such as this Swann DVR with a number plate recognition system (want to start your own car park?). There are plans for several more 3D printers, which maker members can use for not much more than the cost of the 3D filaments. At right is a PCB “printed” by the Voltera V-One machine shown above (top left). siliconchip.com.au Australia’s electronics magazine August 2019  29