Hey Everyone, what's up!

Okay, so this is the Ghost badge that I made for this upcoming Halloween.

It's a simple 555 timer IC-based Bi Flasher setup which is powered by a CR2032 cell.

The goal here was to make a small THT components-based Solder kit that you guys can use to challenge yourself for doing Soldering.

Apart from this premise, it's a small PCB Badge that looks like a Bedsheet ghost with two LED Eyes that are constantly flashing.

Its construction is also relatively simple as we only have to put few THT components in their assigned place and our badge will be completed. no coding is required whatsoever.

This setup can easily be made with a microcontroller but to save cost and stuff, I choose the OG setup of all time, the 555 timer IC!

In this post, I will be showing you guys how I designed this badge and its assembly process, let's get started!

Material Required

• 555 Timer IC
• Custom PCB
• 3mm LEDs
• Micro USB Port, THT one not the SMD version
• 1uf Capacitor
• Coin cell holder
• 68k ohms 1/W Resistor
• 1K Ohms 1/W Resistors
• and an SR206 Diode

555 Timer IC Setup

The 555 timer IC is a clock generator, which means it's a circuit that may be connected to a stable or a monostable multivibrator.

In easy words, it's a monolithic timing circuit that can produce timing pulses which 50 or 100% Duty cycle.

I first prepared a simple BiStable Setup with the above schematic on a breadboard to make sure that everything is fine and well as next I will create a schematic in my PCB Designing software so I could make a proper PCB for this setup!

Same Setup but with an Attiny13A

Now, this is a completely different thing that I also consider doing for this project but Attiny13A costs more than the whole 555 timer IC setup (including coin cell holder and resistors etc) so I dropped this idea for this project. But here's its code if you want to try this project or similar with attiny13A.

int pinsCount=2;                        // declaring the integer variable pinsCount

int pins[] = {0,1};          // declaring the array pins[]

void setup() {

pinMode(0, OUTPUT);

pinMode(1, OUTPUT);

}

void loop() {

for (int i=0; i<pinsCount; i=i+1){    // chasing right

digitalWrite(pins[i], HIGH);         // switching the LED at index i on

delay(70);                          // stopping the program for 100 milliseconds

digitalWrite(pins[i], LOW);          // switching the LED at index i off

}

for (int i=pinsCount-1; i>0; i=i-1){   // chasing left (except the outer leds)

digitalWrite(pins[i], HIGH);         // switching the LED at index i on

delay(70);                          // stopping the program for 100 milliseconds

digitalWrite(pins[i], LOW);          // switching the LED at index i off

}

}

Schematic

Here's the Schematic that I made for this PCB, I set up the general Bi-Flasher setup with the 555 timer IC, I also added this USB portion so I could use a 5V Charger to power this board directly without relying on a coin cell.

After Finalizing the schematic, I exported its netlist and converted it into a PCB Design.

PCB Designing

PCB Design Process included adding all the stuff inside the Bed Sheet Ghost outline.

I added a BMP image of Bedsheet Ghost in the PCB Design to the silkscreen top layer, this BMP image contains all the important graphics or shapes of the ghost. after placing all the components, I then connected all the tracks together and that was pretty much the design process of this PCB Badge.

Also, I used THT components in this project, no SMD stuff has been used.

Why THT Components, Why not use SMD Components?

For making is project easy to assemble, I eliminated all the SMD components that I usually use for my badge projects.

Like in this below flux capacitor badge, I use a lot of SMD components including 4 Mosfet ICs and many LEDs.

https://www.pcbway.com/project/shareproject/Flux_Capacitor_PCB_Badge.html

THT components are easy to solder, that is why I used them.

Getting PCBs manufactured by PCBWAY

After finalizing the PCB and checking it one last time, I exported its Gerber data.

I used PCBWAY PCB Service for this project. I uploaded the Gerber file of this project on PCBWAY's quote page.

For this Ghost-themed badge, I went with White Soldermask and black silkscreen.

After placing the order, I received the PCBs in a week and the PCB quality was pretty great, This shape is completely random so it's pretty hard to make but they did an awesome job of making this PCB with no error whatsoever.

PCBWAY, you guys rock.

Check out PCBWAY service for great PCB service at less cost!

Assembly Process

Because this PCB doesn't have any SMD components. we don't have to do any fancy SMD process in this. I generally make PCBs with SMD Components that require a solder paste process and other things but we don't have to do that with THT components.

We just do two things for the Assembly process of THT Circuit,

we add components in their right place one by one, then we solder all the joints and remove the leg of resistance with a wire cutter and that is pretty much it.

Adding THT Components

We first add THT components to their assigned place according to the schematic.

Soldering Process

Then we solder each component and then cut their excess leg with a wire cutter and our PCB is completed!

I didn't have the THT Switch at the moment so I added a CON2 Header pin to the switch pads and then used a jumper connector to turn this setup ON and OFF by manually removing the CON2 Jumper connector. It's a temporary thing and I will remove this when the switch will arrive.

Power source

As for the Power Source of this Badge, I added a coin cell holder so I could power it with the generic CR2032 Cell but I also added a USB port to this setup so I can power it up with a 5V 1A Charger.

Both of these sources work but Coin cell is more practical as if you want to wear it with an ID Strap or add this badge on your keychain, you could just power it up with the coin cell and it will look pretty socks but a charger won't work which wearable stuff.

RESULT

Here's the result of this small built!

LEDs are flashing and everyone is working as it should, which is great!

Improvement

Also, here's a mistake that I did, I forgot to add a connection between Pin 4 and Pin 8, because of this, when we power this circuit for the first time, only one led will blink.

I added a jumper between pin 8 and pin 4 externally and it worked.

In the next version, I will correct this mistake in the PCB but this is it for now.

stay safe and ill be back with another project soon.

Peace!