Anna-Lena Marx
33b0b75773
Adds KiCad a jobset together with a new GitHub workflow file to generate the project outputs without external tooling. Some general work on the USB-Powerpath routing. |
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|---|---|---|
| .github/workflows | ||
| CircuitJS | ||
| footprints/prj-footprints.pretty | ||
| packages3d | ||
| pictures | ||
| symbols | ||
| .gitignore | ||
| 01_mcu.kicad_sch | ||
| 02_power.kicad_sch | ||
| 02a_usb-battery-charging.kicad_sch | ||
| 02b-power-on-off.kicad_sch | ||
| 03_epaper-driver.kicad_sch | ||
| 04_sd-card.kicad_sch | ||
| 05_control-buttons.kicad_sch | ||
| fp-lib-table | ||
| LICENSE | ||
| README.md | ||
| sym-lib-table | ||
| zereader-pico.kibot.yaml | ||
| ZEReader-Pico.kicad_dru | ||
| ZEReader-Pico.kicad_jobset | ||
| ZEReader-Pico.kicad_pcb | ||
| ZEReader-Pico.kicad_pro | ||
| ZEReader-Pico.kicad_sch | ||
ZEReader KiCad
The ZEReader PCB is the custom open-hardware board designed for the ZEReader project — an open hardware eBook reader approach.
The project is supported by AISLER, which sponsors prototype boards. See Production for more information. Huge thanks to AISLER for their support!
Table of Contents
PCB Revisions
Revision 2
Current Status: The design is complete, but the board is not produced yet!
This revision is a major redesign, focused on fixing Rev 1 issues and significantly improving power handling and robustness.
Major improvements and changes in rev 2:
- Connected USB-C datalines and added additional ESD and overvoltage protection with USB optimized ESD diodes and a polyfuse.
- Switched to BQ25170 as a charging controller.
- Removed the on-board NTC for monitoring the LiPo temperature in favor of an integrated one.
- Implemented a new button-based on/off mechanism based on a self-holding circuit.
- Fixed FFC connector inversion from rev 1.
- Removed switch in the display's booster circuit; populate R11 accordingly for EPDs that require a 3-ohm resistor.
- Connected all SD card connector datalines.
- Switched to a standard SWD pin header format (2x05, 1.27 pitch) for convenience.
- Reworked and improved general schematic clarity (hierarchical sheets, new Pi Pico footprint, netclasses adoption).
- Improved BoM.
Known Issues Rev 2
| Issue | Workaround/Impact |
|---|---|
| None | The board is not produced yet and awaits production and testing. |
Revision 1
Current Status: The board is working, but the FFC connector is inverted. Twisting the cable solves the issue for now.
Known Issues Rev 1
| Issue | Workaround/Impact |
|---|---|
| FFC Connector | Inverted! Requires twisting the FFC cable before connection. |
| Charging Circuit | R11 (ISET for BQ24092) is too large (2.7-kohms). This sets charging current to 200 mA, which is insufficient to drive the device standalone by USB-C. |
CI and Automation
This project uses GitHub Actions and KiBot for continuous integration and delivery. This ensures that all manufacturing files are up-to-date and directly traceable to the source code.
Outputs can be downloaded in the Actions section. They include:
- Fabrication Ready Zip
- Gerber files (.gbr)
- Drill file (.drl)
- Bill of Materials (BoM) (interactive for manual assembly and classical HTML)
- Board Renderings and PDF Schematic/Board printouts
- Verification Reports: ERC Output (HTML), DRC Output (HTML)
- KiRi KiCad Revision Inspector files (for visualizing design changes)
Version Control: All CI-generated output files like schematic and board should contain the git revision hash of the commit they were generated from to clearly identify the exact design version. The git revision hash is also added as a silkscreen label to the manufacturing files.
Production
AISLER supports the ZEReader project with prototyping boards. Huge thank you for that!
Option 1: Tip of the Tree Production
To get the design from the latest commit manufactured, just follow this link for Uploading to AISLER.
Option 2: Using Pre-Generated Artifacts
The GitHub Actions output already contains a prepacked ZIP file with everything needed for production (Gerber files as well as the .kicad_pcb) and correct git revisions filled in. This is the best way to order a specific, verified commit version.
The generated output is optimized for AISLER. If using a different manufacturing service, please verify that the production files meet their specific requirements.
- Navigate to the GitHub Actions page for the desired commit.
- Download the
KiBot_Outputsartifact. - Upload the Gerber files or the
.kicad_pcbto AISLER.
Thanks
- to casartar for reviewing the design and some great tips and ideas!
License
While the project is licensed as CERN Open Hardware Licence Version 2 - Strongly Reciprocal (CERN-OHL-S v2), the squirrel logo is a registered design and not allowed to be used in other contexts.